Happy national day, Aran!
Bon jorn nacional, Aran!
Best wishes on your national day from Catalonia. May your language and culture flourish freely in the times to come!
Here’s song by the Catalan band Ebri Knight dedicated to the people of Occitania. The song celebrates the strength of the Occitan culture and how it struggles to resist the intents of eliminating it that has been suffering for centuries.
Below are the original lyrics of the song in Catalan and their translation to English.
The song makes reference to the bird in Se Canta, the unofficial anthem of Occitania (which is heard at the end of the song), and the flower is probably a reference to De cap tà l’immortèla by Nadau, one of the most famous Occitan songs. The last two lines and name of the song could be a reference to Perqué m’an pas dit by Claudi Martí.
Has baixat per les aigües clares,
You have gone down through clear waters,
dies avall fins els teus mars.
days down until [reaching] your seas.
El vent fred t'ha cremat la cara
The cold wind has burnt your face
però has tingut sempre el braç alçat.
but you have always kept your arm raised.
Cims i muntanyes no t'han cansat.
Peaks and mountains have not tired you.
Vas sentir un ocell que cantava
You heard a bird who sang
sense conèixer quina cançó;
without knowing the song;
al teu cap tot l'infern tronava
in your head the whole Hell was thundering
però vas partir empassant la por,
but you marched swallowing the fear,
avançant cap a la teva flor.
going forward towards your flower.
La lliçó mai va ser prou clara,
The lesson was never clear enough,
dites i senyes d'un altre lloc.
sayings and signs from another place.
Però eres viva i ho ets encara,
But you were alive and you still are so,
fent-te més forta pels pobles d'Òc,
becoming stronger for the peoples of Òc,
llevant-te alegre del llarg malson.
waking up cheerful after the long nightmare.
Entre valls i finestres velles
Between valleys and old windows
has dut la flama i l'esperit.
you carried the flame and the spirit.
Els carrers i els cants despertes.
You wake up the streets and the chants.
El teu nom mai l'havien dit.
They had never said your name.
El teu nom mai l'havien dit.
They had never said your name.
