Page with the question from IS9 and space to add your answers

 

 

Question from IS9, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, South Africa

 

We would like you to tell us about your country's national anthem, national symbols and traditional music:

A. Give us a brief description of the meaning of your national anthem.

B. What are your national symbols and what do they symbolise?

C. Describe the sounds of your traditional music.

D.Give the names of your most famous traditional musicians.

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Answer from IS1 

 

 A) A brief description of the meaning of our national anthem

 

The national anthem of Hungary is a poetic prayer, which was written by a famous Hungarian poet, Ferenc Kölcsey in 1823 and the official music of it was composed by a romantic composer, Ferenc Erkel. The words of the Hungarian anthem are unusual for the genre in expressing a direct plea to God, rather than proclaiming national pride. To understand the poem it is essential to have basic knowledge of Hungarian history.

There are two translations that we found on the net, a literary and a poetic translation. The poem itself is longer but we only sing the first verse of it on special occasions.

 

Literary Translation	Poetic Translation
O Lord bless the Hungarian,	O my God, the Magyar bless
With your grace and bounty	With thy plenty and good cheer!
Extend over him your guarding arm	With thine aid his just cause press,
During strife with his enemies	Where his foes to fight appear.
Long torn by ill fate	Fate, who for so long did'st frown,
Bring upon him a time of relief	Bring him happy times and ways;
This nation has suffered for all sins	Atoning sorrow hath weight down
Of the past and of the future.	Sins of past and future days.

 

You can listen to our national anthem  here: 

B) The National Symbols of Hungary

 

The right hand of Hungary's first king, the founder of the state is kept as a relic.It is known as the Holy Right and is exhibited in annual processions. The body of our first king, St. Stephen was mummified but his tomb was later opened and only his right hand and some bone fragments remained.

 

 

 

Other national symbols of Hungary include the typical traditional national symbols which most of the countries in the world have, the national flag, the crown and some coats of arms of settlements, of royal and noble families.

 

Our national flag had gone through a long period of development before it acquired its present form. According to chronicles the Magyars would fight under red flags adorned with a black turul, the symbolic Hungarian bird. Later on the red and silver flag was used. Finally, in 1848 the red, white and green flag became the official national flag of Hungary. 

 

If you want to know more about our National symbols watch the film below:

 

 

C) Describe the sounds of your traditional music 

 

There are two types of folk songs.

a.) Old style songs are mostly composed of pentatonic sound sequences.

The majority of these songs are special; their last line is a perfect fifth lower than the first one. The eight stroke verse, and old Hungarian metrical mode is common in these songs.

b.) New style songs are usually built on sound sequences that are composed on seven sounds. Their metrical modes can be of several types.

The folk songs of both types can be musically ascending or descending.

 

D) Give the name of your most famous musicians:

 

Two notable Hungarian composers' names must be mentioned here;Zoltan Kodály and Béla Bartók. Their primary activity was collecting and transcribing folk songs.

They also worked as composers, hence they determined the style of Hungarian classical music in the 20th century.

 

Tran Adam Son and Szabó Máté

 

 

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Answer from IS2

 

Stabule is also Latvian traditional musical instrument

 

 

 

Trideksnis-traditional instrument

 

 

                                  The most famous world music band from Latvia Iļģi

 

 

 

 

At the beginning Iļģi was an ensemble of authentic Latvian folk music. They visited remote parts of Latvia in search for unrecorded folk songs, studied the traditional performance, as well as sewing their own traditional costumes and building their own instruments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Answer from IS3

 

 

 

In English, this is the translation of the Lebanese anthem:

All of us! For our Country, for our Flag and Glory!

Our valor and our writings are the envy of the ages.

Our mountains and our valleys, they bring forth stalwart men.

And to Perfection all our efforts we devote.

All of us! For our Country, for our Flag and Glory!

Our Elders and our children, they await our Country's call,

And on the Day of Crisis they are as Lions of the Jungle.

The heart of our East is ever Lebanon,

May God preserve her until end of time.

All of us! For our Country, for our Flag and Glory!

The Gems of the East are her land and sea.

Throughout the world her good deeds flow from pole to pole.

And her name is her glory since time began.

Immortality's Symbol--the Cedar--is her Pride.

All of us! For our Country, for our Flag and Glory!

b- National Symbols:

 

 

The cedar tree (Cedrus libani) the national symbol of Lebanon .

 

 

 

The cedar tree is a prominent feature of the Lebanese flag. The tree represents peace, immortality and tolerance.

 

 

 

A-     The music of the national anthem:

 

Meaning of national anthem:  We should all unite for the glory of our country Lebanon. Young and old should work on the way to perfection and unite for the glory of the flag. The sea and the land of Lebanon are the pearl of the two orients. Its name is its triumph since the time of our grandfathers. Its glory is its cedars; its symbol is for the end of epochs.

National symbol: The Lebanese national symbol is the cedars. This coniferous plant was first found in Lebanon on the Mount Lebanon chain which used to be almost completely covered with cedars. It is the symbol which you can find on the Lebanese flag.

 

Music in Lebanon:

the music in Lebanon has a long history.Beirut , the capital of Lebanon, has long been known, especially in the period immediately following World War II, for its art and intellectualism. Several singers emerged in this period, among the most famous are Fairuz, Sabah, Wadih Al Safe, and Nasri Shamseldine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Answer from IS4

Questions :  A. Give us a brief description of the meaning of your national anthem.

                        B. What are your national symbols and what do they symbolise?

                        C. Describe the sounds of your traditional music.

                        D.Give the names of your most famous traditional musicians.

 

 

 

English Translation

Fountain of Freedom, Source of Light

Where sovereignty and safety meet,

Safety and sovereignty May you ever combine!

You have lived among nations With title sublime,

Filling each heart, Sung by each tongue,

Your champion has risen And answered your call.

In my mouth And in my blood

Your breezes have stirred Both light and fire.

Up! my brethren, Strive for the highest.

We call to the world That we are here ready.

We salute as our emblem

God, Homeland, and King.

 

 

 

   The Flag Of Morocco

The flag of Morocco is made of a red field with a black-bordered green interwoven star. Red has considerable historic significance in Morocco, proclaiming the descent of the royal family from the Prophet Muhammad via Fatima, the wife of Ali, the fourth Caliph. Red is also the color that was used by the Sherifs of Mecca and the Imams of Yemen. From the 17th century on, when Morocco was ruled by the Alaouite Dynasty, the flags of the country were plain red. In 1915, during the reign of Mulay Yusuf, the green Seal of Solomon was added to the national flag. The Seal is an interlaced pentangle, used as a symbol in occult law for centuries. While Morocco was under French and Spanish control, the red flag with the seal in the center remained in use- but only inland. Its use at sea was prohibited. When independence was restored in 1956, it once again became the national flag.

the Royal flag 

 

Among the symbols of Morocco : with "Amazigh "origine                       

 It has five heads and it represents the Five  Pillars of Islam

    Lion represents power      The palm tree represents origins, Tradition and prosperity.

 

 

Tarab Al Andaloussi, is a genre of Moroccan folk art music, mainly in the north of Morocco in cities such as Tangier, Larache, Asilah & Tetouan, Tarab Al Andaloussi is very famous in Morocco, once of the leaders in Andaloussi Suffu Music is Abdessadeq Chekara, Andaloussi refers to "Andalus

 

Miss Meryam Elehya , from IS4 Morocco. 

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Answer from IS5

 

Our national anthem is "het Wilhelmus" about Willem van Oranje (William of Orange, a.k.a. Willem de Zwijger/William the Silent). He lived between 1533 and 1584. The national anthem was written for Willem van Oranje. Willem Van Oranje has always done his best to work with Spanish king Philip II as best he could, but because of his love of the homeland he choose to revolt and was the leader of the revolt against the Spanish that set the Eight Year War, which led to the indepence of the Netherlands. Het Wilhelmus is actually made advertising for William of Orange, in order to get the population behind him. That was necessary, because it was not that everyone in the Netherlands chose the side of Orange.

 

 

This is a clip with the Dutch national anthem (with English translation)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIg9VaMBi9o

 

One of our national symbols is the tulip. In spring you can find them everywhere in the country. 

 

The Dutch windmills are known all over the world.

 

 

Our national colour is Orange, because of the name of the royal family, descendants from William of Orange. 

We wear the colours when Holland participates in soccer championships, to celebrate "Koninginnedag" (Queen Beatrix's birthday) or at any event we want to express we are Dutch.

 

    

 

 

 

Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) is also a symbol of the Netherlands. Netherlands is about the only country that celebrates Sinterklaas. Sinterklaas is the eponymous protagonist of the annual children's party on December 5, this night is called "Pakjesavond" (Packet Evening) in the Netherlands.

 

           

 

 

 

Our more recent traditional music is especially André Hazes, Dutch singer André Hazes was one which from the late 1970s was popular with his contemporary form of "levenslied" (Life Song, about the troubles of life and love).

 

 

 

This statue was raised in honour of him:

 

 

This is a song from him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieUAYSmz65w

 

Since we are a nation by the sea, there are also groups that sing traditional fishermen songs.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D48IbHshEqc

 

 

 

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Answer from IS6

 

Every country in the world has its own symbols. Ukraine is not an exception. There are several national symbols in Ukraine.

The national flag first appeared in 1848.The flag  has 2 stripes: a blue  above a yellow one.

The colours are symbolic-yellow for wheat  in the fields and blue for the sky above them.

The flag become a symbol of the all-Ukrainian unity.

 

TheUkrainian anthem is a song, which starts with the words “Neither Fame nor Will Has Perished in Ukraine”.

Its lyrics were written by Pavlo Chubynskyi and it was published in 1863. The same year it was set to music by Mikhailo Verbytskyi.

The catchy  melody and patriotic words made this song very  popular among Ukrainians. Article 20 in

the Constitution of Ukraine of 1996 defines it as the state anthem.

 

The national emblem (Coat of Arms) of Ukraine is a trident. It is the most ancient and

dignified  of all the Ukrainian symbols. Its history goes back to the firs century A.D. The

classic shape of the Ukrainian trident was found on the coins of Volodymyr the Great, who

ruled in the 10-th century. Then, it was a mark of authority, and a symbol of the ethnic

groups which made up the Ukrainian nation.

 

 

There are a lot of  Ukrainian musicians but the most famous of them are

Sofia Rotaru                               and                              Oleg Skrypka.

 

 

                                                                        

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Answer from IS7

 

A.

The first verse of the South African national anthem, we are asking God to bless our land, to glorify the people and hear our requests.

The second verse we ask God to protect our nation from any dangers and to end or intervene all conflicts.

The third verse we ask god to ring out from the blue heavens, from the depths of our sea, and our everlasting mountains where the echoing cliffs resound.

The last verse is about the joining of our nation and how we unite and fought for freedom.

B.

The South African flag

The design and colours are a synopsis of principal elements of the country’s flag history. The individual colours on the flag or the combination of colours represent different aspects for different people therefore the colours have no symbolic meaning.

The Coat of Arms

The spear- symbolises peace of the people.

The protea- symbolises the beauty of our land.

The secretary bird- protection of the nation against its enemies

The rising sun- the promise of rebirth

The ears of wheat-fertility

Elephant tusks-wisdom, strength, moderation and eternity

The shield-has a dual function as a vehicle for the display of identity and spiritual defence

The human figures-unity

The motto-unity and diversity

C.

The Vuvuzela

The vuvuzela is a trumpet like sound sounding like an elephant. It is usually used in a South African football match.

Other instruments produce mostly spiritual sounds which the different cultures use to communicate with their ancestors.

Drumming is also very common in South African cultures.

D.

JMiriam Makeba

JBrenda Fassie

JLadysmith Black Mambazo

JSoweto String Quartet

JHugh Masekela

 

 

                                 

THIS IS A PICTURE OF A                    THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE                  THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE

VUVUZELA.                                       SOUTH AFRICAN FLAG.                       NATIONAL COAT OF ARMS.

 

 

 

 

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Answer from IS8

 

Our national anthem "Ukraine's [glory] has not yet perished" was written in 1862 by Pavlo Chubynsky during celebration some holiday. In 1863 composer Mykhaylo Verbytsky composed music to accompany Chubynsky's text. In our anthem you can hear and feel our big love to freedom.

 

"Ukraine's [glory] has not yet perished"

 

Ще не вмерла Українa, ні слава, ні воля,

Ще нам, браття-українці, усміхнеться доля.

Згинуть наші вороженьки, як роса на сонці,

Запануєм і ми, браття, у своїй сторонці.

CHORUS

Душу й тіло ми положим за нашу свободу

І покажем, що ми, браття, козацького роду.

 

 

English translation

Ukraine's freedom has not yet perished, nor has her glory,

Upon us, fellow Ukrainians, fate shall smile once more.

Our enemies will vanish like dew in the sun,

And we too shall rule, brothers, in a free land of our own.

CHORUS

We'll lay down our souls and bodies to attain our freedom,

And we'll show that we, brothers, are of the Cossack nation.

 

 

The trident and flag are Ukrainian national symbols. The first image of the trident appeared in the 1st century AD. This symbol was used in Kyivan Rus'. It is thought that the trident represented the union of the three natural elements of air, water and earth.

The Ukrainian flag consists of two horizontal stripes of the equal width. The top is blue, the bottom is yellow. Blue and yellow are the colors of the sky, mountains, streams, and golden fields with wheat.

Kobza, bandura, lira, floyara are our national music instruments. In the Western Ukraine people play the trembita on funerals. Also Ukrainian people like to sing and dance therefore there are many holidays and festivals in our country.

Ukrainian traditional music culture was beginning many centuries ago, so there are very many national musicians, so here are some of them: composers Grigory Skovoroda, Artemy Vedel, Danylo Apostol, Mykola Lysenko, conductor Alexandr Gorily, singer Solomia Krushelnytska etc.

Lots of love,

       Helen and group IS8 (Ukraine) 

 

 

	State Anthem of Ukraine “The State Anthem of Ukraine is the national anthem set to the music of M Verbytskyi, with words that are confirmed by the law adopted by no less than two-thirds of the constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine”. Article 20, Chapter І of the Constitution of Ukraine   The State Anthem of Ukraine, whose performance starts and ends the official ceremonies of the state importance, had been set to the music by Mykhailo Verbytsky and verse by Pavlo Chubynsky. Creation of the Ukrainian anthem harks back to the beginning of 1862 when Pavlo Chubynsky, the Ukrainian ethnographer, folklorist and poet, wrote a poem Ukraine Has Not Died Yet that spread instantly among the circles Ukrainophiles recently unified into the Hromada, a liberal organization of Ukrainian bourgeois intelligentsia of the period. This patriotic verse caught the attention of the religious figures. One of them, Father Mykhailo (Verbytsky), quite a famous composer of the time, fascinated by the poem, composed the music to it. Published for the first time in 1865, came to be used as the national anthem since 1917. During 1917 to 1920, Ukraine's glory hasn't perished was not approved as the single state anthem: other hymns were also performed. Throughout the course of the Soviet period of the Ukrainian history this national anthem was officially forced into oblivion. On March 6, 2003, that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the Decree “On the State Anthem of Ukraine”. In accordance with it, the music of Mykhailo Verbytsky with only the first couplet and refrain of the Pavlo Chubynsky song Ukraine's glory hasn't perished was confirmed to be the State Anthem of the country.
	“The State Flag of Ukraine is a banner of two equally-sized horizontal bands of blue and yellow” Article 20, Chapter І of the Constitution of Ukraine The colors symbolized the Kyivan State even before the Rus was baptized. During the times of the Tartar yoke of Baty-khan, this symbolism disappeared to be revived later on in the church ritual decorations and blazonry of Ukrainian towns. The coats of arms of the towns in the Kyiv region and generally throughout Ukraine were framed in the yellow-sky blue colors. Since the 17th century, the regimental and company banners of Cossacks were made of blue cloth with the cross, stars, weapons and images of saints drawn with yellow paint on it.
	Major State Emblem  and Minor State Emblem In accordance with the Constitution, the Major State Coat of Arms of Ukraine is to be established with the Minor State Coat of Arms of Ukraine and the Coat of Arms of the Cossack Army of Zaporizhia taken into account as its chief elements. The principal element of the Major State Coat of Arms of Ukraine is the trident (the Minor State Emblem), the Symbol of the Princely State of Volodymyr the Great Article 20, Chapter І of the Constitution of Ukraine From the antiquity revered as a magic sign and a kind of charm, the trident symbolized the division of the Universe into the heavenly, earthy, and one beyond; the combination of the divine, motherly and fatherly, the sacred origin and three natural elements–the air, water and earth. Archeologist encountered the image in the numerous cultural artifacts of the past dated by the 1st century, while the first record of the signs belongs to the 10th century A.D. While signing a treaty with Byzantium, the ambassadors of the Kyivan Prince Ihor (912 to 945) used the trident in their seals. During the Kyivan Rus, the trident became the symbol of the great princedom with its image found be archeologists in coins, seals, crockery, bricks, as well as wall-paintings. The Kyiv prince Volodymyr Sviatoslavych (980 to 1015) coined money with the image of the Master on one side and trident on the other. In December 1917, the Ukrainian Central Rada adopted trident as a Symbol of the Ukrainian People’s Republic; since January 22, 1919, in accordance with the Decree on Unification it became part of the regional coat of arms of the Western oblast of the UPR. It remained the principal element of the Pavlo Skoropadsky’s Hetman State, as well as that of the Directoria. Constitutionally, the all-Ukrainian National Rada first adopted the trident as the State Coat of Arms in May 1920. It also became the State Coat of Arms of the Carpathian Rus in 1939 that declared independence after the Czechoslovak Republic broke up. Officially discredited in Ukraine under the Soviets, the trident, nevertheless, remained the symbol of the national liberation movement. The decreed enactment “On the State Coat of Arms of Ukraine” by the Verkhovna Rada on February 19, 1992, the Trident was approved as the Small State Coat of Arms and principal element of the Great State Coat of Arms
	State Symbols of the President of Ukraine In accordance with the Decree of the President of November 29, 1999, the official symbols of the President are: Presidential Flag, Emblem of the President of Ukraine, Official Stamp of the President of Ukraine, Mace of the President of Ukraine.