La Balanguera
Encyclopedia
La Balanguera is the national anthem
of the Balearic Islands
, Spain
.
The official anthem
is an adaptation of Joan Alcover i Maspons (1854-1926) poem based on an ancient and popular Majorcan children's song. The music is a work by the Catalan
composer Amadeu Vives and in November 1996 the Consell Insular de Mallorca made it the anthem for the Island.
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The official anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
is an adaptation of Joan Alcover i Maspons (1854-1926) poem based on an ancient and popular Majorcan children's song. The music is a work by the Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
composer Amadeu Vives and in November 1996 the Consell Insular de Mallorca made it the anthem for the Island.
Text and Translation
| La Balanguera (Catalan) La Balanguera misteriosa, com una aranya d'art subtil, buida que buida sa filosa, de nostra vida treu lo fil. Com una parca bé cavil·la teixint la tela per demà. La Balanguera fila, fila, la Balanguera filarà. |
La Balanguera (English) The mysterious Balanguera, as a subtle art spider, empties that it empties her distaff and takes out the thread of our lives. As a Parca well ponders weaving the cloth for tomorrow. The Balanguera spins, spins, the Balanguera will spin. |
| Girant l'ullada cap enrera guaita les ombres de l'avior, i de la nova primavera sap on s'amaga la llavor. Sap que la soca més s'enfila com més endins pot arrelar. La Balanguera fila, fila, la Balanguera filarà. |
Turning her glance to the past she guards the shades of ancestry and of the new spring she knows where the seed is hidden. She knows that the vine-stock climbs up higher the deeper its roots can go. The Balanguera spins, spins the Balanguera will spin. |
| De tradicions i d'esperances tix la senyera pel jovent com qui va un vel de noviances amb cabelleres d'or i argent de la infantesa qui s'enfila de la vellura qui se'n va. La Balanguera fila, fila, la Balanguera filarà |
From traditions and from hopes she weaves the flag for the youth as who prepares a wedding veil with hairs of gold and silver of the childhood that grews up of the old age who goes away. The Balanguera spins, spins, the Balanguera will spin |