Karaim language belongs to the northwestern group of Turkic languages. In 2020 throughout the world there are only 30 persons living in Lithuania that can speak the language. It is included in the UNESCO list of endangered languages. Lithuanian Karaim community and Karaim people seek spreading the knowledge about this language and promote its learning. The recent Community project is introducing a possibility to learn the Karaim language by singing (we thank the Lithuanian Department for national minorities for its support). Four traditional songs of Lithuanian Karaims are presented in a new musical setting for instruments and several voices. You can now listen to these songs, sing along, learn the melodies and their words in a usual and karaoke adapted way. These are “Kybyn”, “Utrulamach”, “Širiń ėľ”, “Ijisi baraśkiniń”.
Lyrics of the Karaim song “Ijisi baraskiniń” are composed by Simonas Firkovičius (1897-1982).
The melody was adapted for instruments and voices by ©Audronė Vakarinienė, ©Rytas Lingė. Soloist – Karina Firkavičiūtė. Other singers and musicians are members of Vilnius music band ‚Nalšia‘ – Audronė Vakarinienė, Rimantas Dulkė, Jonas Kuklys, Asta Pereckienė, Miglė Ivaškevičienė. Rytas Lingė is playing the piano.
More on Karaim musical heritage in Polish and in English.
Ijisi baraśkiniń
Čypčychlej učma Trochka
Kiusiańči üriagimniń,
Ornatsa burunčochka
Ijisi baraśkiniń.
Otračta kiermiań turat
Sarajy Vatat bijniń,
Myjyhyn tutmač burat,
Ijisi baraśkiniń.
Abrahyn karaj uvlu
Adietiń öbgialiarniń.
Kipliasiń sieni ullu
Ijisi baraśkiniń.
The smells of Friday
To fly to Trakai like a bird
My heart wishes it so,
When my nose is tickled by
The smells of Friday.
On the island there is a castle,
The fortress of Vytautas,
The noodle tweaks its moustache,
The smells of Friday.
Son of Karaim, follow
The tradition of your ancestors.
Let the smells of Friday
Make you stronger.
Translated by Karina Firkavičiūtė
