Honduras National Anthem
Listen to National Anthem
Anthem History
"A Honduras" ("To Honduras") is a song that expresses the great respect and love that Hondurans feel for their fatherland.In the years following its independence, Honduras lacked a national anthem. In its place, "La Granadera," a beautiful march commemorating the battles, victories, and sacrifices of General Morazán, was played at civic events and official ceremonies. At school festivals people sang hymns by Honduran poets, although none in particular became popular.
In 1904, the President of the Republic, General Manuel Bonilla, gave several writers the task of writing hymns from which an anthem would be chosen. The poem of Augusto C. Coello, entitled A Honduras (To Honduras) was selected, and given to the director of the martial band, don Carlos Hartling, to be set to music.
In 1915, "A Honduras" (sometimes called "Tu Bandera" -- "Your Flag") was formally declared by the Honduran government as the country's official anthem.
Anthem Lyrics
CHORUS:Tu bandera, tu bandera
Es un lampo de cielo
Por un bloque, por un bloque
De nieve cruzado;
Y se ven en su fondo sagrado
Cinco estrellas de pálido azul;
En tu emblema que mar rumoroso
Con sus ondas bravías escuda,
De un volcán, de un volcán
Tras la cima desnuda
Hay un astro, hay un astro
De nítida luz.
India, virgen y hermosa dormías
De tus mares al canto sonoro,
Cuando echada en tus cuencas de oro
El audaz navegante te halló;
Y al mirar tu belleza extasiado
Al influjo ideal de tu encanto,
La orla azul de tu espléndido manto
Con su beso de amor consagró.
CHORUS
De un país donde el sol se levanta,
Mas allá del Atlante azulado,
Aquel hombre que te había soñado
Y en tu busca a la mar se lanzó.
Cuando erguiste la pálida frente,
En la viva ansiedad de tu anhelo,
Bajo el dombo gentil de tu cielo
Ya flotaba un extraño pendón.
CHORUS
Era inutil que el indio tu amado
Se aprestara a la lucha con ira,
Porque envuelto en su sangre Lempira,
En la noche profunda se hundió;
Y de la épica hazaña, en memoria,
La leyenda tan sólo ha guardado
De un sepulcro el lugar ignorado
Y el severo perfil de un peñón.
CHORUS
Por tres siglos tus hijos oyeron
El mandato imperioso del amo;
Por tres siglos tu inú til reclamo
En la atmosfera azul se perdió;
Pero un día gloria tu oído
Percibió, poderoso y distante,
Que allá lejos, por sobre el Atlante,
Indignado rugía un León.
CHORUS
Era Francia, la libre, la heroica,
Que en su sueño de siglos dormida
Despertaba iracunda a la vida
Al reclamo viril de Dantón:
Era Francia, que enviaba a la muerte
La cabeza del Rey consagrado,
Y que alzaba soberbia a su lado,
El Altar de la Diosa razón.
CHORUS
Tú también, ¡oh mi patria!, te alzaste
De tu sueño servil y profundo;
Tú también enseñastes al mundo
Destrozado el infame eslabón.
Y en tu suelo bendito, tras la alta
Cabellera de monte salvaje,
Como un ave de negro plumaje,
La colonia fugaz se perdió
CHORUS
Por guardar ese emblema divino,
Marcharemos Oh Patria a la muerte,
Generosa será nuestra suerte,
Si morimos pensando en tu amor.
Defendiendo tu santa bandera
Y en tus pliegues gloriosos cubiertos,
Serán muchos, Oh Honduras tus muertos,
Pero todos caerán con honor.
CHORUS
Anthem Lyrics English
As your standard, as your standardserves a strip of cloudless azure,
Which in twain is cut,
Which in twain is cut by a band that snows besprinkle;
In whose sacred abysses there twinkle
Five pale stars lit with softest rays of blue.
And in your shield, that a strident sea is guarding
With the bulwark of its savage billows' might,
A volcano stands, a volcano stands,
From whose lonely summit's height
Comes the beacon clear,
Comes the beacon clear,
Of a star that flashes there.
In defense of our glorious emblem
We are ready, my Country, to perish,
For future ages their fame will ever cherish
Who in their dying hour are thinking of your love.
In the defense of your holy banner fallen,
Their lifeless forms in its hallowed folds enshrouded.
Not few, blessed Honduras, shall be your proud dead,
But they all in honour's cause will die.
Honduras Flag
| Flag Date of Adoption | March 7, 1866 |
| Flag Symbolism | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band. Blue stands for the skies and brotherhood; the white for the desire for peace and purity of thoughts. |