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Σελίμ
Our boat is rigged, elessa-yialessa,
and goes to cast nets, elessa-yialessa.
Elli, yiamoli, yiassa, issa, ho!
Vre haide, vre houide, tsalapalatsingo!
We cast our nets at Kerassia,* elessa-yialessa,
and drew three thousand, elessa-yialessa.
We took them to Marmara, elessa-yialessa,
and we made money, elessa-yialessa.
Translated by Mania Seferiades
*Kerassia: village on the Thracian coast, opposite the island of Marmara
Αρμάτωσ’ η σαντάλα1 μας, έλεσα για λέσα,
και πάει να βολάξει,2 έλεσα για λέσα,
έλι γιαμόλι γιάσα,
ίσα χωωω.
Βρε χάιντε, βρε χούιντε, τσαλαπαλατσίνκο,3
βρε χάιντε, βρε χούιντε, τσαλαπαλατσίνκο.
Στην Κερασιά4 βολάξαμε, έλεσα για λέσα,
βγάλαμε κολιαρούδια, έλεσα για λέσα.
Στην Κερασιά βολάξαμε, έλεσα για λέσα,
βγάλαμε τρεις χιλιάδες, έλεσα για λέσα.
Τα πήγαμε στο Μαρμαρά, έλεσα για λέσα,
και πιάσαμε παράδες, έλεσα για λέσα.
1σαντάλα: μεγάλο ψαράδικο σκαρί της Προποντίδας μ’ εφτά σειρές κουπιά
2να βολάξει: να καλάρει, να ρίξει τα δίχτυα
3τσαλαπαλατσίνκο: επιφώνημα
4Κερασιά: χωριό της επαρχίας Γάνου και Χώρας, στη Θρακική ακτή, απέναντι από το νησί του Μαρμαρά (τουρκ. Kirazlı)
A song that fishermen used to sing when they returned from a good catch. The same tune is sung today (1984) at the wedding table, at celebrations and festivals with different couplets each time.
Studio recording (1984).
© Domna Samiou Archive
Based on Domna Samiou’s 1983 field recording of the song in Neos Marmaras, Chalkidiki, sung by a group. There, Antonis Marmarinos (born in 1912) and Nikolaos S. Lampadaridis (born in 1912), refugees from Maramara, spoke about the sandala-boat, the characteristic fishing boat of Marmara region, about the songs of the sandala and gave their own interpretation for the title of the song Selim.
Members of “Propontis” Cultural Association, Neos Marmaras, Chalkidiki, 1983
© Domna Samiou Archive
Katerina Papadopoulou told us that she taught the song to her French students in Marseille in 2018, and there she was informed that there exists a French traditional sea song with the same exclamation, hissé haut! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uh249iQyj0)
We find this exclamation “issa, ho” in another song recorded by Domna Samiou in 1977 in Nea Palatia, Oropos, where refugees from the Marmara islands also settled.
Marioritsa Kolimati, Efrosini Velitrati, Despina Mikropoulou, Eleni Prindizi, mrs Ioakim. Nea Palatia, Attica 1977
© Domna Samiou Archive
Choir
Informant (source of the song)
