Ana Tijoux's 'Antipatriarca' Video Unites Women's Rights Worldwide

Ana Tijoux, the powerhouse French-Chilean diva who is one of the most recognizable and important rappers in Latin America, has just released the video for “Antipatriarca,” one of the more explicitly feminist songs in her repertoire. It’s glorious.

Based on an open call, it compiles women (and a few men) from all over the world in their natural environments—working, playing, chilling with their friends, breastfeeding, translating her lyrics to sign language, all things she cites in the song—interspliced with Tijoux herself, rapping lyrics that function as a mission statement and a call to arms. “No sumisa ni obedient, emujer fuerte,” she says. “Insurgente, independiente y valiente. Romper las cadenas de lo indiferente.” Not submissive or obedient, strong rebel woman.

In an email, Tijoux tells Jezebel she’s proud of the way the video came together without any premeditation or production—just women embodying the lyrics and using modern technology to come together and communicate. She writes:

Lo hermoso de este video es que todas las personas se grabaron en sus lugares habituales. Muchos de ellos en sus casas, algunos en sus lugares de trabajo, y otros en lugares urbanos que por un motivo personal eligieron. Nadie fue convocado a ningún set de grabación. No hubo productoras de por medio ni profesionales del área. No fue trabajo remunerado ni ningún tipo de canje.

Este mismo trabajo, que se realizó a nivel mundial, podría haberse logrado fácilmente con alguna productora internacional, con un buen capital económico se pueden lograr este tipo de resultados. Por el contrario, nuestro trabajo consistió en una red solidaria, desinteresada, un trabajo hecho a mano, muchos de los videos se grabaron sólo con teléfonos celulares.

Por eso, este video tiene un especial significado para nosotros y un valor muy especial en total concordancia con el contenido de la canción.

[Very loose translation in my words, not a direct quote: The beauty of this video is that all of these women were filmed in their regular spots, a lot of them at home, in their workplaces, and other city places that had a personal significance. There were no professionals involved, it was not paid work. They could have easily made this same video with a lot of money and an international production, but this work consisted of supportive, united, selfless network, with many videos recorded on cell phones. For this reason, this video has a special significance for us that’s in total agreement with the content of the song.]

It was special and in the spirit of the song—and that of the album from whence “Antipatriarca” comes, 2014’s Vengo. During its recording, Tijoux spent a modicum of time in Ecuador with a friend who worked with indigenous peoples there, and she was inspired to get back to her own roots, peppering Vengo with Andean pan flutes and a mind towards reversing colonization. The notion permeates the “Antipatriarca” video, and presents a version of what that could look like—the idea that it starts with valuing the lives and equal footing of all the rebel women around the world. I, for one, am inspired.