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Archive for the 'Columbus Day' Category

Contents

The Conquerors – A French Poem about Columbus’ Voyage

Columbus Day and El Día de la Raza – The Day of Our Races

Spanish Columbus Day Poem

Columbus Day Poem – IN 1492, Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue

Posts

The Conquerors – A French Poem about Columbus’ Voyage

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

In my last blog post, I mentioned how Columbus’ voyage is not always seen in a positive light. Earlier in the week, I had posted two poems that were positive towards Columbus (one called In 1492, Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue and the other, a Spanish poem called To Christopher Columbus). Here’s one that is not so favourable. It was written by a Cuban-born French poet named José-Maria de Heredia (1842-1905).

Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français sent this poem to me. She learnt it in France in the 8th grade. Below you’ll find it in the original French, followed by an English translation done by Monique Palomares, Lisa Yannucci (yours truly) and Jason Pomerantz. Yes, this was a tough poem to translate! It took the three of us to finally come up with a version that was understandable, yet true to the original meaning. Hope you enjoy reading it (whatever your stand on Columbus is)…

Les conquérants
(French)

Comme un vol de gerfauts hors du charnier natal,
Fatigués de porter leurs misères hautaines,
De Palos de Moguer, routiers et capitaines
Partaient, ivres d’un rêve héroïque et brutal.

Ils allaient conquérir le fabuleux métal
Que Cipango* mûrit dans ses mines lointaines,
Et les vents alizés inclinaient leurs antennes
Aux bords mystérieux du monde Occidental.

Chaque soir, espérant des lendemains épiques,
L’azur phosphorescent de la mer des Tropiques
Enchantait leur sommeil d’un mirage doré ;

Ou penchés à l’avant des blanches caravelles,
Ils regardaient monter en un ciel ignoré
Du fond de l’Océan des étoiles nouvelles.

The Conquerors
(English Translation)

Like a flight of gyrfalcons*, from the charnel house of their native land,
Tired of bearing their haughty miseries,
From Palos to Moguer**, captains and mercenaries
Embarked, wild with a heroic and brutal dream.

They voyaged to conquer the famous metal***,
Produced by Japan**** in its distant mines,
As trade winds stretched their tentacles
Over the mysterious rim of the Western world.

Every night, as they hoped for epic tomorrows,
The phosphorescent blue sky of the Tropical sea
Enchanted their sleep with a golden mirage;

Leaning on the bows of the white caravels,
They gazed on new stars rising in an unknown sky,
From the far end of the Ocean.

*A “gyrfalcon” is the largest breed of falcons. They’re from the Artic region. This word (gerfauts) is used in French for poetic reasons (it sounds exotic). The average French person doesn’t know about gyrfalcons unless s/he’s an ornithologist or learned this poem at school.
**Palos is the port that Christopher Columbus departed from.
Moguer is a Spanish town that helped prepare for Columbus’ trip.
In the middle of the 16th century, some chroniclers who’d never been there thought Moguer and Palos were one only town while they’re actually two towns distant by 10km (about 6 miles). Other people didn’t check and used the name “Palos de Moguer” to mean the port Columbus departed from. This poem is an example of this confusion.
***Meaning ‘Gold’.
****In French it says “Cipango” (meaning the country of gold). It’s the first name Europeans gave to Japan. Japan was believed to have large amounts of gold.

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Posted in Columbus Day, Columbus Day Poems, Countries & Cultures, English, France, French, French Poems, Holiday Poems, Holidays Around the World, Languages, Poetry, USA | No Comments »

Columbus Day and El Día de la Raza – The Day of Our Races

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

In the United States Columbus Day is celebrated this month on the second Monday of October . It commemorates the landing of Columbus in the Bahamas on October 12th, 1492. It was the first lasting contact between the Europeans and the indigenous people of the American continents. (It wasn’t the first contact since Vikings are believed to have landed in Newfoundland in the 11th century – in what is now the East coast of Canada).

Though Spain paid for his voyage, Columbus is believed to have been born in Italy. Columbus Day was first celebrated by Italian immigrants in the United States. In 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt made it an official holiday.

Since then, many people in the US were taught as young children in school that Columbus’ voyage was a positive thing. We learnt about the ships he sailed with: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. It was the beginning of western civilization in this part of the world. We were basically taught that this was positive, since it’s what led to us living here.

Today there is some controversy that surrounds the holiday. There are many Native American Indian populations that don’t view Christopher Columbus’ voyage in a favorable light. The westerners brought disease and warfare to their people.

Many of the settlers from Spain intermarried with indigenous people who lived in the Americas. Today, many Hispanic people have a mixed heritage. That’s why they celebrate El Día de la Raza (The Day of Our Races), instead of Columbus Day. It’s a celebration of their indigenous roots.

In the 21th century, there’s no reason why a celebration of Columbus Day can’t include celebrations of the cultures that existed here before Christopher Columbus set foot in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492.

Here’s a link to some Mexican Songs for El Día de la Raza – in Spanish only.

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Posted in Columbus Day, Costa Rica, Countries & Cultures, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Día de la Raza – The Day of Our Races, Holidays Around the World, Mama Lisa, Mexico, Peru, Spain, USA | Comments Off

Spanish Columbus Day Poem

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

Here’s a Columbus Day poem in Spanish by Elena Gloria Ferral, followed by an English translation…

A Cristobal Colón
(Spanish)

Del puerto de Palos
partió Colón,
con tres carabelas
y un gran corazón.

Soñaba con tierras
lejanas tal vez,
adonde llevarles
su amor y su fe.

Un doce de octubre
a ellas llegó
y en nombre de España
tomó posesión.

To Christopher Columbus
(English Translation)

From Palos harbor
Columbus left
with three caravels
and a big heart.

He dreamed of
faraway lands perhaps,
where he could bring
his love and faith.

A 12th of October
he reached them,
and on behalf of Spain
he claimed them.

Many thanks to Monique Palomares from Mamá Lisa’s World en español for contributing this poem. Translated by Monique (with a little help from Mama Lisa).

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Posted in Columbus Day, Columbus Day Poems, Countries & Cultures, Holidays Around the World, Languages, Mexico, Poetry, Spain, Spanish, USA | 1 Comment »

Columbus Day Poem – IN 1492, Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

Columbus Day is coming up in the United States on October 13th. It celebrates when Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas on October 12th, 1492.

Here is the most popular Columbus Day poem in the US. It’s used to help teach the history of Columbus.

IN 1492

In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.

He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way.

A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go.

Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored.

Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.

Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.

October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew!

“Indians! Indians!” Columbus cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride.

But “India” the land was not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.

The Arakawa natives were very nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice.

Columbus sailed on to find some gold
To bring back home, as he’d been told.

He made the trip again and again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain.

The first American? No, not quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.

If you would like to share any Columbus Day songs or poems, please feel free to post them in the comments below!

Many thanks to Monique at Mama Lisa’s World en français for sending me this poem.

-Mama Lisa

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Posted in Children's Songs, Columbus Day, Countries & Cultures, English, Holiday Poems, Holidays Around the World, Languages, Poetry, USA | 15 Comments »

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