EuroMaidan Anniversary: 'A Line from My Autobiography'

Today marks the second anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution of Dignity, or EuroMaidan, which ended the rule of Yanukovych in Ukraine.

I'd like to share a video for a song based on a text by contemporary Ukrainian writer Oksana Zabuzhko called "A Line from My Autobiography." The song is performed by the Telnyuk Sisters, and the video shows images from the revolution: Ukrainians fighting for their freedom, dignity, and land, including the violent battles.


The text is basically about how "my ancestors" have always been fighting for their land, which has always belonged to them. And ends with these words:

Oh and they were a strong breed —
*Solovky, Magadan, Kolyma...
My ancestors were a people —
A people,
which is no longer.

*names of Soviet prison camps



РЯДОК З АВТОБІОГРАФІЇ
Мої предки були не вбогі
На пісні та свячені ножі —
З моїх предків, хвалити Бога,
Заволокам ніхто не служив!
Дарували від батька до сина
Честь у спадок — як білу кість!
Мої предки були красиві —
Ворогам на подив і злість.
Хай не славою (Бог там з нею!) —
Як присягою на шаблях,
Мої предки владали землею:
Їм належала ця земля!
І цупким, наче нить основи
Крізь віки однієї сім'ї,
Невразливим — пронесли слово
І внизали в легені мої...

Ох і моцна була порода —
Соловки, Магадан, Колима...
Мої предки були народом —
Тим народом,
якого нема.

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