By Pekko Käppi.
This song is based on a version found in the SKVR-anthology. It was sung by a person called ‘Tarin akka’ (Tari’s Hag). You can’t find the exact version from there though, because over the years the song has altered in my mouth. The story-line is the same however. It ‘s a very strange song, because the Creator, God and Mari get mixed all the time. Oh yes, Mari is the Saint Mary. I really like the story: there’s an element of “living death” and this terrible feeling that there’s loads of people following right behind you, watching and commenting on what you are doing. But in the end no one has any idea of Mari’s mission. Also the aspect of a road and going down the road is always fascinating.
Mitä laulan, kuta laulan
Laulan luojan kuolemasta
Mariaisen kalmangasta
Syvä hauta kaivettihin
syvä hauta rautapohja
yhdeksän sylyn syvysseen
käsikyynär kymmenettä
Siihen se luojoi haudattihin
Mariainen kalmattihin
tinanauloil iskettihin
vaskinauloil valettihin
Niin se luojoi rukoelee
oi Jumala armollinen
paa sinä päivä paistamahan
kuu Jumalan loistamahan
Sulata pois kullaist naulata
vaskinaulat pois valele
laske luojoi juoksemahan
Mariainen pakenemaan
Nii nous luojoi paistamahan
kuu Jumalan koittamaha
Sulatti pois kullaist naulat
vaskinaulat pois valeli
Laski luojan juoksemahan
Mariaisen pakenemmaa
Mari juoksi tietä myöten
Marianen maata myöten
Mari juoksi tietä myöten
Marianen maata myöten
Sata santtia jälessä
tuhat muita tuttavia
Keko vastahan tulevi
Keko keko vastaan tulee
Kumartais se kekopuille
Anto kättä kekopuille
Pyhä rahvas ihmettelee
Mik ´on meijän Marialla
Mikä meijän Marialla
Mari juoksi tietä myöten
Marianen maata myöten
Sata santtia jälessä
tuhat muita tuttavia
Silta vastahan tulevi
Silta silta vastaan tulee
Kumartais se siltapuille
Anto kättä siltapuille
Pyhä rahvas ihmettelee
Mik ´on meijän Marialla
Mikä meijän Marialla
Kirkko vastahan tuleevi
Kirkko kirkko vastaan tulee
Kumartant’ ei kirkkopuille
Antant kättä ei alttarille
What do I sing, of whom am I singing?
I am singing about the Creator’s death
about the death of Mariainen
Deep grave was dug
Deep grave, iron bottom
to the depth of nine laps
to the depth of ten arm lengths
There the Creator was buried
Mariainen put to death
sealed with tin nails
sealed with iron nails
So the Creator is being prayed to
Oh, merciful Creator
Make the sun shine
And the God’s moon to shine
Melt away the Golden nails
Melt away the iron nails
Let the Creator run away
let Marianen run away
Mari was running the road
A hundred saints behind her
A thousand others behind her
A pile of wood comes across
She bows to the pile of wood
and gives her hand to the pile of wood
The holy crowd is puzzled
What’s up with our Mari?
A bridge comes across
She bows to the bridge
and gives her hand to the bridge
The holy crowd is puzzled
What’s up with our Mari?
A church comes across
She doesn’t bow to the church
and doesn’t give her hand to the altar
This song is based on a “schlager” made in the 1920s. The text was probably written by Wäinö Sola (it really sounds like a fake name or pseudonym, but he was an opera singer who lived from 1883 to 1961). Sorry again for my poor translation. I was deeply moved by this pseudo murder ballad mixed with winter scenes, sinister love, a snake and an axe etc. My version of this song is also changed somewhat from the original. I haven’t actually heard the song, but I found it from a songbook long time ago and it has stuck with me ever since.
Siperian lakeus on suuri
ja ikilumi peittää aavan maan
kuin hiien portaat siintää vuorten muuri
ei päivänsäde pääse tuikkimaan
Käy lumi tuvan ikkunoihin asti
mis tuvassansa vanki puvussaan
Mies kuumeisena huokaa kiihkoisasti
ja ääni värjyy yössä kumeaan
Oi Sonja Sonja
Mustaa silkkitukkaas
suudella minä unelmissain saan
Armas unhoita en saata kukkaa
Kaunehinta Volganmaan
Sun kerallasi onnellisna kuljin
Sua ylikaiken rakastin mä vain
En tiennyt että kärmeen syliin suljin
En tiennyt että toinen lempes saa
Kun teidät löysin kesken lemmen hurman
näin armaan kätes toista halaavan
Mä rintaansa löin kirveen annoin surman
Vaiti kannoin kahleet murhaajan
Oi Sonja, Sonja…
The expanse of Siberia is vast
and the snow is covering the whole earth
the mountains are like devils’ steps
the sun won’t be able to shine
The snow is reaching the cabin’s windows
Where the prisoner sits in his prison clothes
The man is sighing tensely in fever
and his voice is howling through the night
Oh Sonja, Sonja
Your black silken hair
I’ll get to kiss you in my dreams
My dear, I can’t forget the flower
Most beautiful in the Volga’s land
I walked happily by your side
I loved you more than anything
I didn’t know that I was embracing a serpent
I didn’t realize that another gets your love
When I found you in the middle of the ecstasy of love
I saw your arm hugging another man
I struck an axe to his chest, giving the death
and silently I wore the chains of a murderer
This song is based on a calendar that was found in the Old Hymnal. Actually I am not sure if “calendar” is a proper word, but it tells the yearly events from the creation of the world to the present day. The language is really poetic and the style is weird and blunt: “In the year 1588 plague did damage everywhere, in the year 1655 a shining star was seen in the sky, in the year 1675 the Great Satan tyrannised the people so that they were forced to burn him, in the year 1752 the King travelled from Porvoo to Turku and back to Stockholm.” Then there’s wars, more events to do with nature, good and bad things. Kind of something that’s going on today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pekko Käppi is a virtuose of Jouhikko – the ancient Finnish-Karelian bowed lyre. He has been involved in projects such as Sami Kukka, Jouhiorkesteri, Kiila, Lau Nau, Vilddas, Päivänsäde and Äijä. His music has often been described in underground romantic metaphors: “In his hands the rough sound of weaved horsehair strings are swaying between the foul and lovely – dirty and pure. The old songs of unwritten tradition, timeless and dark stories mediates in his mouth.”
He got involved with the Jouhikko in 1997 in the Ala-Könni Institute of Kaustinen. Ever since Pekko Käppi has been studying the Jouhikko tradition with the master players of Finland, Estonia and Sweden. He has been performing with different Jouhikkos in diverse ensembles, theatre productions etc. The debut recording, EP Kalastajia ja kaivostyöläisiä was released in 2001. The first full-length album Jos ken pahoin uneksii was released in 2007. His latest album Vuonna ’86 (Singing Knives / Helmi) was awarded the Finnish Folk Music Album of the Year 2010. At the moment Pekko Käppi is producing a series of recordings of historical Finnish folk music based on the field recordings of the legendary Finnish ethno-musicologist Erkki Ala-Könni.
