Xulio Cuns Lousa


Category: Guitarist and Writer
Birth Date: 22nd October 1926
Birth Place: Betanzos (A Coruña)
 Curriculum

He worked as a notary officer in his native village until he retired. He participated in the cultural activity of his village, carrying out several activities: guitarist, theatre actor, lecturer, and writer.
 
When he was young, he collaborated in El Eco de las Mariñas, a fortnightly newspaper edited in 1956, publishing articles in every issue.
 
He was a member of Candilejas Cultural Association which developed activities in Betanzos in the early 70’s and participated as an actor in some of the plays performed by this association.
 
As a guitarist, he formed part of bands and several groups: Muñoz-Cuns (together with Muñoz Brothers), and Evocación (with Manuel Vidal and Suso Bergantiños). Since its foundation in 1969, he was a member of the Polyphonic Choral Society of Betanzos for several years.
 
In 1992, he collaborated in the foundation of Eira Vella Cultural Association. He was secretary and member of this association form 1993 to 1998 and collaborated in A Xanela, the magazine edited by this association.
 
As a narrator, he started with Mi tumba y yo (in Spanish), which was awarded the first prize at the contest of the Unión Protectora de Artesanos de Santiago in 1957. Another story, titled Tiñan frío, got an honourable mention at Breogan Contest (Galician Centre of Baracaldo, 1976).
 
He also published O que non quedou no protocolo (1992), O velorio do Tío Chinto (1995) and Así foi… e seguirá sendo (2004), Alcumes recollidos en Betanzos (1989), in collaboration with Xesús Torres, and Orquestras populares das Mariñas (2006), in collaboration with Xosé María Veiga.
 
His activity as a translator into Galician started with the translation of two works by Rabindranath Tagore: O carteiro do rei and Malini (Ed. do Castro, 1976). He also translated short theatre plays of Spanish and universal authors.
 
He is the author of the following theatre plays: O esmoleiro, first performed by Mariñán Theatre Goup in 1995; Alter Ego, first performed by Mariñán Theatre Group in 1996 and O ramallo de loureiro. He made in Galician the version of Alejandro Casona (two plays of Retablo jovial), Roger Martin du Gard (O testamento do tío Lelé) e August Strindberg (A máis forte. Debe e jaber). As an actor, he formed part of Candilejas Association and Luzada (with Olga Patiño and Basoa).
 
His works about history and local ethnography and popular culture have been published in Anuario Brigantino (he has been the secretary for over twenty years): La Banda municipal de Betanzos en el siglo XIX (1984), La Banda municipal de Betanzos en el siglo XX (1986), Rabusco (1989), O humor na poesía popular galega (1991), Lendo ó Padre Martín Sarmiento (1995), Re, non verbis (De feito, non de palabra) (1997, this one in collaboration with Veiga and C. Fernández), Memorias dunha viaxe de ida por volta á República Arxentina e á Oriental do uruguay (1998), A propósito do Apropósito (1999) and Os Serenos: historia e historias da Garda Municipal de Betanzos (2000, in collaboration with Xosé María Veiga).