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Valoda often stands in the doorway of the church he tends to every day which is on the highest hill of his beautiful village, Kerana.
The songs recorded from Valoda are self-composed shairis.1 With his kind face and calm demeanor, Valoda is ready at any time, anywhere, to sing for hours with his panduri.2 His recordings were made on an unusually hot morning in early May, under a large oak tree in the shade, brimming with the new growth of springtime.
1The world ''shairi'' means a short poetic verse. The practice of shairoba was found in the northeast highlands of Georgia, where two singers would alternate improvisational comical verses, often above the drone of other singers at the table.
2A three-stringed, fretted lute common in all regions of northeastern Georgia. The instrument is most frequently used to accompany ballad singing. Read more about the panduri here.
Valodi Shairi
(scroll down for English translation)
Amogtkom lekso, amogtkom
Torem ikneba vk’vdebode
/Magram shen chemsa sakhsovrad
Am kveqnaze rchebode/
K’okht’a bich’i khar vaolodi
K’okht’a gikhdeba ts’veria
/Kalebis mosiqvarule, ghvino araqis msmelia/
Ekhlandelsa p’rok’urorsa ver gamaakvs ganacheni
/Gogo me shen genatsvale, dedashen k’i mamasheni/
Tskhvarshi viqav arkhilosa, uts’qevlia dedilosa
/Khom gerchivna shvilo sakhlshi,
Lamaz kaltan gedzinosa/
Pekhi pekhze gadagedoi, dzudzu khelshi gech’irosa
Translation:
Valodi Joke Song
I am going to tell you a poem, I will tell you
Or else I will die
But you, in order to commemorate me
Must remain in the world
You are a handsome man, Valodi
With a handsome beard that suits you well
A lover of women, a drinker of wine and araqi1
Right now a jury
Wouldn’t be able to sentence you
Girl, genatsvale2 to you, your mother, and your father
As I was with my flock in Arkhilo,3 my mom cursed at me:
You should rather be at home kid,
Sleeping with a beautiful woman
With a foot over a foot,
And a woman’s breast in your hand
1Hard liquor
2A term of endearment
3Short for Arkhilosts’qaro, a town in the municipality of Dedoplists’qaro in the Shirakis Valley, where shepherds annually go to in the wintertime to graze their sheep.
In this joke song, Valoda recalls the time as a young man when he was called from his village in Georgia to serve in the Soviet Army.
Jarisk'atsi Shairi
(scroll down for English translation)
Hei tkven javakhianno, gaumadzgharno dzilita
/Virebi mglebma garek’es, garmonita da st’virita/
Uk’an k’i k’oba mizdevda, tavisa lula topita
Samjer asrola zedized, topi ch’ekamda motkmita
Shvilma k’i tavi shests’ira
Deda dabrunda okhvrita
Dach’rili aris mdzimeta, veghar gamodis k’arshia
Ekimis kheli sch’irdeba, mk’urnali unda sakhlshia
T’ragik’ulad daighup’a, tavi shests’ira jarshia
Magram memduris p’at’ronsa guramas
Rom gadaagdo khramshia
/Mteli shroma da amagi, gadauqara ts’qalshia/
Unda mogiqvet ambavi, am mimdinare khnisao
Ekvsi tve iqo gasuli, ormotsdatekvsmet’ ts’lisao
Gamogvidzakhei saldatshi, otsi tskhramet’ ts’lisao
She dzidzishvilo valodi,
Shents kho khar magat khnisao
/Shents movale khar jarisa, k’anonis danakhvisao/
Aghmasrulebeli gadzebs, damjdara k’alos p’irsao
Uts’qeba moet’ania, k’itkhulobs dzidzishvilsao
Shapat mivighe uts’qeba, k’viras viqavi mzatao
Vemshvidobebi mshoblebsa, deda deidashvilsao
Da tan milotsavdnen gzebsa, ts’esia mshoblebisao
Chavskhedit mat’arebelshi tbilisshi,
Saatis tetrmet’isao
/Daidzra mat’arebeli, khma ismis borblebisao/
Tskhra dghe da ghame viaret, dziri ak khmeletisao
/Magram gamochnda k’risheb,
K’rishebi dzerzhivsk’isao/
Saatit dagvadzineben, ts’utit zomaven dzilsao
Rotsa ro ova is ts’uti, danishnul uprosisao
/Dezhurni sts’rapata qviris, p’adiom adgomisao/
Translation:
Soldier's Joke Song
Hey, you Javakhetian,1 you insatiable sleeper!
The donkeys were dispersed by wolves,
With an accordion and a flute
K’oba pursued them with his barrel gun
Three times in a row he shot,
His gun thundering a lament
A child sacrificed himself
His mother returned, moaning
He is badly wounded, he can’t even make it inside
He needs doctors' hands,
He needs treatment at home
He died tragically, sacrificing his life to the army…
But he argues with master Guram
That he got him in trouble
His entire work and labor, wasted away
I'll tell you a story
That happened fifty-six years:
They called us in, 19-20-year-old boys
You, Valodi Dzidzishvili
You are of that age
And you must go to soldier on, to obey rules
The commander is waiting for you,
At the top of the hill
He’s brought some notes
And inquires about you
I received the note from the army Saturday
And by Sunday I was ready
I bid my parents and relatives goodbye
And they blessed me on my way
We got on the train in Tbilisi
At eleven o’clock
The sound of the wheels started
We travelled for nine days and nights
Until the roofs of Dzerjivski2 appeared
We hardly rested, measuring sleep by the minute
When the time came someone shouted loudly
''Hurry up, get up!''
1Someone from Javakheti, a region in southwest Georgia.
2Dzerzhinsk is a city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, 500 kilometers east of Moscow.
A medley of two joke songs. The first, Shota Khutsishvili, is about the state of the economy. The second, Givia Galegashvili, is about the director of Valoda's collective during communist times.
Shota Khutsishvili Shairi
(scroll down for English translation)
Chvensa meurneobashi reebi ar khdeba
/Laliashvilma svanidzes Shaapurtkha zeda/
Daerivnen ertmanetsa, da uk’urtkhei deda
Asiatas manetshia, mouvidat k’ont’ra
Veghar gaqves levi puli, chkhubi masze mokhda
Tavs martlulobs karseladze, rogorts direkt’ori
Asiatas manetshia, uts’eria kheli
Didi khnis gamotsdilia, st’azhiani mgeli
Eset meurneobasa, modi gaudzeli
Aset khazeinobasa, modi gaudzeli
Agharaperi aghar darcha, chventan shauch’meli
Qvelaperi gadach’ames, tskhvari, dzrokha, ghori
Martalia es ambavi da ar aris ch’ori
Raionis gverdshi aris, da ar aris ch’ori
Aba chventan gamogzavnet ertkhel revizori
Tu khutsishvil gamaigzavnit,
Aghar gvinda araperi
Male masts’vavs mag sakmesa
Bich’i ari arghuneli
Givi Galegashvili Shairi
Shenze leksi daits’era
Galegashvilo Givia
Ghame ro t’k’bilad gedzina
Rad gaimts’are dzilia
Direkt’orad rom gakhveli
Tavs moikhvie ch’iria
Shen direk’torad ver sheedzleb
K’atsi qopilkhar rbilia
Ak aseti k’atsi gvinda
Shromashi gamotsdilia
Sul qvela mglad gadaiktsnen
Permebshi akvt qvav-qornebi
Ginda vtkvat brigaderebze
Gaumadzghari ghorebi
Dach’ames mteli mindvrebi
Tivit nakebi gorebi
/Da dghes mshivrebi bghavian
Meurneobis ghorebi/
+++
Didni gogo, didni gogo
Didni gogo, Lamara
/Mena sheni qurebisgan
Uk’ve gavkhvdi avara/
Translation:
Shota Khutsishvili Joke Song
''What is not happening in our economy?''
Laliashvili spat to Svanidze1
They began to fight and insult one another
They had 100,000 rubles2 contraband
They couldn’t split the money and a fight started because of it
Like a director, Karseladze tries to justify it
''100,000 rubles,'' he wrote by hand
He is experienced, the long-standing wolf
Such an economy - Come, endure it!
Such leadership - Come, endure it!
There is no longer anything left for us to eat
They’ve eaten everything –
The sheep, the cow, the horse
This is a true story, it’s not gossip
This place is adjacent to the township, it’s not gossip
Well, please just this once send us an inspector
If you send Khutsishvili
We will no longer want anything
He will manage this work in no time
He is from Arghuni3
1Laliashvili, Svanidze, Karseladze: Dzidzishvili is most likely referring to locals here, by their last name.
2Russian currency, used in Georgia during the Soviet Union. The Georgian lari replaced the ruble in 1993, but older generations of Georgians sometimes still refer to money in rubles.
3A village next to Kerena, where Valoda Dzidzishvili lives.
Givi Galegashvili1 Joke Song
The poem is written about you
Givi Galegashvili
What embittered you
At night, when you slept so sweetly?
When you were set up as a director
You got yourself into big trouble
You can’t be a director
You are a soft man
We want the kind of man in this position
Who has experience working
Everyone becomes a wolf
They have ravens in their farms, their cornfields
The party leaders are insatiable pigs
They have consumed everything,
Even hills praised for their haystacks
And nowadays they shout, hungry
The pigs of our economy
+++
Melt girl, melt girl
Melt girl, Lamara
Just in contemplation of you
I have become good-for-nothing
1The director of Valoda's collective during communist times.
This is a satirical joke song. In taking the perspective of a field of barley, it tells the story of when in the Soviet Union it was publicized that the local economies were flourishing when in fact people were starving.
Dushetis Meurnobis Keri Schivili
(scroll down for English translation)
Ai ras schivis kerio
Rom shaitsvala perio
Ar gindodit rad damteset
Rodis geubnebodit
Isev is dghe damidgeba
Rats sharshan mishvrebodit
K’ombaini ara gkondat
Daimaze stsdebodit
/Musham tselebit gamtiba
Ertmanetshi vkhvdebodit/
/Tkven k’i tsetskhli momik’idet
Dakhe rasa shvrebodit/
Chemi tsodvit kva its’veba
Tsashi sts’vdeba alia
/Ras michadit direktsia
Es khom tkveni bralia/
Gadambuget gaikharet
Mash dauk’art daira
/Tavis khelit tsetskhls mik’idebs
Tedua da zaira/
Isev brigadelad ari
Chveni gogo zaira
/Isev dats’vas velodebi
Tu dauk’res daira/
Mekhanik’a tavs martlulobs
K’okht’a bich’i rauli
Gana pikrobs im ambebsa
Ro akv danashauli
Tsot’a puli ushovnia
Erti ori shauri
Ek’onomist’i ras it’qvis
Aslamazi lena
Tavis sakme k’arka maiqav
Ts’qnarad aris mela
Sts’ore p’asukh k’i ar gagtsems
Aslamazi lena
/Tu ch’k’uashi ar daujdeba
tsera titis bghvera/
Chveni k’ant’oris mushebi
K’oniak’sa svaven
/Tu revizori mivida
Rbil sk’amze daisvamen/
Vin miuvat revizori
Khutsishvili Shota
/Imas upro magra uqvars
K’oniak’is botla/
Sad ts’avide aghar vitsi
Vnakho samartalia
P’rop’k’avshirebshi shaveli
Shavabrale tavia
P’rop’k’avshiris tavmjdomares
Mots’qalebit shavkhede
Imanats k’i damat’ia
Erti amas shaikhede
She okhero gagvetsale
Gagvits’qale guli
Ekhla keri vighas gvinda
Qvelasa gvak guli
/Isev ise mindorshi var
Damts’var dadaguli/
Veghar get’qvit rat’om aris
Aghara mak gageba
/Tesamen da aghar undat
Boloi chemi agheba/
Vegharaper veghar get’qvit
Gamipuch’da guneba
/Kaghaldebze its’reba
Gegmebis shesruleba/
Amas vchivi kerio
Rom mamividees mt’erio
Translation:
The Barley
Oh, how the barley complains
When it changes color:
If you didn’t want me,
Then why did you plant me?
I will witness the same
As what you did to me last year:
You didn’t have a combine
And you were experimenting so much that
The worker cut me with a haying scythe
When we came into contact
And you made a fire on me
Look at what you did --
By my sin, a rock will burn
The flame reaches the sky
What were you thinking, committee?
This is your fault!
You burnt me and then you were happy
You played the tambourine
With your own hands you set me on fire
Tedua and Zaira
She is again a cadre
Our girl – Zaira
I am waiting for the sound of the tambourine
Or to be burned again
The mechanic justifies himself
A handsome guy, Raul
He doesn’t think, regarding this story
That he is at fault
He has earned a little money
One or two Shaur1
What does the economist,
Beautiful Lena, say?
She took care of her business well
And she is calm, that fox
She never gives correct answers
Beautiful Lena
Our office workers
Are drinking cognac
If the inspector visits
They offer him a soft chair
Who could the inspector be?
Shota Khutsishvili?
More than all of the workers
He loves the cognac bottle
I no longer know where I can go
To seek justice
I visited the trade union
And ingratiated myself
I looked at the head of union
With kind eyes
He, too, ignored me
Just look at him!
You bastard, get away from us
Don’t eat our hearts
''Now, why do we need barley?
When we all have money!''
I am again in the field
Miserly, worried to death
I can no longer tell you why it is -
I no longer have reason:
They sew my fields and then don’t want me
At the end, no one takes me
I can no longer tell you anything
I have lost all reason
In the papers they are writing about
The fulfillment of all of these plans
I, the barley, complain of this --
That I have such enemies
1Russian monetary unit used during the Soviet Union a 5-kopeck coin, equal to one-hundredth of a ruble.
This joke song tells of the trouble Pet’a gets into when he steals lambs from a shepherd travelling with his flock.
Pet'a Lagazashvili Shairi
(scroll down for English translation)
Leksis simartleze gadis
Gind shekhvdes kva da rk’ini
Lagazashvilma p’et’ama
Ra sakme chaidina
Lagazashvilma p’et’ama
Ra sakme chaidina
Tskhvars mouqveba gzazeda
Moakvs mts’qemsebis bina
Morek’eba mankanas
Moechkareba shina
K’arka ujerebs mankanas
St’art’el t’ormuze p’edali
Ipikra bat’k’neb davhqidi
Jibei davart’qa mendali
Narimanidze nik’osa
K’ombali udev mkharzeda
Shekhede tavi bat’k’nebsa
Nakha skhvis mankanazeda
Sad migqav chemi bat’k’ani
An kho ar shastsdi ch’k’uazeda
Viqide chvena mit’ua
Rom movdiodit gzazeda
Narimanidze mit’ua
Shaukht’a mankanazeda
Tu iqide vit me vitsi
Ekhla mogiqvan ch’k’uazeda
Male aghmochnda mankana
Qazbegis shesavalezda
Mivida da gaacheres
Zed militsis k’arzeda
Lagazshvil P’et’ar
Ekhla get’ira dedao
Aghar gich’irsa mankanas
St’art’el t’ormuzi p’edali
Militsiashi aghmachnda
Gasrulda jibis mendali
Translation:
P'et'a Lagazashvili Joke Song
The poem is about the truth
Even if it meets stone or iron
Pet’a Lagazashvili --
The things that he did!
He follows the sheep on the road
That are heading towards the shepherd's hut
Then drives off in his car
Speeding towards home
He starts the engine well
He knows how to brake, too
He was thinking of selling the lambs
And filling up his pockets
Nik’o Narimanidze
A shepherd’s staff in his hand
Saw that his own lambs
Were in another’s car
''Where are you taking my lambs?
Are you out of your mind?''
''We bought them,'' Pet’a said
''When we were coming down the road''
Narimanidze jumped on his car
''I would have known
If you bought these lambs
Now you will come to reason,''
Narimanidze said
Soon a car appeared on the Qazbegi read
He went and stopped the car
Which happened to be the border police
P’et’a Lagazashvili -
Now you are f 'ed
You will no longer use
Your car’s starter or brakes
You will be taken by the police
And your pocket-filling dreams are over
A joke song about a local woman named Sopik’o, who tires of her husband and seeks the companionship of other local men. Valoda warns us that this song contains profane content.
T'onchalebze Shairi
(scroll down for English translation)
Sopik’o var rik’oteli mshvenieri kali
/T’onchashia gamovtkhovdi, gavkhdi imat rdzali/
Aba ra vkna nu mamt’quvnebt, ar mivarga kmari
Rots davts’vebit ertada dzaan mdzinara ari
Lagashvili Archili sadzageli ari
Turma imas meets’ona chemi t’urpa tavi
Gamitsina gavutsine da chemik’ra tvali
Iman mashin isargebla uari ver vutkhari
Avde gulshi chavik’ari shemaqvara tavi
Imis tsolma rom gaigo, tavs deetsa zari
Chemi kmari dgheis shemdeg ch’k’uaze veghar ari
Sopik’oze gamatsvala khalkhshi mamch’ra tavi
Sopik’oze gadamtsvala khalkhshi mamch’ra tavi
Aba ras izam etero, ts’esi ise ari
Adek da shents imi kmar ts’aiqe
Is sai mk’atsri ari
Modi egre gagamkhnevos rogorts sk’olis zari
Sul dagavits’qos achik’o misi khmeli t’ani
Vanushasats gaugia kherk’eladze ari
Ert dghes moida da mitkhra avat mqav kali
Bevr ramesa mp’irdeboda shamaqvara tavi
Avdeki da shaviqvare uari ver vutkhari
Imi tsolmats rom gaigo tav detsa zari
Mezobelshi gamuarda arghuneli kali
Chemi vano dghei shemdeg ch’ku’aze veghar ari
Sopik’oze mets gamtsvala khalkhi momch’ra tavi
Guarmi bost’nis kharsai gav shavgvremani ari
Ert dghes moida da mitkhra avata mqav kali
Shamanana shamabrala garujuli tavi
Avdekisa shaviqvare uari ver vutkhari
Dedak’atsi mouts’amle dghesats avat ari
Guramats gadareula janze veghar ari
Ghvtisua shamamebghat’a lagazaanti
Rogorts msunagi k’at’a
/Ise miqvarkhar sopik’o
Rogorts ro mts’ipe p’ant’a/
Gadmovida sisauri rogorts ch’uk’is indauri
Rigshi dadga sisauri rogorts ch’uk’is indauri
Es k’ok’oashvili archili permi gamge ari
P’et’as mankanit movida, ghvinit mtvrali ari
Sopo k’orma mogit’ane, k’arka blomat ari
Genatsvale met’ad miqvars sheni t’urpa tavi
Tu giqvardit chemo archil, rat’o ar mitkhari
Shaip’at’izha sakhlshia da miartva sk’ami
P’et’a garet elodeba, naghvliani ari
Translation:
The People of T’oncha Village1
My name is Sopik’o Rik’oteli, I am a beautiful lady
I married into T’oncha,
I became their daughter-in-law
What can I do? Don’t lie to me --
My husband is rotten!
When we lay down in bed together,
He is always very sleepy
Archil Lagashvili, he is naughty
Apparently he liked my pretty figure
He smiled at me, I smiled at him, and he winked
Then he took advantage of me --
I couldn’t refuse him
I hugged him with my heart and loved him
But when his wife heard about it, she panicked
From that day on, my husband lost it
He left me in front of everyone.
''He abandoned me, he cut me off
What can you do my friend, it is the rule --
You should stand up and leave your husband, too
For he is very strict.
Go find another who will encourage you like a school bell
Who make you forget all about your man
And his slim body.''
Well Vano Kherkheladze heard that, too
One day he came and told me that his wife was ill
He promised me so many things
That I went and loved him, too -- I couldn’t refuse him
When his wife heard about it, she too panicked
She came from her village Arghuna2
To our neighborhood and said:
''My Vano has lost his senses
He's exchanged me for Sopik’o - He deserted me''
Guram is like a bull in a garden,
He has a dark complexion
He too came and told me that his wife was ill
I had pity on him and his tan face
So I went and loved him, too -- I couldn’t refuse him
I poisoned his wife, she is ill still today
Guram is crazy, too. He is no longer healthy.
Ghvtiso Lagazaan came to me
Like a gluttonous cat
‘'I love you so much, Sopik’o,
Like a ripe pear''
Sisauri came over too, like a baby turkey
Sisauri was standing in line
Archil K’ok’ashvili is the farm owner
He came to me in Peta’s car, drunk on wine
''Sopo, I brought you grain, the car is full
My dear, I love your pretty face
More than any other.''
''If you love me, my Archil,'' I said,
''Why haven't you told me yet?''
Sopo invited him home and offered him a chair
Pet’a waited outside, in sorrow.
1A nearby village to Kerana, where Valoda lives.
2A nearby village to Kerana, where Valoda lives.
A medley of two joke songs. The first, Gogo Shavtvala, Valoda learned from his ancestors. It is about a man courting a woman, insisting that if she tells her mother they want to get married, he will buy things for her family members. The second, Shirakis Maria, is a joke song about a fight between a farmer and locusts.
Gogo Shavtvala Shairi
(scroll down for English translation)
/Gogo gogo shavtvala
Bich’ma shamogitvala/
Ese rat’om mats’valeb
An ho mitkhar an ara
Utkhar gogo dedashensa
Nu gvalodebs ertmanetsa
Shen k’okht’a t’upleb giqidi
Dedashen k’i k’aloshebsa
Im mamashensa mokhutssa
Much’it mivtsem manetebsa
Shirakis Maria Shairi
Shirakshi erti kalia
Mteli shirakis tvalia
Tu k’argad ginda gaigo
Sakheli hkvia maria
Ris bechaobit davzarde
Ati tormet’i varia
Isats dzeram damich’ama
Davrchi kheltsarielia
Avdek da gutanze mivghe
Shavobi erti kharia
Mteli dghe imas mounden
Mamikhnes ati k’valia
Avdek da qana davtese
Su amosula mkhalia
Ts’avedi sanakhavata
Nu dakhvevia k’alia
Gadavkht’i mezobli baghshi
Movadzre didi saria
Gadukht’i k’aliebsa
Vidzakhdi ganigania
Erti k’alia vikveshe
T’ik’ivit vach’anch’qaria
Dablidan mekhvets’eboda
/Gamishvi genatsvalea/
Ar ari chemi bralia
Gavushvi da momadzakha
Shen agidzaghldes mk’vdaria
Dedas git’ireb k’alia
Tu sadme mogasts’aria
Translation:
Black-eyed Girl
Girl, girl with the black eyes
I sent you a message
Why do you torture me?
Tell me yes or no!
Tell your mother, girl
Don’t make us wait so long
I will buy you beautiful shoes
And boots for your mother
Your father is old
I will give him a handful of rubles1
1Russian currency, used in Georgia during the Soviet Union
Shiraki1 Maria Joke Song
There is one woman in the Shiraki1
She is the pearl of the whole valley
And since you want to know more,
Here is Maria's story.......
''I pitifully raised
Ten or twelve hens
A black kite ate them all
And I was left with nothing
Then I tried the plough
I had one ox
It took him the whole day
To plough ten tracks
Then I planted corn
And herbs came up
I went to look at the field
And it was full of locusts
I jumped into my neighbor's garden
Lowered the fence and
Told the locusts to jump over
Saying, ''Go go go go''
I caught one locust
I played with it like wineskin
It begged me from below
''Please let me go -
It is not my fault''
I let it go but it turned around and shouted:
''You look like a dead dog!''
I said, ''I will F your mother, you locust
If I catch you again!''
1The Shiraki in southeastern Georgia is an arid valley close to the border of Azerbaijan, where many shepherds take them sheep to graze in the winter.