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 “Welcoming” 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.
Utrulamach
Kiop chabarlar biź ėšiťtik,
Ki bar karyndašlarymyz
Biuriaľmiaktiań astry biezip,
Kajtma kliagieďliar mioro biź.
Šu-šu, šu-šu nie ol išliar?
Bunun mun bardyr üvliari,
Tiek bu iťni kučup jylar,
Ėgier alhan bar tiuźliari.
Tujdum Trochta bart kajtchanlar,
Tabu Aziź Bijimiźgia.
Tiugiańdiliar avurluchlar,
Bu jol tanyš kiopsiumiuźgia.
Šu-šu, bijańč da čahyrčech,
Aša da ič, nie imianiaś.
Biźdia bir bardyr kylyčech –
Uzach kioriušmieś – kiusianiaś.
Bazlych siźgia, bar kieľgiańliar,
Kioriup, kiezip biutiuń jerni,
Bolhejbyz biź tujuvčular
Har atlamda jachšyjyzny.
Hoj, kiotiuriubiź avazny,
Ajtma kiučiuń Bijimiźniń,
Da anyn nie bajlejt biźni,
Ol ińdialiadir aziź diń.
Bazlych, bazlych barymyzha,
Bazlych, bazlych kiop jyllarhaǃ (x2)
Welcoming
We’ve heard the many rumours
That all our brothers
Tired of wandering
Wish to return, just like us.
Shu-shu, shu-shu, what will he do?
This one has a house,
But that one will cry hugging his dog,
If all his land is taken.
I’ve heard in Trakai there are those that came back,
Thanks to our Holy God.
Their difficulties at an end,
Everyone knows those ways.
Shu-shu, joy and vodka,
Eat and drink, as much you can.
We have one habit –
If we don’t see others for long – we miss them.
Let all of you that came back be honoured,
Having seen and gone throughout the world.
Let us hear
At every step about your happiness.
Hey, let us raise our voice
To preach the power of our Lord
And of that something that bounds us,
Which is called the holy faith.
Peace, peace for all of us,
Peace, peace for many years to come! (x2)
Translated by Karina Firkavičiūtė