“I want to be remembered as the artist who made good music and made all hearts happy,” said Peruvian-born singer, composer, actress, and model Yma Sumac. A pioneer of world music, she had a five-octave range and shattered the mold of popular American music with records featuring Incan and South American folk motifs.

Born “Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chavarri de Castillo” on September 13, 1922, in Ichocán, Cajamarca, Peru, Sumac changed her name upon signing with Capitol Records in 1950. Her moniker modeled the term ima sumaq, meaning “how beautiful” in Quechua.

Released that same year, Sumac’s album “Voice of the Xtabay” garnered global attention. In 1951, Sumac appeared in the musical Flahooley, making her one of the first Latinas to perform on Broadway.

According to biographer Nicholas E. Limansky, author of Yma Sumac: The Art Behind the Legend, “Hollywood took this nice girl who wanted to be a folk singer, dressed her up, and said she was a princess.”

Playing the part, Sumac claimed to be the descendant of the last Incan Emperor, Atahualpa, and took on the persona of a glamorous “Incan Princess” for the American masses.

Despite her reservations, Sumac often dressed in extravagant costumes for public appearances and performances. This inauthentic representation of Peruvian culture caused controversy amongst Peruvians.

She performed throughout much of her life, recording and appearing onstage and in movies. In 1971, Sumac released her final record – a rock album titled “Miracles.”

Yma Sumac died in Los Angeles on November 1, 2008, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy.

Yma Sumac can be found in the Ellis Island Passenger Database (Passenger ID 9011972103304) as she passed through the Port of New York while traveling back from a tour in Europe. She was held at Ellis Island for seven days for charges that were not made public.

For more on the life and legacy of Yma Sumac, enjoy this episode of UNTOLD ELLIS ISLAND, produced by our colleagues at the American Family Immigration History Center.