#general:reference

FOLKTRONICA IBERICA - A Playlist

Hey hello I made a thing! As perhaps a few of you know, I have spent the last half a year being completely unhinged about Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin books, and I’ve always been particularly interested in the character Stephen Maturin and his relationship to Catalonia. I saw that there was a lack of stuff about this part of his identity, and, being me, I felt the need to fill it in the only way I could: compiling music and yelling about it for thirty pages. Hence this playlist.

You really don’t need to know anything about these books to listen to this playlist. You also don’t need to know anything about Catalan (I hope). Catalonia and the Catalan Countries in general (including Valencia, the Balearic Islands, and parts of southern France, Aragon, and Sardinia) have a really interesting musical and literary tradition, and I wanted to make that more accessible, so I put together a few songs I liked, translated them, and wrote a bit about each of their significance, including the most important cultural tidbits I could. Some things don’t translate super well, and I hope my Catalan followers will forgive me for trying to adapt them more for English-speaking audiences than perhaps would be preferable; I usually don’t choose to do that, but in this case I wanted to open the door, and not to intimidate people.

Now that that’s out of the way, here is a link to the PDF of the liner notes (graphic design is my passion, as they say): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MUpRM84W8aypznEIrt0eA1jG5OxaRZvz/view?usp=sharing

Under the cut I’ve included the ephimera and unnecessary commentary that you know and love, feel free to read or ignore it as you will

Torno amb una altra traducció d'una cançó tradicional en anglès, aquest cop "Lowlands", també coneguda com "Lowlands Away", que és un capstan shanty o una cançó que es cantava mentre els mariners feien aixecar una àncora o un altre gran pes. Els capstan shanties solen ser molt lents i suaus, ideals per la feina ponderada de fer girar l'argue o cabrestant. Aquesta té nombroses versions, però en general explica la història d'un mariner a qui se li mor la nòvia, i arriba a saber de la seva mort a través d'un "somni estrany", com diu la cançó. Jo ho he invertit, per cap raó a part de la facilitat de fer la lletra, però crec que el sentiment es manté igual. També val a dir que he triat la del cançoner que la meva família té a casa i gràcies al qual vaig arribar a conèixer la cançó en primer lloc, però que té la curiositat de que l'arranjament és en clau menor, tot i que en la gran majoria de les versions és en tonalitat major. Dit això, podeu triar el que us agradi més—la lletra val per a les dues.

I aquí, com amb l'altra, teniu una carpeta amb la imatge de dalt en forma de PDF, l'àudio, i el fitxer de Musescore, per si de cas els voleu!

(Com amb "Brindem pels companys/Here's a Health", cal dir que vinc de l'anglès i això només ha estat un exercici en ampliar i treballar el meu català, així que segurament podria ser millor 😅)

Lletra a sota / Lyrics & English translation below

He fet una traducció de la cançó (no és ben bé un sea shanty, però podria ser) "Here's a Health" al català! Com que vinc de l'anglès, això ha estat més aviat un intent de posar el meu català a prova que no pas una versió definitiva, però crec que ha quedat bastant bé. Aquesta cançó té com deu mil versions, així que he triat la de The Longest Johns, que també s'assembla molt a la versió de The Chieftans. Dit això, he fet quatre estrofes, que ve d'una versió amb constància de Paddy Tunny, com ha comentat algú en aquest fil a Mudcat. Sigui la versió que sigui, és una cançó molt bonica i espero haver transmès una mica d'això en la meva traducció. Pels que ja la coneixeu, sisplau digueu-me com us ha semblat!

Aquí teniu una versió de la imatge en PDF, l'àudio, i el fitxer de la partitura en format de MuseScore per si us interessa. (Dit això, la imatge aquí té molt bona qualitat, la pots imprimir.)

Lletra a sota / Lyrics & English translation below

GUILLEMELGAT’S CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD | കേരളം (Kerala)

A traditional Kerala church is lit up with Christmas lights (source). It’s typical for churches in Kerala to be strung with festive lights during the Christmas season. Around one-fifth of Malayalis are Christian, belonging to a variety of denominations; Christianity has had a presence in Kerala since the 1st century AD.

The altar of a church in Kottayum, Kerala (source). As with many Christian traditions, the most important part of Christmas is the midnight mass. Syrian Christians also often abstain from meat and fish during the Advent period.

A crib, or Nativity scene, set up by local residents for a competition in Peringammala (source). It’s common to set up elaborate Nativity dioramas, called a പുൽക്കൂട് or crib, in front of the house.

A meat curry, one of the foods often eaten for Christmas dinner (source). There is usually a large meal on Christmas, especially if people were abstaining from meat and fish or fasting beforehand. The dishes are usually meat curries, biryanis, or any traditional holiday food similar to what is served at an Onam sadya.

A traditional Syrian Christian snack food which is eaten on Christmas and other holidays (source). Called അച്ചപ്പം, the snack is made from a simple batter that is placed in an elaborate mold and fried.

A Christmas plum cake (source). Another traditional Christmas food is plum cake or fruit cake, which made and shared with friends and neighbors.

Lit-up Christmas stars hanging from a vendor’s stall (source). One of the most emblematic symbols of Christmas for Malayalis are the Christmas stars. Made from paper that has been cut and decorated, and lit up from inside, they are hung all over churches, homes, and towns at Christmas time. The star is meant to be a representation of the star that directed the Three Kings to Jesus in the original Nativity story.

A child holds a sparkler during a celebration in Kerala (source). Like other festivals in Kerala, fireworks and firecrackers are an important part of the Christmas revelry.

Children sing Christmas carols at Pallippurum Church in Ernakulu (source). It’s common from groups of performers to go around the neighborhood singing carols at people’s doors at Christmas time. In fact, the tradition, while largely Christian, is not limited by religion, and members of other religious groups sometimes go caroling as well— Christmas joy is open to all.

GUILLEMELGAT’S CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD | Catalunya (Catalonia)

A stall at Santa Llúcia’s Fair in Barcelona (source). The Fira de Santa Llúcia is a Christmas fair set up around the Barcelona Cathedral, starting in late November and ending right before Christmas. Vendors sell Christmas decorations of all kinds, as well as other crafts. The oldest reference to the fair is almost 300 years ago, making it a very long-running tradition.

A traditional Nativity scene at a shop in San Cugat (source). Like many of the other Christmas traditions we’ll look at, Catalans enjoy making large and detailed Nativity dioramas, often taking up entire displays in shop windows or in homes. It’s also common to go around and look at neighbors’ scenes, especially with all the hidden figures in each!

The traditional caganer figurine (source). One of the most (in)famous figures in the Catalan Nativity scene, the caganer (’pooper’) is traditionally tucked away in a corner for viewers to try to find. Traditional caganers are made to look like a Catalan peasant man, in farmer’s clothes and a red barretina hat. In recent years, however, caganers of public figures such as politicians or celebrities have become very popular as well.

A plate of Christmas stew (source). The traditional first dish of the Christmas meal in Catalonia is escudella de Nadal, a hearty soup made of large shell pasta (galets) with a meatball filling.

The Sybil’s Chant being performed in Mallorca (source). Sung at the midnight mass on Christmas Eve, this haunting Gregorian Chant was traditionally performed all across Southern Europe before being pushed away by the Church in the 16th century. The tradition only remained in Mallorca and Alguer (Sardinia), and in the late 20th century it began to be revived in Catalonia and the Valencian Country as well. Historically a young boy performed as the sybil, dressed in luxurious clothes and carrying a sword in front of them; now, it is also performed by girls as well as adults (the singer Maria del Mar Bonet in particular is known for her version).

A stall selling Christmas logs (source). A key part of Catalan Christmas celebrations is the Tió de Nadal, a log which is usually decorated with a cartoonish painted face, two legs to prop it up, and a barretina hat. The log is brought out in early December, and children feed it every day and cover it with a blanket to keep it warm. Then, on Christmas, all the children in the house take turns hitting the tió with sticks while singing a song to make it “shit” presents. Typically, these are sweets to be shared or other small gifts; larger presents are given on Three Kings’ Day.

A plate of neules, traditional Catalan Christmas cookies (source). After Christmas dinner, one of the traditional desserts in Catalonia are neules, thin, rolled-up wafer cookies, usually eaten dipped in cava (Catalan sparkling wine). The other common dessert is a type of nougat-based sweet called torró.

The St. Stephen’s Day concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana (source). The Orfeó Català, resident choir at the Palau de la Música Catalana, hosts a concert every year on the day after Christmas. The music selection typically includes tradtional Christmas carols, classical pieces, and new works for the occasion. It usually fills the entire concert hall, and is also broadcast on public television.

GUILLEMELGAT’S CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD | Euskal Herria (Basque Country)

Vendors at the Santo Tomas Fair in Donostia (source). On December 21, many Basque towns and cities host a winter market, celebrating local farmers. Donostia hosts one of the largest ones, with lots of different vendors selling both raw and prepared products.

A family in traditional Basque clothing at the Santo Tomas Fair in Donostia (source). For the fair, it’s common for people to dress in the traditional Basque clothing: abarka shoes; long skirts and a kerchief over the head for women; and a txapela hat and kerchief around the neck for men.

A plate of txistorra sausage at the Santo Tomas Fair in Irun (source). The most common treat at the Santo Tomas Fair is txistorra, a type of sausage which is often eaten wrapped up in a talo, which is similar to the Central American tortilla.

Two servings of intxaur-saltsa, a typical Basque Christmas dessert (source). Made from walnuts, this sweet has a creamy texture and is traditional on Christmas Eve.

A model Olentzero (source). Olentzero is often called the Basque Santa Claus; however, he is a bit different. Originally said to be one of the giants of the Pyrenees and a frightening figure, over the centuries, Olentzero evolved into a kind and generous gift-giver. His current origin story is as a charcoal-burner and wood-carver who sacrificed his life to save children from a burning house. Because of this deed, he was granted eternal life in order to keep making gifts for children. Olentzero parades through many towns at Christmastime and is a beloved figure for Basque people, having survived and come out strong on the other side of Francoist repression.

Txoronpio collects letters to Olentzero in a town in the Debagoiena region (source). Olentzero has two helpers called Txoronpio and Txoronpia, who walk around with sacks and collect letters from children to deliver to him. They are depicted by people on stilts with painted faces and dressed in traditional clothing.

The creche in the life-sized Nativity scene at Florida Park in Gasteiz (source). Every year in Gasteiz, life-sized statues fill Florida Park, creating a Nativity scene that takes up a section of the park and includes over 200 figures. Nativity scenes on a smaller scale are also common across the Basque Country and surrounding areas.

The Three Kings arrive in Donostia (source). The Spanish tradition is to give gifts on January 6, with the Three Kings leaving them in children’s shoes on the night of January 5. While Olentzero gives gifts on Christmas, children in the southern part of the Basque Country often also participate in Three Kings’ Day and get double the presents! There are also parades for the Three Kings, similar to Olentzero.

A traditional roscón de reyes (source). Another shared tradition with Spain in the southern Basque Country is making roscón de reyes, a sweet cake to be eaten on January 6. The tradition goes that however finds a certain object hidden in the cake gets to wear the crown and be king for the day—similar to other Christmas sweet traditions across Europe, such as English Christmas pudding.

Hello @kutyozh​! I was your Secret Santa for @langblrsecretsanta2021​, and since you said you were interested in/studying Aymara, I thought that I would give you a gift related to that. This is a scan of a comic from Literatura aymara: antología, compiled by Xavier Albó and Félix Layme; the comic itself was drawn by Moshó for the Proyecto Bilingüe de Puno in Peru and is based on a traditional story. I’ve transcribed it below, including the original Aymara, the Spanish translation from the book, and my own English translation of the Spanish for non-Spanish speakers who are interested. Hope it’s helpful and/or enjoyable, and best of luck with your studies! 💖

MANQ’AT JIWAT QAMAQI • EL ZORRO MUERTO DE HAMBRE • THE STARVING FOX

—¡Kamisaraki k’usillu! Jutma, manq’antañatakiw ajllsma. —¿Cómo estás, mono? Ven, te he escogido para comer. “How's it going, monkey? Come, I’ve chosen you to eat.”

—¡Amust’ma! Uturunkuw qhipaxankaski. —¡Piénsatelo! Detrás tuyo está el oso. “Think carefully! There’s a bear behind you.”

—(Kusillux sarawxa rakitay nasa.) —(¡Oh! El mono se ha escapado.) (Oh no! The monkey escaped.)

—(¿Kawkinkis ñanqha k’usilluxa?) —(¿Dónde está el maldito mono?) (Where’s that damn monkey?)

—¡Pirqaw thuñxatasitani! ¡Yanapt’ita! ¡Nayax mä k’ullu aptiriw sara! ¡Nukxasma! —¡La pared está por caerse! ¡Ayúdame! Yo iré a buscar un palo: ¿Podrías aguantar? “The wall’s about to fall! Help me! I’m going to go look for a stick, can you hold it up?”

—(¡Wali jayäxiwa, janipuniw k’usillux k’ullu apt’at kutinxiti! ¿Kamachpachasa?) —(¡Ya hace mucho rato y el mono nunca llega con el palo! ¿Qué hago?) (It’s been a long time and the monkey never brought the stick! What do I do?)

—(Jichhax jakipunimamäwa.) —(Ahora sí que te voy a encontrar.) (Now I’m really going to find you.)

—¡Kamisasktasa! —¿Cómo estás? “How are you?”

—Manq’at wali awtjatatwa, jumasti wali suma manq’araktawa. —Muerto de hambre. Y tú eres muy buena comida. “Starving. And you’re very good food.”

—Nayraqatax khä quqar makhatt’ayita pä achu manq’ant’aniwa! —Antes déjame subir a aquel arbol para comer un par de frutas. “First let me climb that tree to eat a couple of fruits.”

—¡Sarma! ¡Makhatma! ¡Manq’antanma! ¡Ukat jank’akiw saraqanïta! —Ve, sube y come. Pero baja rápido. “Go, climb up and eat. But come down quickly.”

—¡Ayy! ¡Ayy! Janiw kuns uñjkti. ¡Janiw uñjkti! —¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡No veo nada! “Oww! Oww! I can’t see anything!”

Qamaqisti, niya juykt’ataw k’usill thaqiri qullu parki makhatatayna. Y el zorro, casi ciego, dice que subió a la ladera del cerro buscando al mono. And the fox, almost blind, they say he climbed up the side of the hill looking for the monkey.

K’usillusti niya mä p’iyar purisin qamaqirux jak’achkatatayna. Pero el mono llegó a la orilla de un pozo y se acercó al zorro: But the monkey came to the edge of a well and brought the fox over.

—Jilat qamaqi: “Nina jalluw purini” qulipakaw situ. Nayax aka p’iyaruw imantasi, jallu aphjtipanuw mistsunxä. —Hermano zorro: “Está por llover fuego” me ha dicho la señora Aguila. Yo me meteré en este pozo y saldré cuando haya pasado la lluvia. “Brother Fox, Mrs. Eagle told me, ‘It’s about to rain fire.’ I’m going to get into this well and I’ll come out when the rain is passed.”

—(Alax pachax rusaruptatawa.) —(Pues sí, el cielo está rosado.) (Well indeed, the sky is pink.)

—¡Aka p’iyax nayatakipana! —¡Este pozo es mío! “This well is mine!”

K’usillux qamaqiruw allintxatayna. Dice que el mono enterró bien al zorro. They say that the monkey buried the fox well.