Three nice videos: the first one has Givi dancing at his birthday party and since the tune he is dancing to is a modernized version of a traditional Cossack song, I added a second video with footage of the Russian military with a Russian-Chechen interpretation of the same song. The last video is the original Cossack version (which then repeats the “Russian-Chechen” version). Enjoy!
Saker Message:
I liked more the second one.
Nothing to do, but, this afternoon, in Donostia ( San Sebastián ), next to The Kursaal, I stumbled upon the agenda of the next Jazz Festival to be held next week on the surpassed setting of the beach La Zurriola. I was surprised by the name of the band playing on Saturday……
“Vineyard Byrds”:….Have you heard about them?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PfX-NCX6I
I take the opportunity to do some tourism promotion. San Sebastian is so beautiful this summer with most sunny days, which is very rare here. This year there are a lot of tourists. You can take surfing lessons in La Zurriola in several languages.
I hope you friends around here, anytime…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrTkJ56dQ50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55To_YFmdiU
Just returned from visiting Spain… love your country and people, Elsi…. and especially the food. Madrid and southern Spain fab… Barcelona full of pesky tourists (like me). Cheers
Thanks Elsi, for the Basque videos. The video of blues cover band called “Vineyard Byrds” was not bad either. Never thought of Santa Barbara as “wine country”, though. As a kid, I used to fish off the Channel Islands with the old man. They are 20-40 miles out to sea from the Santa Barbara/Oxnard coast in Cal.
Fantastic. Deeply touching. As a child I listened in awe to my father and other Cossacks singing this song in a land far from our roots. At times they wept as they sang. It is the essence of our fighting spirit and survival. No fascist will ever understand. It represents an invincible and immortal life force.
Many, many thanks, Saker. I needed a boost and reminder.
Givi dancing: It does the heart good to see him joyful. Any translation for the words to the song?
Translating language can be hard – old folk songs even more difficult. I remember from what my father and others said was that it is really a Cossack way of perhaps teasing or stirring up the Chechens. Teasing and making fun of an enemy is paramount to victory for it brings in humour and relaxes the tension. enabling a more balanced and focussed assault. It also upsets the enemy’s balance.
The words are ” Shamil (a great leader of the Chechens) is standing on a mountain prostrating himself before and praying to God for the sake of his people.” Also “Do not fear me, I won’t harm you, do not be concerned.” (I think that this means that “I could choose to hurt you any time, but for now I won’t” which is a way of pointing out my superiority AND my mercy, mercy always being an integral part of REAL warriors of any culture – a respect for the enemy – unlike the limitless savagery and psychopathic nature of fascists. Also “a Chechen bought a pig and mistook it for a girl” and “A Chechen lost his pants when trying to steal from a Russian girl.”
Chechens and Cossacks had fought for a long time (Muslims aagainst Orthodox Christians). Cossacks were the “special forces” of Russia. It really is quite sad as the Chechens were really fighting a losing war. Many words in the song are quite insulting.
What I am not really getting is how come both sides claiming Cossack (and Rus’) heritage manage to fight each other for such a long time.
‘ І покажем, що ми, браття, козацького роду’ is in Ukrainian hymn (-we are of Cossack heritage), There are recent Ukrainian films proudly presenting Cossack history. – But I do not think Bandera and Cossack lines are going to mix well
Cossack did not have a history of serious massive fights among themselves, as far as I know. Less so than princes and sovereigns of all sorts fighting each other (and maybe employing Cossack on opposing sides)
Oh, did not notice that was Givi´s birthday party.
Congratulations Givi! That you meet many years and I see that! ( as we say around here ).
Very beautiful video and version that of the Cossacks.
Well, Madonna, for your next make-over.. sing from the heart [provided you have one], live and with an inner passion [not the outward projected one], like these men do, instead of creeping over the backs of Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Rita Ora and Beyoncé .
Even if I don’t understand a single word of this song [and I don’t], it still tickles something deep inside of me and I wanna sing and dance alongside them [especially the lady with long black hair in video 1 :o].
Love it.
In the first video, obviously, these are Russian terrorists, taking a break from their campaign to conquer Europe, practicing some demonic Slavic ritual.
More seriously, the woman with very dark, long hair at 1:50 and 3:00 appears to be the woman married to Mototrola, I don’t remember her name.
@ BOT TAK,
Q; More seriously, the woman with very dark, long hair at 1:50 and 3:00 appears to be the woman married to Mototrola, I don’t remember her name.
R; In that case I’m way up sh** creek [see above comment].
Daniel Rich
I used to know some stagehands who set up a Madonna concert. They described her as extremely obnoxious and abusive and very unprofessional. A total classless, talentless harpy. Madonna is a very good example of what went wrong, and still is wrong, in the zionazified “west”.
@Bot Tak
That was one of the reasons why her second “British” husband asked for divorce
Long life to Givi, Happy Birthday to a patriot.
Such joyful people despite the horrors of war and hatred aimed at them.
Yes,I think today is Givi’s birthday.Happy Birthday hero! And many more,Slava Givi.
Happy birthday Givi and best wishes to all.
The Cossack strength and heart is beating strong … my father-in-law always danced like this, especially after a few vodkas.
and Porky says he will ‘reclaim Donbass’ by the end of the year. (haa haa)
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150719/1024815652.html
Here’s another video, different music, same Givi, different partner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftReDO1-4xU
Party animal.
I enjoyed the 2nd video, as well. Same song version, put to past tense usage?
Cossack sword art – Shashka (Adyghe: (Сашьхъуэ),Russian: (Шашка))
That was a take off off of AstraSacra’s original video, intermixed with other footage. The original:
Танец с шашками
Amazingly beautiful art and at the same time, can be helpful, you never know…
Now, it requires a bombproof elbow ;D
Cossacks are very brave, fearless, incredibly generous people. They would help to everyone, but if someone wants to hurt them, they will get the lesson never to forget.
Happy Birthday Givi, good health, long and happy life and keep your energy going
what day is Givi’s birthday ?
I think 7/19
Like the 3rd video, as well, with it’s mix of old and new photos.
2012.08.18 Остров Хортица. Запорожская Сечь.
A group of performance artists give a demo of the use of medieval weaponry, some, or all (?), of which would have been used by cossacks. The cannon at the beginning of the video is a replica of the first European handguns dating back to the 13-14th century. They cover a wide range of weaponry from swords to polearms to whips to bows in a often humourous manner. One doesn’t need to know Russian to get the gist of it.
Казачья шашка против японской катаны. http://www.voenvideo.ru
A comparison between the cossack шашка and western cavalry sabres and Japanese katana. Again, one doesn’t need to know Russian to understand the point being made.
Работа шашкой
Just for fun. ;D
That´s the spirit!
I loved to see the brave Givi taking a break in this way and all the beautiful woman!
I found it very strange that, in the second video, does not appear the Russian flag or any emblem that identifies the soldiers as Russians. Is there still some kind of sense of division in the armed forces in Chechnya?
Don Cossacks come to the aid of his brothers in the Donbas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiIpa42duMA
Elena Pavlova, Motorola’s Wife, is as tall as Givi, but no, that is not her in this video, so, it is time to take a trip to Donbass, Mr. Rich!!
The New Republics of Donbass and Lugansk need new blood. Motorola is performing his duty, having a new baby girl.
Should be time for Givi to help build up the population.
Everyone in that video should be thinking of reproduction at this time!!.
In a more serious note, the Bandera Western Ukraine has nothing to do with Cossack history, nor Cossack life. They are just trying to hijack the Cossack heritage.
While the Cossacks were fighting the Ottomans, for the glory of Russia, the Western Ukrainians, (Galichans) were serving the Polish-Lithuanians “Nobles”
I loved the three videos of the song. Shows how deeply the Cossack Russian heritage goes, how far back, uniting the oldest, original Russian identity with today. The energy is awesomely human. Something the United States has made a commitment to erase. No way, Jose!
Very moving. I salute the courage and the life of these patriots. Happy birthday commander!