> Martin Carthy > Songs > Oskorri with Martin Carthy: Nafarroa

Nafarroa

[Anton Latxa, X. Amuriza; translation J. Foster]

Oskorri with Martin Carthy sang Nafarroa on their 25^th anniversary concert on 9 September 1996 at the Getxo Folk Festival. This recording was released on Oskorri’s 2CD set 25 Kantu Urte and in 2001 on the second CD of the compilation The Carthy Chronicles.

Lyrics

Oskorri with Martin Carthy sing Nafarroa

Bai Hotza eta ubela
heriozaren dolu gela.
Gurean dugu gaubela
gaua bezain egun goibela.
Ama kendu digute
jaiotzen ari ginela
gero diote gure
etxea ere ez dela.
Gurean dugu gaubela
gaua bezain egun goibela.

Gure kondairaren zama
haize arrotz batek darama.
Ez etxe eta ez ama!
Hustu dute gure izana.
Ai zer tristea etxe
ama kendu diotena!
Etxerik gabe ere
oi ama, zer itomena!
Ez etxe eta ez ama!
Husto dute gure izana.

Nafarroa, Nafarroa!
Gure etxeto abaroa
Arranoa, arranoa!
Amarik gabe nora hoa?
Aralartik Irati
haritza eta pagoa.
Bera ere bi zati
eta josirik ahoa.
Arranoa, Nafarroa!
Etxerik gabe nora hoa.

Translation

All is grey and cold as ice
In this mournful room of death,
Deep within we keep the vigil
Day is dark and drear as night.
In they came and stole our mother,
Just as we were being born,
Then they say
This house is not ours,
Days are dark
And still we mourn.

An intruding wind, how scheming
Came and took away our being,
We’ve no home and we’ve no mother
Our essence robbed, gone forever.
Sad the home with no mother
With no mother there to rule it,
Oh the pain, the shame’s bolder
For this home if we don’t own it.
We’ve no home and we’ve no mother
Our essence robbed, gone forever.

Oh Navarre, hear us, Navarre,
Our guardian of our way,
Hear us now, thou flying eagle,
We’re motherless, and can thou stray?
From Aralor down to Irati,
Both the oak tree and the beech
See she, too, has been divided,
Mouth sewn shut, she cannot speak.
Flying eagle, oh Navarre,
Without a home thou can’t get far.