Romani anthem

Gelem, Gelem

English: I Went, I Went
anthem of the Romani people
Also known as	Opre Roma English: Up, Romanies
Lyrics	Žarko Jovanović, 1949
Music	Žarko Jovanović, 1949
Adopted	1971

Gelem, Gelem is a song composed by Žarko Jovanović, often used as the anthem of the Romani people. The title has been adapted in many countries by local Roma to match their native orthography and spoken dialect of the Romani language. Some of the song's many titles include,

• "Gyelem, Gyelem" (Hungarian orthography),
• "Jelem, Jelem",
• "Dzelem, Dzelem",
• "Dželem, Dželem",
• "Đelem, Đelem" (Croatian and Latin Serbian and Bosnian orthography),
• "Djelem, Djelem" (German and French orthography),
• "Ђелем, Ђелем" (Cyrillic Serbian and Bosnian orthography),
• "Ѓелем, Ѓелем",
• "Џелем, Џелем",
• "Джелем, джелем" (Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian orthography),
• "Opré Roma" and
• "Romale Shavale".

In an interview with reporter Mike Kalezić, Jovanović himself titled the song ‘Opre Roma’.^[1]

After experiencing firsthand the incarceration of Roma during the Porajmos (the Romani Holocaust of World War II), Jovanović later composed the lyrics of Gelem, Gelem and set them to a traditional melody in 1949. The song was first adopted by delegates of the first World Romani Congress held in 1971.^[2]

Lyrics

Original Gelem, gelem, lungone dromensa Maladilem bakhtale Romensa A Romale, katar tumen aven, E tsarensa bakhtale dromensa? A Romale, A Chavale Sas vi man yekh bari familiya, Mundardyas la e Kali Legiya Aven mansa sa lumnyake Roma, Kai putardile e Romane droma Ake vriama, usti Rom akana, Amen khutasa misto kai kerasa A Romale, A Chavale Puter Devla le parne vudara Te shai dikhav kai si me manusha Pale ka zhav lungone dromendar Thai ka phirav bakhtale Romensa A Romalen, A chavalen Opre Rroma, si bakht akana Aven mansa sa lumnyake Roma O kalo mui thai e kale yakha Kamav len sar e kale drakha A Romalen, A chavalen.

Translation I went, I went on long roads I met happy Roma O Roma, where do you come from, With tents happy on the road? O Roma, O Romani youths! I once had a great family, The Black Legion murdered them Come with me, Roma from all the world For the Roma, roads have opened Now is the time, rise up Roma now, We will rise high if we act O Roma, O Romani youths! Open, God, White doors So I can see where are my people. Come back to tour the roads And walk with happy Roma O Roma, O Romani youths! Up, Romani people! Now is the time Come with me, Roma from all the world Dark face and dark eyes, I want them like dark grapes O Roma, O Romani youths!

Alternate Lyrics

There are many versions of Gelem, Gelem, notably those translated by Ronald Lee.^[3]

References

• Patrin Web Journal - Gelem, Gelem: Roma Anthem

External links

• Kosovo Roma Oral History Project - Roma Culture: Music
• Loyko: Djelem
• Original song by "Opre Roma" Sung by Jarko Jovanovic
• more informantion on Roma - this website has a link to alternative song spellings:
• Gelem Gelem in Italian language (by Roberto Malini and Alexian Santino Spinelli)

1. Kalezić, Mike. "Ministar na koljenima". prvi tamburaški online magazine. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
2. "Romani Nationalism, Flag and Anthem". Retrieved 13 November 2012.
3. "Djelem Djelem [Romani] song lyrics". Dunav.org. Retrieved 13 November 2012.