Pahonia (song)

Pahonia
English: The Pursuit
Пагоня
Lyrics	Maksim Bahdanovič, 1916
Music	Mikalay Shchahlou-Kulikovich

Pahonia (Belarusian: Пагоня – Pursuit) is a Belarusian patriotic song based on the eponymous poem by Maksim Bahdanovič.

Background[]

The poem Pahonia by Maksim Bahdanovič was written in 1916 in Minsk.^[1] It was later translated into English by Vera Rich.^[2]

During the interwar period, the youth of Western Belarus (at the time part of the Second Polish Republic) sang this poem to the tune of the French Marseillaise.^[3]

The music was written by Belarusian composer and immigrant activist Mikalay Shchahlou-Kulikovich, who in the 1950s and 1960s released five musical albums in the United States which included his own compositions, covers of ethnic Belarusian songs, and songs to the works of various Belarusian poets. The song was originally meant to be sung a capella. Mikola Ravienski, [be-tarask] and Vladimir Mulyavin also made covers of this song as well as other Belarusian musicians and bands.^[4] In the early 1990s, Shchahlou-Kulikovich’s version was considered as one of the options for the national anthem of the Republic of Belarus.^{[citation needed]} In 2020, under the patronage of Anton Miaža a choral performance of the anthem was recorded with an orchestra accompaniment.^[5]

Usage[]

In 2020, the anthem resurged in popularity as one of the symbols of the 2020 Belarusian protests against the Lukashenka regime, along with the white-red-white flag. The anthem was spontaneously performed in several public places: near the Belarusian State Philharmonic, in malls, in the Minsk subway,^[1] at the Minsk [be-tarask], and at the Minsk railway station.

Lyrics[]

The poem “Pahonia” was written by Maksim Bahdanovič in the middle of WWI in 1916 in front-line wartime Minsk, Belarus. It was first published in the Belarusian newspaper “Free Belarus” (“Вольная Беларусь”) on 30 November 1917.

The poem alludes to the history of the mighty medieval state, Grand Duchy of Lithuania (of which Belarus was part), its coat of arms “Pahonia” and the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius, which was the capital of that medieval state. Through the image and motif of the ancient Lithuanian Pahonia, the poet considers the contradictory present and the uncertain future of Belarus during World War I. “This is a poem-reflection, which is characterised by journalistic elements: the lyrical hero's appeals to “Pahonia”, to Belarus, the Motherland, many interrogative and exclamatory intonations.” ^[6]

When it is performed as an anthem, the last stanza is usually not sung, but the last lines of the second, fourth, and sixth stanza are sung twice.

Lyrics in Belarusian (Cyrillic)	Lyrics in Belarusian Lacinka	English Translation by Vera Rich
Толькi ў сэрцы трывожным пачую За краiну радзiмую жах, Успомню Вострую Браму святую I ваякаў на грозных канях. У белай пене праносяцца конi, Рвуцца, мкнуцца i цяжка хрыпяць, Старадаўняй Лiтоўскай Пагонi Не разбiць, не спынiць, не стрымаць! У бязмерную даль вы ляцiце, А за вамi, прад вамi — гады. Вы за кiм у пагоню спяшыце? Дзе шляхi вашы йдуць i куды? Мо яны, Беларусь, паняслiся За тваiмi дзяцьмi наўздагон, Што забылi цябе, адраклiся, Прадалi i аддалi ў палон? Бiце ў сэрцы iх — бiце мячамi, Не давайце чужынцамi быць! Хай пачуюць, як сэрца начамi Аб радзiмай старонцы балiць. Мацi родная, Мацi-Краiна! Не ўсцiшыцца гэтакi боль. Ты прабач, ты прымi свайго сына, За Цябе яму ўмерцi дазволь! Ўсё лятуць i лятуць тыя конi, Срэбнай збруяй далёка грымяць… Старадаўняй Лiтоўскай Пагонi Не разбiць, не спынiць, не стрымаць.	Toĺki ŭ sercy tryvožnym pačuju Za krainu radzimuju žach, Uspomniu Vostruju Bramu sviatuju I vajakaŭ na hroznych kaniach. U bielaj pienie pranosiacca koni, Rvucca, mknucca i ciažka chrypiać, Staradaŭniaj Litoŭskaj Pahoni Nie razbić, nie spynić, nie strymać! U biazmiernuju daĺ vy liacicie, A za vami, prad vami — hady. Vy za kim u pahoniu spiašycie? Dzie šliachi vašy jduć i kudy? Mo jany, Bielaruś, paniaslisia Za tvaimi dziaćmi naŭzdahon, Što zabyli ciabie, adraklisia, Pradali i addali ŭ palon? Bicie ŭ sercy ich — bicie miačami, Nie davajcie čužyncami być! Chaj pačujuć, jak serca načami Ab radzimaj staroncy balić. Maci rodnaja, Maci-Kraina! Nie ŭscišycca hetaki boĺ. Ty prabač, ty prymi svajho syna, Za Ciabie jamu ŭmierci dazvoĺ! Ŭsio liatuć i liatuć tyja koni, Srebnaj zbrujaj dalioka hrymiać… Staradaŭniaj Litoŭskaj Pahoni Nie razbić, nie spynić, nie strymać.	Whensoever my anxious heart, trembling With fear for our land, starts to bleed, The Vostraja Gate I remember, And the warriors on their dread steeds. Flecked with white foam, those steeds, onward straining, Gallop and charge, grimly snort... Pahonia of Old Lithuania, None can conquer them, stay them or halt. Into measureless distances flying, Behind you, before, years extend... After whom do ye chase, swiftly hieing, Where lie your paths, whither they wend? Maybe, Belarus, they are racing After thy sons, neglectful of thee, Who forgot thee, thy memory effacing, Sold, betrayed thee into slavery. Strike them deep in the heart with swords brandished! Let them not into foreigners turn! Let them feel in the night their hearts' anguish For their true native land ache and burn... My dear Mother, my own Mother-Country, Let there never be end to that ache... Forgive! Take back thy son in thy bounty, Permit him to die for thy sake! The steeds fly and fly, onward straining, Silver harness resounds in assault, Pahonia of Old Lithuania, None can conquer them, stay them or halt.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Багдановіч, Максім. "Пагоня".
^ "Pesnyary - Пагоня (Pagonya) lyrics + English translation". lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
^ Вячорка, Вінцук. "Чаму дзяржаўным гімнам БНР стаў ваяцкі марш «Мы выйдзем шчыльнымі радамі»?" [Why did Vajacki marš "Come, we shall march in joint endeavour" become the national anthem of the Belarusian Democratic Republic?, by Vincuk Viačorka]. Радыё Свабода / Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-15.
^ Арлоў, Уладзімер. "Імёны Свабоды: Мікола Шчаглоў-Куліковіч" [The Names of Freedom : Mikalay Shchahlou-Kulikovich, by Uładzimir Arłou]. Радыё Свабода / Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-15.
^ "Нацыянальны гімн Беларусі «Пагоня» ў выкананні аркестра і хору | symbal.by". Retrieved 2021-06-15.
^ Жыццё і творчасць Максіма Багдановіча (1891–1917) (The life and work of Maksim Bahdanovič (1891–1917)) (in Belarusian)

Bibliography[]

[:0-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Багдановіч, Максім. "Пагоня".

[2] "Pesnyary - Пагоня (Pagonya) lyrics + English translation". lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 2021-06-15.

[3] Вячорка, Вінцук. "Чаму дзяржаўным гімнам БНР стаў ваяцкі марш «Мы выйдзем шчыльнымі радамі»?" [Why did Vajacki marš "Come, we shall march in joint endeavour" become the national anthem of the Belarusian Democratic Republic?, by Vincuk Viačorka]. Радыё Свабода / Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-15.

[:1-4] Арлоў, Уладзімер. "Імёны Свабоды: Мікола Шчаглоў-Куліковіч" [The Names of Freedom : Mikalay Shchahlou-Kulikovich, by Uładzimir Arłou]. Радыё Свабода / Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-15.

[5] "Нацыянальны гімн Беларусі «Пагоня» ў выкананні аркестра і хору | symbal.by". Retrieved 2021-06-15.

[6] Жыццё і творчасць Максіма Багдановіча (1891–1917) (The life and work of Maksim Bahdanovič (1891–1917)) (in Belarusian)

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