Anne wrote to us looking for help with a Ukrainian kids song…
“I had some great aunts who were Ukrainian. Every single one of us had a specific song sung to us for years. Unfortunately, we never had them write it down. As I do not write or speak Ukrainian other than this song, I am trying to find out its meaning. I can only write it phonetically…
Yacya Boola Mala Mala
Coo le sala mini mama
Two calipshi two calupshi
Salvia Bay-lay double-la-hupshe
We all still sing it to our babies, yet none of us knows the actual words or what it means… any help would be appreciated.”
If anyone can help with this song please comment below or email me.
Thanks in advance!
Mama Lisa
This article was posted on Monday, March 12th, 2018 at 7:27 pm and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Ukraine, Ukrainian. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
3 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Ukrainian Song?”
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March 14th, 2018 at 12:18 am
It’s a popular folk song, “Як я була мала”. There are lots of different versions around, some are here:
http://www.pisni.org.ua/songs/2153910.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmWho-EXO3I
Rough translation (please note that I’m not a native speaker):
As I was young, young,
My mother was rocking me
Then in a cradle, then in a box,
Now boys love me.
As I was fifteen years old,
I was loved by twenty boys.
As I was twenty four,
I was loved by officers.
As I was a young woman,
Boys kissed my face.
And now I’m an old woman,
They don’t kiss, although I’d wish.
March 14th, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Thank you so much Aleksander and Lisa!!!
November 20th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
I also have a Ukraine song my mother would sing, but only know a few words phonetically
Ooye Joska Ooye Joska ..Okalonia
Does anyone know this?