“Kur giria zaliuoja, ten mano namai. Kur Nemuns banguoja, tevynes krastai.”
Translation: Where the forest is becoming green, my home is there. Where the river Nemunas waves, there are the shores of my homeland.”
These are the beautiful words that are sung by every Lithuanian everywhere. We all know this song by heart, and no matter how many times we’ve listened, sang, or read these words, we can’t help but cry. This song is sung every year at the annual song festival held in Vilnius, where thousands of Lithuanians from all over the world gather in a field and sing our country’s most treasured hymns. My mother, my aunt, cousins, and many other relatives have gotten to sing in it. I never have, but hopefully I’ll be able to one day. When it is time to hear this song, the crowd goes silent and everybody in the field stands up. The director silences the choir of thousands and throws his hands up for them to begin. Lithuanians don’t need microphones, because our voices are always loud and heard. Beautiful harmonies and words are project from the arena. The soft delicate voices of the women combined with the billowing and strong voices of the men are enough to make anybody tear up . The women are dressed in traditional Lithuanian, with their hair in braids and flower headpieces. The men put their arms around each others shoulders in solidarity and belt those beloved words. It is a moment of complete unity. I will never get to know all the people in the field or the ones singing for us, but I will always feel as if they are family. No matter if you are a Lithuanian in Argentina, China, or Kenya, you are part of the family.
This song is about coming back to your country because it is the most beautiful place in the world. The place you or your family have grown up in will always remain there, no matter how far away you live from it. The Lithuanian earth and waters are loyal to you always, and will be waiting for your return. Nothing else in the world is quite like the place you come from.
Here’s a video at one of these song festivals where “Kur Giria Zaliuoja” Is being performed. Please take a look at it. Y’all won’t understand the words but it sounds very pretty, and you’ll get to see how seriously Lithuanians care about their country lol.
The way you write about your culture is beautiful! It really makes me want to travel to Lithuania and experience what the annual festival is like. I always find it really cool to learn about other cultures and traditions; they are so unique and interesting!
Wow, this sounds very authentic and beautiful. The song itself seems very special and I love the idea that the song is about coming to the beautiful place and I can relate to that with going home to Greece.
This is great! I am so in love with your culture the more and more I listen to it. I think that that’s such an amazing culture to be a apart of. I watched the video and I got the chills! The way that those singing had so much emotion and all I loved it. And how you guys have a festival specifically for moment like these. really cool.
That’s a beautiful description of the piece, meaning, and moment when people unite to sing it. It’s amazing how something so simple can hold so much symbolism and emotion. Even if you do not know it, you are clearly in tune with your culture, and that’s pretty amazing in itself.
Laba diena Julija,
As esu studentas pas Pennsylvania College of Technology kuris yra Penn State Affiliated. As dalyvauju pas musu One World (international culture) Club. As niekur negaliu surasti jusu kontakto informacija, bet as manau musu klubas labai noretu girdeti daugiau apie musu lietuviska kultura. As dainuojiau Kur Giria Zialiuoje su cikagos Dainavos chora, per simtmecio dainu svente, buvo nuostabus jausmas, suagiusi vyrai verke.
Ar jus gal galetute pasiusti man emaila? mvs6@pct.edu
Aciu,
Matas S.