Oscar Safuan

Childhood and Youth

He was born on September 21, 1943 in San Estanislao, Paraguay, known as Santani. His father, Sado Safuán was of Lebanese origin. He spent his childhood with his family in his hometown. Like all the country children, his childhood was full of games such as hondita and fishing days of tare’yi in the blue waters of Tapirakuai. He also used to participate in the rodeos, ride horses, trompo contests and kite flying, at his father's ranch "Paso Naranja". Between football matches and balls, he discovered one day that, besides all of these activities which occupied his time, there was something else that would fill his days totally: music.

First it was the little organ, then the guitar and soon he found himself forming the first trio. After that many nights of serenades, radio programs in Asunción, the capital of the country, and a goal to pursue: get to Brazil with his loving music. This goal was to be growing while Safuán was at the military service, which was obligatory, in Santani.

His first trio had the name of "Los hijos del Paraguay", meaning The Children of Paraguay, a name that was to be strongly criticized by his father who said at his first presentation: "How can you say that, Paraguayan Children, and not Arab children? You are a son of a Lebanese and must be proud of it…" The reason of his anger was because Mr Sado Safuán didn't want any of his children to be ashamed of their origins. For several days, Oscar tried to explain to his father the true meaning of the name chosen for the trio, but the explanation didn't succeed to convince Mr Sado.

First steps

Towards the end of 1962, in the middle of a great expectation, the group left to Foz de Yguazu, in Brazil, as their first stop in a long way. Once located there, they started a series of presentations at some of the local restaurants, which allowed them to cover their daily expenses.

From Foz de Yguazu, they went to Curitiba, capital of the Paraná state. With an improvised album, made of eight pictures taken at a nearby lab, in the bus terminal, they left in order to look for a job in the big city. They mainly looked at restaurants and barbecue places, so as to get at least a good meal each day. They also went to newspapers, radio stations, and the only TV channel of Curitiba at that time. It was there that they finally made a series of presentations for a program directed by Kat Maia, TV program presenter.

By then, the group’s name was "The Three Suns" and besides Safuán (who was the third voice of the group) was also Dario Duarte, (second voice, guitar and second requintist) and Antonio Gill (first voice and maracas).

These first experiences of "The three suns" are marked by many anecdotes, normal in a group of musicians who were looking to place their Paraguayan music in the foreign market. One of them is that since they did not have money to make their clothes, they bought a strong material, with many color stripes and they converted into the traditional "poncho de sesenta listas" which complemented the typical Paraguayan outfit of the boys: ao poì shirt, pants and three color belt (the colors of the flag).

They were dressed like this during one of the many presentations at a family house when they realized the curtains of the house were of the same material of their ponchos, which made them lose interest in wearing them anymore. They gained a prestige with a lot of effort in the stages of Curitiba, therefore they set a new goal, to arrive to São Paulo.

His trajectory

He established himself in São Paulo. There the group made contact with other Paraguayan artists who were living in that city, such the case of Luis Bordón, Papi Galan and Americo Pereira, and with this one, Safuán studied theory. He also studied with masters such as Miguel Angel, Rufo Herrera and Luis Pecora. At the same time, he dedicated to making musical arrangements at disco houses and to the presentations of the group.

Later, he continued studying with different masters. Safuán founded a music school, "Los Amigos", where he taught other Paraguayans to read music. He was questioned by the evolution of the folk music of his country, and in 1974 he started a research on it, and elaborated the basis for a projection proposal, developing rhythmic combinations as well as melodic ones, in base of the fusion of the guarania and the Paraguayan polka. In 1977 he presented in Asunción his new rhythm named Avanzada, applied to his first composition: "Tema Paraguayo". This musical innovation was supported by important people of the Paraguayan musical sphere, among them, Don Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo, but the Avanzada had also people against it.

From 1980, the Avanzada began to gain an important space as a musical style which is now part of the country folk music.

His style

Safuán presents a new style applied to the traditional Paraguayan folk music. He has achieved a perfect and fresh fusion of the Guarania and the Paraguayan Polka, after long years of research, study and love for the music of his country. According to him, "[the Avanzada] is neither polka nor guarania. It is anew rhythm generated by both, and as the child, has a life and a light of his own."

In this musical style, Safuán incorporates, besides folk rhythms, electronic instruments and we can also perceive some influence of the popular Brazilian music such as bossa nova and ballade.

Last years

He spent his last years working without rest in favor of the Paraguayan music, in order to spread the culture. He died in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from lung cancer.