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 = = =Jose Asuncion Flores (1904-1972) =

  Jose was born in a poor neighborhood of La Chacarita in Asuncion. At 11, he joined the Capital Police marching band and was a student under the composer Felix Fernandez and the director Salvador Dentice. 1922 was when he created a polka song named, “Manuel Gondra.” He managed to create a new genre which he called, Guarania. He found this by experimenting with one of the old Paraguayan song Maerapa Reikuaase. He created this genre for the purpose to show/tell his feelings of the Paraguayan people through music. Flores mentioned on his making as: “The Guarania is from my people, written for and by my people.” He was awarded the National Order of Merit in 1949, because of his work, but he did not accept the award to protest the killing of a student who participated in a protest against the government. Because of this when Alfredo Stoessner became president of Paraguay in 1954 Flores was forbidden to return to Paraguay. He was considered to be a “traitor.” Flores is know today as one of the best composers and one of the most influential music personalities of Paraguay, he died in 1972 in Buenos Aires.

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