Awards and recognition
In February 1968, Yupanqui was named a knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture, in honor of his 18 years of work enriching the literature of the French nation. Some of his songs are included in the programs of institutes and schools where Castilian literature is taught.

In 1985, the Argentinian Konex Foundation granted him the Diamond Konex Award, one of the most prestigious awards in Argentina, as the most important popular musician in the last decade in his country.

In 1989, the University of Nanterre, France, commissioned Yupanqui to write the lyrics of a cantata to commemorate the bicentenary of the French Revolution. The piece, entitled "The Sacred Word" (Parole sacrée), was a tribute to oppressed peoples.

In his early years, Yupanqui traveled extensively through the northwest of Argentina and the Altiplano studying the indigenous cultures. He became politically active and joined the Communist Party of Argentina. In 1931, he took part in the failed Kennedy brothers uprising against the de facto government of José Félix Uriburu and in support of deposed president Hipólito Yrigoyen. After the uprising was defeated, he was forced to seek refuge in Uruguay. He returned to Argentina in 1934.

In 1935, Yupanqui paid his first visit to Buenos Aires; his compositions were growing in popularity, and he was invited to perform on the radio. Shortly thereafter, he made the acquaintance of pianist Antonieta Paula Pepin Fitzpatrick, nicknamed "Nenette", who became his lifelong companion and musical collaborator under the pseudonym "Pablo Del Cerro".

Because of his Communist Party affiliation (which lasted until 1952), his work suffered from censorship during Juan Perón's presidency. He was detained and incarcerated several times. Between 1944 and 1949, he was exiled in Uruguay. In 1944 he was hired by Samuel V. de León to perform in the city of Durazno for the benefit of students of the city, who had been collecting money to fundraise for the Misiones Socio Pedagógicas. To mark his first visit to the city he composed "A orillas del Yí", and dedicated it to Julio Martínez Oyanguren. In 1949, he travelled to Europe. Édith Piaf invited him to perform in Paris on 7 July 1950, and he soon signed a contract with Le Chant du Monde, the recording company that published his first LP in Europe, Minero Soy (I am a miner). This record won first prize for best foreign disc at an international folklore contest at the Académie Charles Cros, which had three hundred fifty participants from around the world. He subsequently toured extensively throughout Europe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atahualpa_Yupanqui

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atahualpa

Atahualpa Yupanqui, whose birth name was Héctor Roberto Chavero, adopted the stage name Atahualpa Yupanqui in homage to two legendary Inca kings, the last of whom was Atahualpa. The name Yupanqui has Quechua origins and means "he who is esteemed" or "he who is counted," while the name Atahualpa can mean "virile-sweet". Together, Yupanqui's chosen name translates to "the one who comes from distant lands to say something," which reflects his lifelong promotion of indigenous and working-class issues through his music.

The Southern Cross is a powerful symbol of the South American Continent.