La chucula se prepara
Con la fruta del chontaduro
Se le pone leche de coco
También se pone maduro (x2)
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro
La tomaba yo de niño
Allá en el barrio ‘La Punta’ (x2)
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro
Y si no hay chontaduro
Le ponemos la chonta
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro (bis)
Y si no hay ya la chonta
Le ponemos la chontilla
Y si no hay la chontilla
Le ponemos el chapil
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro
La tomaba yo de niño
también la toma mi tío
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro
Allá en el barrio ‘La Punta’
La toman todos los niños
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro
Con la fruta del chontaduro
Se prepara la chucula
Se le pone leche de coco
También se pone maduro
Chucula vamo a tomá
Con la fruta del chontaduro.
***
English translation by Pilar EGüez Guevara
The chucula is prepared
With the fruit of the chontaduro
Coconut milk is added
We also add ripe plantain (x2)
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro
I used to drink it when I was a kid
Back in the ‘La Punta’ neighbourhood (x2)
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro
And if there's no chontaduro
We put in the chonta
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro (bis)
And if there's no chonta
We'll put in the chontilla
And if there's no chontilla
We'll put in the chapil
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro
I used to drink it when I was a child
My uncle also had it
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro
Back in ‘La Punta’ neighbourhood
All the children had it
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro
With the fruit of the chontaduro
The chucula is prepared
Coconut milk is added
We also add ripe plantain
Chucula we are going to drink
With the fruit of the chontaduro.
Paolo Realpe Mina is an Afro-Ecuadorian community leader and environmental advocate from Muisne, Esmeraldas. As co-founder of Muisne desde Adentro, he works to protect mangroves, revitalise ancestral foodways and promote sustainable community tourism. In 2024, he was recognised as one of Latin America’s ten biodiversity leaders by América Futura and CAF. He was a protagonist in the award-winning documentary Tarpuna: Guardians of the Coconut and the Mangrove (2023, Ecuador, 19 min.), directed by Gustavo Chiriboga.