Songs of Siberian Seto

The Swinging Song

Krestjanski koor: Anna Haavapuu (e), Maria Jeremejeva (k)

Hällü^q, aŕa hällü^q, kulĺa hällükene,
hällü^q, aŕa hällü^q, kulĺa hällükene.
Mine^q, aŕa mine^q teele, teegakõnõ.
Hällü^q, aŕa hällü^q kuivast korõgõhe,
hällü^q, aŕa hällü tahhest taivahe.
Uma aŕa kodo kulĺa lehe päällä.
Korgõst, aŕa korgõst näe umma kodo,
taivast, aŕa taivast näe vele tarõ.

A common Seto tradition was swinging after the Easter holidays. Swinging songs were sung to a specific swinging tune (hällüääl). The singer asks the swing to go higher up, to reach the sky, where she could see her home and her brother’s house.

ERA, DH 66 (19, 11) < Krestjanski k – Andreas Kalkun, Anu Korb 2007 < Anna Haavapuu, Maria Jeremejeva, Jekaterina Horovets, Veera Jeremejeva.