THE THINGS WE DO...: Halia should have listened (11/04/01)

THE THINGS WE DO...

by Orysia Paszczak Tracz

Halia should have listened

Yikhaly Kozaky iz Donu dodomu,
Pidmanuly Haliu - zabraly z soboyu.
Oy, ty Haliu, Haliu molodaya,
Pidmanuly Haliu - zabraly z soboyu.

(The Kozaky were returning home from the Don River,/They lured Halia, and took her with them. /Oh, Halia, young Halia,/They deceived Halia, and took her with them.)

How could they! ... Why even come up with a song like this? ... I never heard of such a thing ... Ukrainian songs don't sing about things like this!

There's been indignation and offense at this rousing, boisterous song with a great melody, and a terrible story. Yet the song is still sung and recorded, and is quite popular, both in Ukraine and in North America.

So, then, what happens to Halia? The Kozaky entice her, telling her "Poyidemo z namy, Kozakamy, luchche tobi bude yak v ridnoyi mamy" (you'll go with us, Kozaky, and it will be better for you than with your own mother). So Halia listens, and goes along. You're right, dear reader, she shouldn't have.

Vezly Haliu temnymy lisamy, pryviazaly Haliu do sosny kosamy. ... Rozbrelys po lisu, nazbyraly khmyzu, pidpalyly sosnu od hory do nyzu..." [Halia rode with them through dark forests, then they tied Halia to a pine with her braids...

The Kozaky collected firewood throughout the forest, set the pine ablaze from top to bottom.)

Looks like Halia's in deep trouble. "Horyt sosna, horyt, horyt i palaye. Krychyt Halia krykom, krychyt-promovliaye ... Oy, khto v lisi chuye, nekhay toy riatuye. Oy, khto dochok maye, nekhay nauchaye. ... Ta y temnoyi nochi huliat ne puskaye..." (The pine is in flames ... Halia is screaming, yelling and saying: Who can hear me in the forest, save me! ... Who has daughters must teach them... And not let them go out on a dark night.]...

So, the moral of the song? Teach your children well, and be sure your kids are ready for the big cruel world. Also, daughters should listen to mom and dad about what can happen out there. This song isn't so terrible after all, it is just a big instructional "I told you so!"

We can learn practically anything about Ukrainian life in the past centuries from Ukrainian folk songs. They are an enormous treasure trove of knowledge and information. We learn about human relations (respect, love, marriage, children, living with in-laws, betrayal, sorrow, etc.), about traditions and rituals (match-making, going off to war), clothing, food, humor, animals, trees, flowers, medicinal plants, farm work - and almost everything else imaginable, because folk songs reflect life. They express emotion, they teach, they explain.

We learn about regional differences, and attitudes toward others, such as Hutsuly toward Boiky, or Ukrainians toward other national groups. We also hear about murder, abortion, infanticide, incest, wife-beating, forced marriages and similar ugly aspects of life. It would not be an exaggeration to say that from the lyrics of any folk song we can learn so much more than just what the simple words say.

So the Halia of this "terrible" song sure learned her lesson, although the style of the song blames the victim instead of the perpetrators. But, it was meant to scare the living daylights out of any young woman thinking of just going off for a good time with someone she doesn't know and of whom her parents may not approve.

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If Weekly readers would like an explanation of a particular song, or have a verse that just baffles them, why not write this columnist? You can write to her care of The Ukrainian Weekly, or e-mail orysia_tracz@hotmail.com. (Ms. Tracz promised that she will either use the song for a future article, or answer you directly.

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