Vila Velebita
Encyclopedia
Vila Velebita is a Croatia
n patriotic song. It originates from the second half of the 19th century, after the Illyrian movement
. Its earliest recorded public performance was in 1882 in Zagreb
, on the Croatian singing society "Kolo"'s twentieth anniversary party.
The first recording of the lyrics and the melody dates from 1893, when Vjekoslav Klaić
recorded it in the "Hrvatska pjesmarica" (lit. Croatian Songbook). He wrote down the first verse based on Vjenceslav Novak
's rendition of how the people of Senj
sang it. The original author remains unknown, but it was sometimes ascribed to the poets Danilo Medić or to Lavoslav Vukelić, while some sources claim the melody was written by the composer Mijo Majer.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n patriotic song. It originates from the second half of the 19th century, after the Illyrian movement
Illyrian movement
The Illyrian movement , also Croatian national revival , was a cultural and political campaign with roots in the early modern period, and revived by a group of young Croatian intellectuals during the first half of 19th century, around the years of 1835–1849...
. Its earliest recorded public performance was in 1882 in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, on the Croatian singing society "Kolo"'s twentieth anniversary party.
The first recording of the lyrics and the melody dates from 1893, when Vjekoslav Klaić
Vjekoslav Klaic
Vjekoslav Klaić was a Croatian historian and writer, most famous for his monumental History of the Croats.Klaić was born in Garčin near Slavonski Brod as the son of a teacher. He was raised in German spirit and language, since his mother was German. Klaić went to school in Varaždin and Zagreb...
recorded it in the "Hrvatska pjesmarica" (lit. Croatian Songbook). He wrote down the first verse based on Vjenceslav Novak
Vjenceslav Novak
Vjenceslav Novak was a Croatian Realist writer and dramatist.He was born into an emigrant Czech family, of which his mother was from an emigrant Bavarian family. He was the most successful Croatian realist writer and was known as the Croatian Balzac. He finished elementary and middle school in...
's rendition of how the people of Senj
Senj
Senj , German Zengg, Hungarian Zeng and Italian Segna) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3000 years ago on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala...
sang it. The original author remains unknown, but it was sometimes ascribed to the poets Danilo Medić or to Lavoslav Vukelić, while some sources claim the melody was written by the composer Mijo Majer.
Lyrics
| Croatian | English translation |
|---|---|
| Oj ti vilo, vilo Velebita, Ti našeg roda diko, Tvoja slava jeste nama sveta, Tebi Hrvat kliko:
Velebite, vilovito stijenje, Ja ljubim tvoje smilje. Ljubim tvoga u gorici vuka, Ličkoga hajduka.
|
Oh fairy, fairy of Velebit Velebit Velebit is the largest though not the highest mountain range in Croatia. Its highest peak is the Vaganski vrh at 1757 m.The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior... , The pride of our kin, Your glory is holy to us, A Croat exults to you:
Velebit, the rocks of fairies, I cherish your immortelle Immortelle Immortelle is another word for the plant everlasting and can also refer specifically to plants of the genera:* Helichrysum * Xeranthemum... . I cherish the mountain wolf, The hajduk Hajduk Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe.... of Lika Lika Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass... .
|
Sources
- Vladimir Jagarić: Dileme oko nastanka popijevke "Vila Velebita", Hrvatski planinar 84 (1992), p11-12