Pahonia (anthem)

Pahonia (Belarusian: Пагоня; Russian: Погоня; Pursuit) is a song in Belarusian to the eponymous poem by Maksim Bahdanovič (1891-1917).

Background

The poem “Pahonia” by Maksim Bahdanovič was written in 1916 in Minsk.[1] The music was written by Belarusian composer and immigrant activist Nikolay Shcheglov-Kulikovich (Belarusian: Мікалай Шчаглоў-Куліковіч; Russian: Николай Щеглов-Куликович), who in the 1950s and 1960s released five musical albums in the United States which included his own compositions, covers of ethnic Belarusian songs, and songs to the works of various Belarusian poets.[2] The song was originally meant to be sung a capella.[3] Nikolay Ravenski (Belarusian: Мікола Равенскі; Russian: Николай Равенский), Aleksei Turenkov and Vladimir Mulyavin also made covers of this song as well as other Belarusian musicians and bands.[3] In the early 1990s, Shcheglov-Kulikovich’s version was considered as one of the options for the national anthem of the Republic of Belarus.[3] In 2020, under the patronage of Anton Mezhy a choral performance of the anthem was recorded with an orchestra accompaniment.[4]

Usage

In 2020, the anthem resurged in popularity as one of the symbols of the 2020 Belarusian protests against the Lukashenko regime, along with the white-red-white flag. The anthem was spontaneously performed in several public places: near the Belarusian State Philharmonia, in malls, in the Minsk subway,[1] at the Minsk Komarovski market, and at the Minsk railway station.

Lyrics

The poem “Pahonia” was written by Maksim Bahdanovič in the middle of WWI in 1916 in front-line wartime Minsk, Belarus. When it is performed as an anthem, the last stanza is usually not sung, but the last lines of the second, fourth, and sixth stanza are sung twice.

Belarusian	Russian Translation	English Translation
Толькi ў сэрцы трывожным пачую За краiну радзiмую жах, Успомню Вострую Браму святую I ваякаў на грозных канях. У белай пене праносяцца конi, Рвуцца, мкнуцца i цяжка хрыпяць, Старадаўняй Лiтоўскай Пагонi Не разбiць, не спынiць, не стрымаць! У бязмерную даль вы ляцiце, А за вамi, прад вамi — гады. Вы за кiм у пагоню спяшыце? Дзе шляхi вашы йдуць i куды? Мо яны, Беларусь, паняслiся За тваiмi дзяцьмi наўздагон, Што забылi цябе, адраклiся, Прадалi i аддалi ў палон? Бiце ў сэрцы iх — бiце мячамi, Не давайце чужынцамi быць! Хай пачуюць, як сэрца начамi Аб радзiмай старонцы балiць. Мацi родная, Мацi-Краiна! Не ўсцiшыцца гэтакi боль. Ты прабач, ты прымi свайго сына, За Цябе яму ўмерцi дазволь! Ўсё лятуць i лятуць тыя конi, Срэбнай збруяй далёка грымяць… Старадаўняй Лiтоўскай Пагонi Не разбiць, не спынiць, не стрымаць.	Только в сердце тревожном услышу За страну родимую страх, Вспомню Острую Браму святую И воинов на грозных конях. В белой пене проносятся кони, Рвутся, стремятся и тяжко хрипят, Стародавней Литовской Погони Не разбить, не остановить, не сдержать! В безмерную даль вы летите, А за вами, пред вами — годы. Вы за кем в погоню спешите? Где пути ваши идут и куда? Может они, Беларусь, понеслись За твоими детьми вдогонку, Что забыли тебя, отреклись, Продали и отдали в плен? Бейте в сердца их — бейте мечами, Не давайте чужаками быть! Пусть услышат, как сердце ночами О родимой сторонке болит. Мать родная, Мать-Страна! Не утихнет такая боль. Ты прости, ты прими своего сына, За тебя ему умереть позволь! Всё летят и летят те кони, Серебряной сбруей далеко гремят. Стародавней Литовской Погони Не разбить, не остановить, не сдержать.	As soon as in my anxious heart I hear Fear for my native country, I remember the holy Gate of Dawn And warriors on fearsome horses. In white foam, the horses race, Darting, dashing and heavily wheezing, Ancient Lithuanian Pahonia Cannot be crushed, cannot be stopped, cannot be restrained! You fly to infinite spaces, And behind you and ahead of you, there are years. Who are you pursuing? Where is your path, and where does it lead? Maybe, Belarus, they are chasing After your children, Who forgot you, disowned you, Sold you, gave you up? Knock on their hearts – knock with swords, Do not let them be strangers! Let them hear how in the night the heart Is aching for motherland. Dear mother, Motherland! This pain will not subside. Forgive, accept your son, Permit him to die for you! These horses keep flying, Their silver harness is clanging in the distance. Ancient Lithuanian Pahonia Cannot be crushed, cannot be stopped, cannot be restrained.

References

Bibliography

Березкин Г. С. (1970). Человек на заре : Рассказ о Максиме Богдановиче — белорусском поэте. М.: Художественная литература.
Музыкальное видео с текстом

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[:0-1] Багдановіч, Максім. "Пагоня".

[2] "Імёны Свабоды: Мікола Шчаглоў-Куліковіч".

[:1-3] "У Беларусі з'явіўся нацыянальны гімн "Пагоня" ў выкананні аркестра і хору".

[4] "Нацыянальны гімн Рэспублікі Беларусь "Пагоня" (lyric video)".