"Dzhankoye דזשאַנקויע" is a popular Yiddish song performed on many occassions ▪️ its authors are unknown, yet in some sources Itzik Fefer and Moisei Beregovski appear as its creators ▪️ it is a story about the ideal agricultural Jewish life on Crimea ▪️ a piece encouraging Jews to join the farms and colonies in rural regions on the peninsula ▪️ even though its roots are believed to be a 30's propaganda song, its meanings and interpretations evolved throughout the years, together with its vibe, continuously positive and vivid in its core yet ▪️
Maria Ka decided to include the piece in the album after the breakout of the war in Ukraine in February '22 ▪️ since 2014 Crimea has been under p*tin's Russia occupation ▪️ Maria's intention is to express solidarity with the Ukrainian nation in their brave fight against the agression ▪️ fusing colors, motion, liveliness and brisk pulse of the song, she wants to transfer the huge load of Light, Hope, Support, Encouragment and Power to the ones fighting in defence of their territory and people ▪️
the song's lyrics contain a twist: instead of "bruder Abrashe" Maria sings about "schwester Natashe", including only female heroines in the piece and, therefore, wanting to metaphorically highlight the women's participation in the fight, resistance and social activity, making women distinctly visible and significant in the overall narrative, also the one linked with military actions and social service on the spot, in which women get often omitted ▪️
***
song's cover art: a still from the videoclip created by Maria Ka
When one rides to Sevastopol,
it’s not that far from Simferopol,
there is a station over there
who needs to search for some new luck?
There’s a station – an antique one -
in Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan.
Hey dzhan, ey Dzhankoye,
oy Dzhanvili, ey Dzhankoye
oy Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan
answer, Jews, my question:
where is my sister? where’s Natashe?
the tractor rides at her place like a train!
the aunt Leah by the mower,
Beyle by the thresher
in Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan
Hey dzhan, ey Dzhankoye,
oy Dzhanvili, ey Dzhankoye
oy Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan
Who says that Jews can only trade,
eat fat broth with almonds,
only workmen cannot be?
that can say only enemies.
Jews, spit at them in faces!
take a look at dzhan, dzhan, dzhan!
Hey dzhan, ey Dzhankoye,
oy Dzhanvili, ey Dzhankoye
oy Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan
When one rides to Sevastopol,
it’s not that far from Simferopol,
there is a station over there
who needs to search for some new luck?
There’s a station – an antique one -
in Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan.
Hey dzhan, ey Dzhankoye,
oy Dzhanvili, ey Dzhankoye
oy Dzhankoye, dzhan, dzhan, dzhan.
***
art scholarship of the Self-Government
of the Pomorskie Voivodeship '22 ;
lyrics & compositions were created
within the Cultural Scholarship
funded
by the City of Gdańsk
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