Heartland Harmony
Heartland Harmony
Sede Sedenkya is a song from Bulgaria's sedenkya tradition. A sedenkya is a 'working-bee', or a gathering in which young people get together and do as much handwork and mending as possible. In folklore, the sedenkya is a place of singing, dancing, and often involves rowdiness like gossip, flirtation, and courtship.
This is a popular song from the Shoppe region in northwest Bulgaria, and is one I learned from Pepe Koucheva while studying music in Bulgaria in 2019.
Unfortunately I don't have a source recording for this song, and the only version of this arrangement available online is this one by the Yale Women's Chorus. However, they do a good job of demonstrating authentic Balkan vocal technique and pronunciation so it's a good reference to use in place of a source recording.
Lyrics:
Tops:
Sede sedenkya shto sede
рa poide da se razturya, рa poide da se razturya.
Koi s brata, koi s pobratima
Sirota Zanka s nikoga,
Sirota Zanka s ni! iii!
Sirota Zanka s nikoga.
Eta go Gencha ot vrata
Pavati Zanku za ruku, Pavati Zanku za ruku.
Pavodi vodi ta doma,
Eteti male otmena, Eteti male ot! iiii!
Eteti male otmena!
Na tatu meka postelya
Na makya bela premena, Na makya bela premena
Na bratu voda studena,
Na mene bulka zasmena, Na mene bulka za! iiii!
Na mene bulka zasmena!
Middles:
(Sede sedenkya shto sede)
рa poide da se razturya,
рa poide da se razturya.
Koi spobratima, eeee…. s nikoga
Sirota Zanka s ni
Sirota Zanka s nikoga
(Eta go Gencha ot vrata)
Pavati Zanku za ruku
Pavati Zanku za ruku.
Pavodi doma, eeee….otmena
Eteti male ot
Eteti male otmena
(Na tatu meka postelya)
Na makya bela premena
Na makya bela premena
Na bratu voda, eeeee… zasmena
Na mene bulka za
Na mene bulka zasmena
Bass:
(Sede sedenkya shto sede
рa poide da se razturya,
рa poide da se razturya.)
Koi s pobratima
Sirota Zanka s nikoga
Eeeeee… s ni!
Sirota Zanka s nikoga!
(Eta go Gencha ot vrata
Pavati Zanku za ruku
Pavati Zanku za ruku.)
Pavodi doma,
Eteti male otmena
eeee…..ot!
Eteti male otmena.
(Na tatu meka postelya
Na makya bela premena
Na makya bela premena)
Na bratu voda,
Na mene bulka zasmena
Eeeeeeee…. za!
Na mene bulka zasmena!
Poetic Translation:
There was a working gathering
and then everyone went away
Some with a brother, some with a friend
but orphan Zanka had no one
Gencha stepped out of the door
and took Zanka's hand
He brought her to his home
here, mother, is your help.
She will make father's bed
and sew white clothes
She will give my brother cold water
and she will be my smiling bride.