Savvas Tsestos Limnatitis re-discovers the magic of the Greek Carols, the Kalanda
It’s that time of the year again. The silly season. The season when we spoil our children with lavish gifts left under the Christmas Tree for them to open come Christmas Day. The day when we pretend everything is fine in our world. In the world in general. The day when no wars, no famines, no bombings of settlements exist. And if they do, they are in a land far far away from us. Away from the safety and the warmth of our household. And as long as our spoiled children are happy we are satisfied too.
Of course things weren’t always like that. There were times –not so far in the past- when presents where a distant consideration. The stuff that dreams were made of. But we still managed to have some fun, we still manage to enjoy the true spirit of the Christmas Season. And nothing was more fun than getting together with your friends and begin knocking on doors, with a triangle, a trigono as we referred it, singing our carols in the hope of a few change. And maybe some chocolates too! Usually melomakarona or kourabiethes. Or anything else the landlords decided to share with us. Simply put, we weren’t too fussy about the gifts –or kerasmata- we received.
What we sung was called the Kalanda, the carols, many of which have their roots in Byzantine times. It’s worth noting that while at a first glance kalanda from all over Greece appear first to be identical, in reality they vary greatly both in tune and lyrics; actually, each region sings a slightly different version of Carols, paying tribute to local habits and customs, often taking in the stride the local dialect.
Traditionally caroling takes place on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany Eve (January 5th). But I remember distinctively venturing out much earlier than that as each group of Kalanda singers was trying to outdo and outsmart the others by knocking on doors as early as possible. The reasons were obvious: before sweets run out and before wallets got empty. And – of course- before the patience of householders started to wear thin!
Carols in Ancient Times
Most people hold the belief that Kalanda was a rather recent invention that at best goes back to Byzantine days. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact the tradition harks back to much older times. To the Ancient Greeks to be precise.
Even the word itself has travelled down to us through the ages. According to the Music Library of Greece, this tradition of caroling goes back to Ancient Greece: Kalanda derives from the Latin calendae, which means the first day of the month. In Ancient Greece, there were various texts comparable to the contemporary Kalanda, which contained praises for the landlord and good wishes for the prosperity of the household. At that time, children sang carols while carrying boat models in honor of the God Dionyssos. Sometimes they carried branches of olive or laurel upon which they hung their tips and gratuities.
When Constantine the First ascended the Byzantine throne, he tried to find common points between Christian and pagan holidays, so that their substitution may be smooth. As a result, Christmas was placed on the 25th of December, substituting for the Day of the Invincible Sun or otherwise Mithra, which symbolized the increase of daylight. New Year’s Day was set for January 1, following the feast of the calends and Epiphany on January 6, the day on which the Birth of the God of Time was observed in Alexandria. (A subject Dan Brown touches on in his Da Vinci Code blockbuster).
From the second half of the 2nd century B.C. the beginning of the New Year was celebrated. According to a tradition, Rome was once rescued by three brothers, Kalandos, Nonnos and Eidos who undertook the feeding of its inhabitants. The first one undertook the first twelve days and was named Kalandas, the second undertook the following 10 days, which were called Nonnas and the third one the last eight days, which were named Eidous. Gradually, the two latter holidays were overshadowed by the first, which was retained as a major holiday in the Greek calendar. The other two were to be forgotten a long time before the onset of the Christian holidays. In the first years of Christianity, the Kalanda, (carols) were prompted by the need to narrate the meaning of the holidays and the traditions surrounding them.
Kalanda Today
Christmas signals the advent of 12 holidays also known as Dodecameron, which ends on Epiphany Day. On the eve of the most noted holidays such as Christmas, and Epiphany, children sing special carols for each holiday
The clutter of the trigono is unmistakable. The trilling, repetitive, almost percussive noise it makes is so distinctive that not only awakens your spirit and sets you on the path towards celebrating the Holy Days, but also remains with you for days to come. So what if the voices of the children are often out of tune and not in unison? So what if they bang their triangles each at his or hers beat, often wildly different to that of the song? At least they are having a go! At least they are still aware what Christmas actually means.
On Christmas Eve morning, the church bell begins its happy ringing, alerting everyone to the emerging birth of Jesus. Time for the chanting to begin. Time for the children to take on the streets and sing their traditional songs of wishing the landlord a long and prosperous life for him and his family.
Καλήν εσπέραν άρχοντες, – kalin esperan arhontes
αν είναι ορισμός σας,- an ine orismos sas,
Χριστού τη Θεία γέννηση, – Xristu ti thia yenisi
να πω στ’ αρχοντικό σας. – Na po st’ arhontiko sas
Χριστός γεννάται σήμερον, – Xristos yenate simeron
εν Βηθλεέμ τη πόλη,- en vithleem ti poli
οι ουρανοί αγάλλονται, – I urani aghalonte
χαίρεται η φύσις όλη.- Herete i fisis oli
Εν τω σπηλαίω τίκτεται, – en to spileo tiktete
εν φάτνη των αλόγων, – en fatni ton aloghon
ο βασιλεύς των ουρανών, – o vasilefs ton uranon
και ποιητής των όλων. – ke piitis ton olon
Πλήθος αγγέλων ψάλλουσι, – plithos angelon psalusi
το Δόξα εν υψίστοις,- to dhoksa en ipsistis
και τούτο άξιον εστί, – ke tuton aksion esti
η των ποιμένων πίστις. – I ton pimenon pistis
Εκ της Περσίας έρχονταιv – Ek tis persias erxonte
τρεις μάγοι με τα δώρα – tris mayi me ta dora
άστρο λαμπρό τους οδηγεί – Astro lambro tus odigi
χωρίς να λείψει ώρα. – Xorisnalipsiiora
Σ’ αυτό το σπίτι που ‘ρθαμε, – S’afto to spiti pou’pthame
πέτρα να μη ραγίσει – petra na mi ragisi
κι ο νοικοκύρης του σπιτιού – ki o nikokiris tu spitiu
χρόνια πολλά να ζήσει. – Xronia pola na zisi
English Translation
Good evening noblemen
If this is your will,
Christ’s holy birth
May I sing in your noble house
Christ is being born today
In the town of Bethlehem
Heavens rejoice
All of nature is happy.
Inside the cave (He) is being born
In a manger for horses
The King of all the universe
The Creator of everything.
A crowd of angels are singing,
“Ossana in excelsis”,
And holly is
The faith of the shepherds.
From Persia three magi arrive
With their gifts
A bright star shows them the way
Without any delay.
In this house we have come
May no stone ever crack
And the landlord
May live for many years.
The New Year’s Eve carols sing the passing from the Winter to the Spring equinox and the coming of Saint Basil of Caesaria (the Santa Claus in the Catholic church). New Year’s Day also signified the day when presents were given, as a homage to Saint Basil, a well-known philanthropist who used to leave presents outside the doors of the poor during the Christmas period.
Αρχιμηνιά κι αρχιχρονιά,- Ahriminia kai arhihronia
ψιλή μου δενδρολιβανιά,- psili mou dentrolivania
κι αρχή καλός μας χρόνος, – ki arhi kalow mas hronos
εκκλησιά με τ’ άγιο θρόνο. – ekklisia me t’ agio throno
Αρχή που βγήκε ο Χριστός,- Arhi pou vgike o Hristos
άγιος και πνευματικός – agios ke pnevmatikos
στη γη να περπατήσει – sti gin a perpatisi
και να μας καλοκαρδίσει. – ke na mas kalokardisi
‘Αγιος Βασίλης έρχεται- Agios Vasilis erhete
και όλους μας καταδέχεται- ke olous mas katathehete
από την Καισαρεία- apo tin Kesaria
σ’εισ’αρχόντισσα κυρία. – s’is’arhontisa kiria
Βαστάει εικόνα και χαρτί,- Vastai eikona kai harti
Ζαχαροκαντιοζύμωτη ; zaharokantiozimoti
χαρτί και καλαμάρι,- harti ke kalamari
δες και με το παληκάρι –des ke eme to palikari
English Translation
First of the month, first of the year
My fine rosemary,
The beginning of a good year
Church with the holy throne.
The day that Christ came
Holy and spiritual
To walk on earth
And fill our hearts with joy
Saint Basil is coming
Welcoming all of us
He’s coming from Caesarea
You are the chief my lady.
He wields image and paper,
zacharokantiozymoti
paper and pen,
Look at me too
On January 6th, Christmas celebrations finish with “Theofania” (Epiphany), the day when all waters are blessed. At that time, a cross is thrown into the water and the first to bring it back is supposed to have great luck for the year.
Epiphany is the third and last holiday of the Dodecameron, the day of Catharsis of Nature and purification of people’s souls. Epiphany was first established in the 2nd century A.D., in Egypt. It is not certain when it was adopted by the Eastern Christian Orthodox Church. It is well known, however, that in the 4th century, Christmas, Christ’s Baptism and the first miracle were all celebrated together in the town of Kana in Gallilee. During this period, Epiphany was gradually adopted as a holiday by the Western churches with Rome being the last.
It’s also worth noting that in older times children did not go around houses holding a piggy bag, but a little karavi, a sailing boat instead. This tradition is more pronounced in the islands where most men are soldiers and a lot of the families are ship owners. Let’s not forget that on the 6th of December we have the Holy Day of Saint Nicholas, the protector of all sailor. A day which incidentally in France at least signifies the giving of presents. Imagine my joy then when as a kid growing up in what was then Zaire – a Belgian colony with a big French influence- I would get two presents in the same month! Oh, those were the days indeed…
Last, in the Epiphany’s eve carolers sung the carols which praise the Baptize of Jesus. The first Christians stayed sleepless all night long holding lighted candles and waiting for the coming Illuminance. Thus stems the word Epiphany or else Fota which means illumination. Of course Fota also marked the day when the dreaded kalikantzaroi finally returned to the depths of the earth. more about that at a later posting.
P.S. Main photo is ‘Carols’ a painting by famed Greek artist Nikiforos Lyras (Greek: Νικηφόρος Λύτρας; 1832, Pyrgos, Tinos – June 13, 1904, Athens). Lyras was devoted to the school of Academic Realism and remained uninfluenced by Impressionism, he marked Greek art history in his own way.
The holidays of the Dodecameron
Καλήν εσπέραν (ή «καλήν ημέραν») άρχοντες,
κι αν είναι ορισμός σας,
Χριστού την θείαν Γέννησιν
να μπω στ’ αρχοντικό σας.
Χριστός γεννάται σήμερον
εν Βηθλεέμ τη πόλει,
οι ουρανοί αγάλλονται
χαίρετ’ η φύσις όλη.
Εν τω σπηλαίω τίκτεται
εν φάτνη των αλόγων
ο Βασιλεύς των ουρανών
και Ποιητής των όλων.
Christmas carols are sung all over the country and are distinguished by several regional versions such as carols from Aigina, Thrace, Crete, Samos, Cyprus, Cycladic islands, Byzantium and the carols of Pontos. With individual wordings and melodies, they offer their own viewpoint of Christ’s Birth, which is their central theme. Invariably Christmas carols praise the home, and the family with good wishes for the household and its prosperity.
The form elements of the Kalanta refer to those of folk songs both in music and lyrics. Their lyrics narrate the religious facts of the day (Chrismas, New Year’s and Epiphany) with a vocabulary both literary and popular.
Christmas carols narrate the facts surrounding the birth of Christ and the Homage of the Magi. The well-known text that is still sung nowadays is the following, with the first two or three stanzas being the most popular.
The form elements of the Kalanta refer to those of folk songs both in music and lyrics. Their lyrics narrate the religious facts of the day (Chrismas, New Year’s and Epiphany) with a vocabulary both literary and popular.
Christmas
As you would imagine, the themes of the kalanda sang just before Christmas Day revolve around the birth of Christ and the arrival of the Three Magoi, the Three Wise Men.
Christmas carols narrate the facts surrounding the birth of Christ and the Homage of the Magi. The well-known text that is still sung nowadays is the following, with the first two or three stanzas being the most popular.
Hellenic People.Org 