Carlos Francisco Chang Marín or Changmarín (February 26, 1922 – December 5, 2012) was a

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

nian

folklorist Folklore studies, less often known as folkloristics, and occasionally tradition studies or folk life studies in the United Kingdom, is the branch of anthropology devoted to the study of folklore. This term, along with its synonyms, gained currenc ...

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wr ...

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

and

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, ...

poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek '' poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meani ...

essays An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal a ...

and

children's literature Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...

. His writing, which has been described as close to the people's voice, portrays the

class struggle Class conflict, also referred to as class struggle and class warfare, is the political tension and economic antagonism that exists in society because of socio-economic competition among the social classes or between rich and poor. The form ...

and the search for social justice of his countrymen and

working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

people of the world. His work usually mixes descriptions of the Ibero-American countryside and

simple life Simple living refers to practices that promote simplicity in one's lifestyle. Common practices of simple living include reducing the number of possessions one owns, depending less on technology and services, and spending less money. Not only is ...

beauty with naive humour and optimism with

proletarian revolution A proletarian revolution or proletariat revolution is a social revolution in which the working class attempts to overthrow the bourgeoisie and change the previous political system. Proletarian revolutions are generally advocated by socialists, ...

conclusions and tone. This makes his work very popular among the intellectual middle classes and the working classes, specifically the campesinos (countryside people), who identify themselves with Changmarín's personality and language. Changmarín was himself born and raised in the countryside of Panama. Politically persecuted in the past, Changmarín's contributions to Panamanian culture and folklore added to his internationally recognized talent and forced otherwise antagonistic institutions such as the government to recognize his achievements. He has won several national awards (see

Awards An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award ...

below).

Biography

Changmarín was the artistic name used by Carlos Francisco Chang Marín, which comes from merging both of his surnames (from his paternal surname "Chang" and maternal surname "Marin"). It expresses his mixed ( Chinese and Creole) heritage. Changmarín was born in Los Leones,

Santiago de Veraguas Santiago de Veraguas () is the capital of the province of Veraguas, in the Republic of Panama, and the district or municipality of the same name. Located in the countryside next to the Pan American Highway. Bounded on the north by San Francisco D ...

, Panama, being the second son of an out-of-wedlock union between Carlos Chang, a rich, Chinese-Panamanian merchant, and Faustina Marin, a campesina. He grew up among his mother's family, being unable to be acknowledged in public by his father under the conservative values of Panama's countryside of the early 1920s. However, later his father decided to take him from his mother when he was still a child and sent him to live with a paternal aunt. His aunt was brutally abusive, treating him basically as a slave, constantly humiliating his mixed heritage and his mother's social status. The father, although not participating in the abuse, provided no protection from it and even promoted this behavior in some cases. It is not known when Changmarín left his aunt's house, but he went to

Panama City Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is loca ...

, where he did a series of odd jobs. One of these jobs included working at the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...

under the supervision of U.S. managers, where he witnessed the unfair and abusive conditions between the U.S. personnel and the non-U.S. workers. This added to similar experiences he had had while living with his aunt, who belonged to the richer sector of her hometown. He became determined to establish his proletarian struggle visions and political activism. Changmarín returned to formal education at the Juan Demostenes Arosemena Normal School (founded in 1938). He was mentored by intellectuals from South America and Europe, most of whom were victims of European

fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and t ...

, which helped to consecrate and refine his ideals. He also undertook brief studies in the Panama National Conservatory of Music, which he did not complete. Between 1940 and 1950, Changmarín worked as a teacher in several provinces, where he organized the student movement in strikes to denounce key issues regarding the country's social problems. This resulted in his being fired from his post. During this period, he was incarcerated several times, but this did not stop him from working in several jobs while in prison. He estimates that he spent some four years of his life behind bars. After being in and out of prison under political charges, Changmarín was finally exiled to

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

in 1968. While living there, he studied painting at the Universidad National de Chile and became very active in the

Salvador Allende Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens (, , ; 26 June 1908 – 11 September 1973) was a Chilean physician and socialist politician who served as the 28th president of Chile from 3 November 1970 until his death on 11 September 1973. He was the fir ...

presidential campaign. Once he was allowed to return to Panama, Changmarín established himself in several leadership and organizational roles within the Communist movement. He continuously worked in his artistic endeavours to deliver social and cultural messages. During this period resulted he was nationally recognized as one of the persons responsible for the Panama Canal struggle against the United States. This struggle ended with the United States returning the operational control of the

Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terri ...

, which used to be forbidden for Panamanians. Until his death from stomach cancer, Changmarín lived in his birth town of Santiago de Veraguas with his companion Eneida Romero. He continued to write, paint and participate in political and ecological commentary and activism. The couple had five children, with four of these still living. In addition, it is well known that Changmarín had a passion for nature in general, with a predilection for orchids.

Writings

As one of the main Panamanian writers, his work in literature is prolific. During his career, Changmarín has touched on different genres and styles.

Poetry

Changmarín started writing poetry by the time he was in high school(

Juan Demóstenes Arosemena Juan Demóstenes Arosemena Barreati (24 June 1879 in Panama City – 16 December 1939 in Penonomé, Coclé Province) was President of Panama This article lists the heads of state of Panama since the short-lived first independence from the ...

Normal School A normal school or normal college is an institution created to train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high school level, turni ...

), mentored at that early period of his artistic life by

South American South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

and European teachers, the latter mainly being expatriated victims of the

fascist Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the ...

Spanish

Franquism Francoist Spain ( es, España franquista), or the Francoist dictatorship (), was the period of Spanish history between 1939 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title . After his death in 1975, Spai ...

. While still in college, he received an honored mention for his participation in the 1942

Ricardo Miró Ricardo Miró Denis (November 5, 1883 in Panama City, Panama – March 2, 1940), was a Panamanian writer and is considered to be the most noteworthy poet of this country. He traveled to Bogotá at the age of fifteen to study painting, but was forc ...

National Awards with a submission of a book containing poetry entitled ''Punto e' llanto''. At this stage, his work was considered to be part of the Ibero-American's post-vanguardists

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

authors according to several scholars. Being under the vanguardist influence, his poetry developed a tone of despair with a very obvious revolutionary intent. Dimas L. Pitty, in his book ''Letra Viva'', describes Changmarín's work as a creation where "the art is not the reality, but reality's reflection as an artistic image, marked with the author's

subjectivism Subjectivism is the doctrine that "our own mental activity is the only unquestionable fact of our experience", instead of shared or communal, and that there is no external or objective truth. The success of this position is historically attribute ...

and ideological views; it is also his fiction". As a writer, poetry is basically Changmarín's fundamental tool of expression. Once established as a consecrated poet, he reached an outstanding moment in his creation with the book of poetry entitled ''Poemas Corporales'' (Corporeal Poems), which was awarded the Ricardo Miró National Award in 1955. With this work, Changmarín showed himself as a developed poet who has achieved great control over this literary form. Changmarín leaves out as much as possible, which mirrors the trends of the time. This clarity serves as a method to deliver the social and political messages, as most of his works are fundamental. His mastery of the

decasyllable Decasyllable (Italian: ''decasillabo'', French: ''décasyllabe'', Serbian: ''десетерац'', ''deseterac'') is a poetic meter of ten syllables used in poetic traditions of syllabic verse. In languages with a stress accent (accentual ...

writing imprints ''Poemas Corporales'' with a classical accent comparable to the Quevedo Verses.

Short stories

Changmarín's

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

collections are quite numerous and touch upon several themes and scopes. He tries to recreate the countryside

storytelling Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural pr ...

and atmosphere to expose the problems concerning land ownership and exploitation suffered by the countryside people. The

latifundia A ''latifundium'' (Latin: ''latus'', "spacious" and ''fundus'', "farm, estate") is a very extensive parcel of privately owned land. The latifundia of Roman history were great landed estates specializing in agriculture destined for export: grain, o ...

is still very common in Ibero-America. It is endorsed by the government, religious as well as right-wing policy-makers (who generally represent the rich sectors of the society) and

transnational corporations A multinational company (MNC), also referred to as a multinational enterprise (MNE), a transnational enterprise (TNE), a transnational corporation (TNC), an international corporation or a stateless corporation with subtle but contrasting senses, i ...

. As are most of his works, the short stories are highly political in nature, describing and portraying historical events, as seen in his compendium ''Noche Buena Mala''. Here, stories are related to the events of the 1989 U.S. Military invasion of Panama in (December 20, 1989). When not being used as a way to deliver and expose political, historical and eco-humanistic

paradigms In science and philosophy, a paradigm () is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitute legitimate contributions to a field. Etymology ''Paradigm'' comes f ...

, his short stories have been described to be highly emotional and profoundly radical in form. An example of this is his work ''Seis Madres'', possibly being the most researched and analyzed of his works in this genre. It has been described as written by bursts of raw emotions; an anti-story, and as the first Panamanian short story that could be used to formulate a theory regarding the creative writing process.

Novels

Changmarín has published three novels. He mainly writes in a historical narrative style which has been praised by critics for its attention to detail in the description of the physical frame (flora, fauna, geography) as well as the cultural frame. Changmarín alluded to

Victoriano Lorenzo Victoriano Lorenzo is considered one of the great heroes of Panamanian history, although his story and motives are sometimes debated by different sectors in his homeland. Born when the isthmus was still a part of Colombia, which was a part of th ...

in almost all his larger works for adults and children in an effort to place him as a founding father of Panama. To Chang Marín, Lorenzo was the first true Panamanian whose life story and identity parallel that of Panama as a nation. His latest novel, targeted mainly to young readers, ''Las Gracias y las Desgracias de Chico Perico'' (2005), had a more autobiographical approach.

Children's literature

Having published several books dedicated to reach the youth, Changmarín tries to deliver his social messages in order to promote human sensibilities and awareness to all ages. Through children's literature, he takes advantage of his pedagology formation by using a profound knowledge of the popular and simple art and language. Using attractive illustrations (hand-drawn by himself) and a short-chapter format to ease the interest of young readers, Changmarín has published in several fields, from poetry to history books. Many scholars consider his children's literature works an expression of his tender side without losing his message and they place many of his works in this area as jewels of Panamanian literature. Part of his creation in this field is inspired by his own experiences as a child and by the constant interaction with his own grand and great-grandchildren, to whom most of these books have been dedicated. Highly recognized in this area are his poems ''Las Tonadas y los Cuentos de la Cigarra'' (1975) and ''La Muñeca de Tusa'' (2001) and the novels ''El Cholito Que Llegó a General'' (1978) and ''Las Gracias y las Desgracias de Chico Perico'' (2005).

Essays

Changmarín's works in the field of essays concentrate on the folkloric, artistic,

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

and

political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studi ...

areas. Many of his essays have been published in international magazines and newspapers. Most of his political essays deal with the relations between the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

's policies toward the

and

in general, as well as its economic models and the impact these have in the region. As a strong proponent of

socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes th ...

, Changmarín's conclusions portray a critical view to the current international policies of the United States and other pro-

globalization Globalization, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. The term ''globalization'' first appeared in the early 20t ...

countries and organizations such as

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...

International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...

and

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...

Journalism

As a journalist, Changmarín has a long history contributing with commentaries and opinions appearing in several Panamanian and international newspapers, especially the

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

n newspaper '' Granma''. He is highlighted among several others ( Milciades Amores C, Mario Riera Pinilla, Alejandro Chock Valdés,

Gonzalo Castro Gonzalo Castro Randón (born 11 June 1987) is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is also a former Germany international. Club career Bayer Leverkusen Born in Wuppertal to Spanish parents, he began his ca ...

, René González and Eustolio Darío Him) as a pioneer of the ''Prensa Chica'' ("small press") movement in Panama, with his participation in ''El Cholo'' newspaper. For several years, he had his own newspaper column, ''Las Famosas Cartas a Tula'' (The famous letters to my Aunt Tula), in one of the most widely circulated newspapers, ''La Critica''. His column was popular due to his humorous approach to contemporary problems. Parallel to his contributions to the

mainstream media In journalism, mainstream media (MSM) is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought. Chomsky, Noam, ''"What makes ma ...

, Changmarín founded and directed the weekly bulletin ''Unidad'', an information bulletin publication for the Panamanian Communist Party.

Music

In the field of music, Changmarín has produced a long list of compositions, both in writing lyrics and creating the musical arrangements. One of his best-known creations comprise the lyrics for ''Tio Caiman'', made famous by the

an group

Quilapayún Quilapayún () are a folk music group from Chile and among the longest lasting and most influential ambassadors of the '' Nueva Canción Chilena'' movement and genre. Formed during the mid-1960s, the group became inseparable with the revolution t ...

. The piece has also been recorded in

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...

, and Panama by several music groups. The piece is sometimes sung by spectators in soccer matches and performed at music concerts across Ibero-America. Changmarín is hardly known as the creator, but this is a credit that he does not pursue. ''The Panamanian Birthday Song'', recorded by the

DEXA Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, or DEXA) is a means of measuring bone mineral density (BMD) using spectral imaging. Two X-ray beams, with different energy levels, are aimed at the patient's bones. When soft tissue absorption is subtracted ...

orchestra directed by Edgardo Quintero, is also one of his creations and is considered to be a unique contribution to the Panamanian culture and identity. Another of his records is ''Alma Panameña'', which was produced as part of the cultural development programs of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...

and PROAPEMEP.

Décima

Changmarín is a broadly recognized

décima A décima is a ten-line stanza of poetry. The most popular form is called décima espinela after Vicente Espinel (1550–1624), a Spanish writer, poet, and musician from the Siglo de Oro who used it extensively throughout his compositions. The d� ...

composer in Panama. His interest in this field is related to his folklore research and he has been promoting the recognition of this form of expression of the countryside people for more than half a century. As the main coordinator for the Veraguas delegations in the Mejorana National Festival (since 1950), he has become a one-man cultural institution in this art form. Changmarín is the only Panamanian décima composer who published three books dealing with décima composition as well as décimas compilations. The books ''Socabón, Décimas Populares para Cantar'' (1959), ''Los Versos del Pueblo'' (1973) and ''Cantadera, 130 Décimas para Cantar'' (1995) have been used as references and inspiration to generations of décimas performers.

Activism

Political

Changmarín's political activism reached an important moment in his life with the foundation of the Panamanian Communist Party (Partido del Pueblo) in 1950. Since communism was outlawed at that time by Panamanian law, this initiative was forced to be conducted secretly. The Panamanian government reacted to the growing dissent and communist organization in the countryside by increasing repression, reaching the extremes of perpetrating political assassinations and disappearances. Changmarín used his writings as his main weapon for resistance. For years, he used politically charged décimas as means to educate the people about identity and the struggle at hand. ''Que se vayan del Canal'' (I wish they would just leave from the Canal) and ''Quiero Sembrar un Maíz'' (I want to plant corn in the Canal Zone) were the songs of the protests against the constant abuse by the United States. His clear and direct writing form serves as a tool for the constant struggles and protests that were taking place in Ibero-America during the 1970s and 1980s. The décima, having a

bard In Celtic cultures, a bard is a professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's ancestors and to praise ...

-like effect as an artistic expression and Changmarín having mastered the form, managed to merge it with the social angst-ridden echoes of the dispossessed and the nationalist feelings of the people to "incense a protest in each fist and a march in each step".Mester de Rebeldía, de la poesía Hispanoamericana; Ramiro Lagos

Ecological

Changmarín was a strong proponent of an environmental-friendly way of life and critic of the consumer-oriented free market and

industrialization Industrialisation ( alternatively spelled industrialization) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial society. This involves an extensive re-organisation of an econo ...

. Having a strong emotional connection with the countryside environment, he actively participates in radio shows commentaries about the topic. Moreover, he expressed an integrated relationship between culture and nature, rejecting the industrial Western concept of

progress Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension w ...

, instead promoting the philosophy of simple life. Although he never openly endorsed

Anarcho-Primitivism Anarcho-primitivism is an anarchist critique of civilization (anti-civ) that advocates a return to non-civilized ways of life through deindustrialization, abolition of the division of labor or specialization, and abandonment of large-scale organ ...

, there are clear correlations between his views and the movement.

Works

Poetry

*''Romance de la Niña Perdida'' *''Punto ‘e llanto'' (1942) *''Poemas Corporales'' (1956) *''Socabón. Décimas para Cantar'' (1959) *''Los Versos del Pueblo. Décimas'' (1972) *''Versos para Entrar a la Zona del Canal'' (1972) *''Crónica de Siete Nombres Memorables'' (1980) *''El Gallo de las Horas'' (1993) *''Cantadera – 130 Décimas para Cantar'' (1995)

Short stories

*''Faragual y otros cuentos'' (1960) *''La Mansión de la Bruma, Cuentos de la cárcel. Publicada en ruso'' (1965) *''Nochebuena Mala'' (1995) *''Las Mentiras Encantadas'' (1997) *''Cuentos para Matar el Estrés'' (2002)

Novel

*''El Guerrillero Transparente'' (1982)

Children's literature

*'' Versos de Machachita''; poetry (1974) *'' Las Tonadas y los Cuentos de la Cigarra''; poetry (1975) *'' El Cholito que Llegó a General''; novel (1978) *'' Las Tonadas y los Cuentos de la Cigarra''; poetry (1993) *'' La Muñeca de Tusa''; poetry (2001) *'' Muñeca de Tusa''; poetry (2003) *'' Las Gracias y las Desgracias de Chico Perico''; novel (2005)

Essays

*'' Base Social de la Décima en Panamá'' (1965) *'' Algunas Áreas Folclóricas de Veraguas'' (1975) *'' Panamá 1903-1970'' (1979) *'' Victoriano Lorenzo, Primera Víctima del Canal Norteamericano'' (1980) *'' Vigencia de la Décima en Panamá, en Itinerario de una Nación 1903-2003'' (2003)

Discography

*'' Tío Caimán'' *'' El Cumpleaños Panameño'' *'' Alam Panameña''

Awards

Ricardo Miró National Award

*1942: Honorable mention: Punto ‘e Llanto (poetry) *1956: Second Prize: Poemas Corporales (poetry) *1959: Second Prize: Faragual (short story) *1981: First Prize: El Guerrillero Transparente (novel)

Other awards

*1976: Special Prize at the Cuban Workers Centre's Rubén Martínez Villena Awards (poetry category). *1998: Dora Zàrate Award for his contribution promoting national identity and culture. *2002: Ester María Osses Award of the Instituto Nacional de Cultura (National Culture Institute), Panama (children's literature category). *2002: Universidad 2002 Award of the Universidad de Panamá. *2002: Medal of Honour of the Asociación Nacional de Poetas de la Décima (Décima Poets National Association), Panama. *2003: Labour and Effort Award and recognition in the Chinese-Panamanian community of Asociación China de Mujeres Profesionales (Chinese Association of Professional Women), Panama. *2003: Recognition from the Santiago de Veraguas Municipal Council. *2004: Medal and recognition of the Cuba Republic State Council. *2006: Omar Torrijos Herrera National Order of the Panamanian government. *2006: Rogelio Sinán Medal of the Consejo Nacional de Escritores y Escritoras de Panama. In addition to these awards, several public and private libraries have been named after Changmarín.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chang Marin, Carlos Francisco 1922 births 2012 deaths People from Santiago District, Veraguas Panamanian people of Chinese descent Marxist journalists Marxist writers Panamanian activists Panamanian communists Panamanian composers Panamanian male musicians Male composers Panamanian essayists Male essayists Panamanian expatriates in Chile Panamanian journalists Male journalists Panamanian painters Panamanian poets Male poets Panamanian prisoners and detainees Panamanian short story writers Panamanian male writers Male short story writers 20th-century poets 20th-century short story writers 20th-century essayists