CYPRIOT ACADEMY

[Dhavlos]

Cypriot Academy launches website: www.cypriotacademy.com

The Cypriot Academy, a voluntary body dedicated to the advancement of Cypriot culture and achievements in the UK and beyond, is pleased to announce the launch of its new website www.cypriotacademy.com.

With support from the Scarman Trust in the UK, the Cypriot Academy has designed an accessible website offering a range of cultural and other informative material for people with Cypriot affinities and an interest in Cyprus. The website highlights the pan-Cypriot stance the Cypriot Academy takes on the Cyprus issue. As well as an analysis of the failed UN reunification plan, the website features a selection of letters by the Cypriot Academy standing up for Cypriot rights in the media.

Traditional Cypriot stories, songs, sayings and proverbs are presented in both the Cypriot vernacular and in English. Also featured are examples of new cultural initiatives supported by the Cypriot Academy which cherish Cypriot heritage and advance the cause of a free, peaceful and united Cyprus.

Gobgiaste (welcome)
www.cypriotacademy.com

[Dhavlos]

no opinions on this?

[Bullika]

[The Cypriot]

Dhavlos, thank you very much for posting a link to the Cypriot Academy website. We welcomes constructive feedback, suggestions and contributions.Please email us at mail@cypriotacademy.com

[cannedmoose]

Welcome TheC

[brother]

[The Cypriot]

Thank you both! Nice to be here.

[The Cypriot]

Latest addition to the Cypriot Academy website. We've been working on songs:

Ulla halalin du
He deserves it all

Jindon mitsin don drimmadon, da melishha d’ ammathkia.
Mes’ sto hakin straftogobun, axizusin balathkia.

Ya din garkian je din angalin du.
Ma don Theon, ulla halalin du.

Da melishha d’ ammathkia su dis melissas imiazun.
Onda su gruzusin din mian, din allin melin stassun.

Ya din garkian...

Jibro mu, ya ’nan yelion su, dhio su don athrobon mu.
Monon mida su enna dhehto na mirasto do fos mu.

Ya din garkian...

That youthful one who’s so alert, with those wide eyes of honey.
In khaki dress how bright they shine, worth any sum of money.

Oh for his heart and in his arms to fall.
God, I declare, yes, he deserves it all.

Your honey eyes are bees in flight, the likeness is uncanny.
They can attack with painful stings, or they can ooze with honey.

Oh for his heart...

Jibro of mine, just for your smile, I’d give my very being.
Only with you I’d share my sight, these eyes through which I’m seeing.

Oh for his heart...

[The Cypriot]

O bondigos
The mouse

Mian foran j' enan jeron,
Ishen enan bondigon.
J' edroen psumin j' afkon,
Mesa is do mairkon.
J' edrataran du ghligon,
J' en iben efkaristo.
Drava-drava do nurin du,
Efkigen do gotsirin du.

Once upon a time, they say,
There lived a mouse who'd had his day.
Bread and eggs he liked to munch,
In the kitchen for his lunch.
He was offered conserve too,
But he didn't say thank you.
They pulled his tail which grew and grew
Until out popped a little poo.

[The Cypriot]

Aya Marina je jira
O Saint Marina, lady true

Aya Marina je jira,
Bu bojimizis da mora,
Bojimis' je don yokan mu.
J' ebar' don bera yiris' don,
Je bale strafu fer' mu don.
Yad' en moron je thelo don,
J' i mana du ennen esso.
Ebien gado ston yalon
Na feri dhafnin je neron,
Na blinni da ruhuthkia du
Je da bugamisuthkia du.

O Saint Marina, lady true,
Who takes the young to nap with you,
Please take my little laddy too.
Take him afar and all around,
And then return him safe and sound.
'Cos he's so small, I want him so.
His mother isn't home, you know.
She's made her way down to the shore
To fetch bayleaf and water pure,
To give his little clothes a clean
And make his little shirts pristine.

[The Cypriot]

Imun bullin bedamenon
I was a bird upon a wing
 
Imun bullin bedamenon j’ egopses da ftera mu,
Bu bistepses da psemada j’ efies bu gonda mu.
 
B’ angristis dhihos aformin, be mu do ftesimon mu.
En don andeho don gamon, hanno do loyigon mu.
 
Stin thalassan du Brodara haraman na vrethumen.
Fie grifa dis manas su j’ ela na ’xiyithumen.
 
Boses fores na su do bo je na su exiyiso?
Dhihos su en adhinadon, aghabi mu, na ziso.
 
I was a bird upon a wing until you clipped my feathers,
When you believed those awful lies and left me altogether.
 
You got upset without a cause, please tell me what I did wrong.
I cannot stand the pain of it, and I will lose my reason.
 
Down at the sea of Protaras early at dawn we’ll go there.
Leave so your mother doesn’t know and come let’s talk it over.
 
How many times must I tell you, how many times explain it?
Without your love I can’t go on, my life I’ll want to end it.

[brother]

Nice poems, i liked reeading them.

If you have more please do post.

[The Cypriot]

Many thanks, Brother.

Most are traditional songs rendered in the Cypriot vernacular. More will follow as we translate them - not an easy task as we try hard to ensure the English versions both scan and rhyme as per the original!

Meanwhile, you may know this one....

Din yerimin din vragan
The poor old pair of breeches

O! Saranda bihes dhimidon, saranda bihes dhimidon,
Ega-, ega-, egamasin mian vragan.
O! J’ irten o gavallos magris, j’ irten o gavallos magris,
J’ esa-, j’ esa-, j’ esarizen din stradan.

Din yerimin din vragan bu gamni driki-draka.
Din vragan su stin limnin bgios enna su din blinni?
Je bgios na din ablosi ston ilion na stehnosi?
Je bgia en jini axia bo ’nna din sierosi?
Din vragan su din dosin je bgia ’nna din dhiblosi?

O! J’ imun dhegadrion hronon, j’ imun dhegadrion hronon,
J’ efo-, j’ efo-, j’ eforun din vragun mu.
O! J’ eyiriza mes’ do horkon, j’ eyiriza mes’ do horkon,
Grifa, grifa, grifa dus horkanus mu.

Din yerimin din vragan...

O! Bara na baris athrobon, bara na baris athrobon,
Je na, je na, je na ’n je me din vragan.
O! Gallitera bandelonan, gallitera bandelonan,
J’ as en, j’ as en, j’ as en me din gommadan.

Din yerimin din vragan...

O! Bara na baris athrobon, bara na baris athrobon,
Je na, je na, je na ’n me bandelonin.
O! Gallitera enan vragan, gallitera enan vragan,
J’ as men, j’ as men, j’ as men buli velonin.

Din yerimin din vragan...

O! With forty yards of cotton cloth, with forty yards of cotton cloth,
They made, they made, they made a pair of breeches.
O! The crutch it dangled very long, the crutch it dangled very long,
And swept, and swept, and swept the lower reaches.

The poor old pair of breeches, which sweep the lower reaches.
And who will take them for you down to the lake to wash them?
And who is going to lay them to dry out in the hot sun?
And where’s the able woman who’ll iron out the creases?
And who will fold them for you, your long and dangly breeches?

O! When I was thirteen years of age, when I was thirteen years of age,
My breech-, my breech-, my breeches I’d be wearing.
O! I’d tour the village secretly, I’d tour the village secretly,
To hide, to hide, to hide from neighbours staring.

The poor old pair of breeches...

O! Instead of marrying a man, instead of marrying a man
Who goes, who goes, who goes around in breeches.
O! Prefer to wed a trousers man, prefer to wed a trousers man,
Though he, though he, though he may be in patches.

The poor old pair of breeches...

O! Instead of marrying a man, instead of marrying a man
Who is, who is, who is in trousers striding.
O! Prefer to wed a breeches man, prefer to wed a breeches man,
Though he, though he, though he can’t earn a farthing.

The poor old pair of breeches...

[The Cypriot]

Ela goru
Come girl

Ela goru na dhumen da mavra su da mathkia,
Bu fkalun jin' des ghlosses bu gamni do lambron,
J' an gamnun din garkian mu din aharin gomathkia,
Na me filissis, haro se, haro se, j' afisto na din vro.

M' an dishi j' en na grusso je na yino gozavlin,
Dhixe me stin avlin su varme se mian merkan.
Yadi bu din thorkan su, mia meran os allin,
Bori je na vlastisso, haro se, na vro bariorkan.

J' ondas galorizosso je fko psilla j' anthisso,
Je bodavrisso glonus n' artis bu gadothkion.
Da gali dus anthus mu, ya na su da randisso,
Ya jines des ghligadhes haro se, don thkion su amathkion.


Come girl and let me marvel at your amazing black eyes,
That throw out flames that dazzle and scorch as though alight.
And if they scold my poor heart so that it breaks and cries,
Just come and kiss me, my lovely, my lovely, and it will be all right.

And if by chance I burn up and I become an ember,
Please show me to your garden and place me somewhere near.
Because just from your glances, from one day to another
There's a good chance I'll spring up, my lovely, so I can find some cheer.

And as I grow deep roots and I rise up and I flower,
And reach out with my branches please come on by below.
The beauty of my petals, from high on you I'll shower,
All for the sunny sweetness, my lovely, of those two eyes aglow.

[Bullika]

beautiful, keep them coming