This song deserves more attention, and it felt appropriate to salute the Sami week here in Umeå finishing with this post. This is a beautiful part of a unique culture that today is fighting to not vanish after years of discrimination and oppression. I wanted to share the translation of this beautiful song with the world because this is an ancient living language and it’s powerful and amazing.
Swedish translation from Sami by Oscar, second post in the comments of this video, and English below by me. Song by Jon Henrik Fjällgren, whose debut album Goeksegh (2014) is a gem.
Are you still walking by me, my dear friend,
Even though I no longer see you?
Are you still on this Earth,
Like you are still in my heart?
I’m laying here brooding,
It’s dreary and silent around me.
Tears come and fall,
Thinking of you.
An angel that was left behind here,
Have now gained its wings.
Where are you flying now, my angel?
Where are you flying now?
Are you flying through Heaven’s gate, say?
Or to the end of the world?
Are you flying next to me?
Or am I alone now?
Wherever you are now, my friend.
Wherever the road takes you.
Promise you are waiting there,
Until I meet you.
I hope you are happy now.
Like I was with you.
And the pain you have suffered,
I hope is forgotten.
Soar freely, my dear friend.
You are free now.
And until I meet you again,
Goodbye, my angel.
To those interested in more Sami music, I strongly recommend Katarina Barruk (especially her song Meärkká Suojgade on Spotify who she described as “the sun coming through and melting away the thickest fog” in regard to mental illness), the band ISÁK who mix Sami and English lyrics, Marja Mortensson (her song Delvieh can be found on youtube, Frode Fjellheim (who put together a Christian religious mess project in Southern Sami called Aejlies Gaaltije which is absolutely an experience and also composed the rather iconic intro-track Vuelie for Disney’s Frozen), Ulla Pirttijärvi who has amazing contemporary pieces and at one point was a part of Angeli Tytöt (please have a listen to the below video, these three show how incredible the jojk is in its more raw form with just a traditional skin-drum as accompaniment), Mari Boine is an icon and a must mention, and finally, Cantus, the assembly who actually sang Vuelie.
I had the pleasure of making it to a concert this weekend with performances by Frode, Katarina, Marja and Ulla. It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.
