Hedina Sijerčić
Hedina Sijerčić was born in 1960 in present-day Bosnia-Herzegovina. She is a graduate journalist and teacher. She organized and hosted Romani programs for the Radio-TV station in Sarajevo and worked as an activist for the International Romani Union. In Canada, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian-Romani newsletter, Romano Lil and is an accomplished writer with several publications including poetry to her credit. More details are available here.
The English-language translation follows the original text below.
Phuv
Romnije!
Pala mule thaj dzuvinde,
Pala e Roma,
Del armaja e phuvjache,
Te nashjares shimijake
Te nashjares dushmaja.
Romnije!
Pala mule thaj dzuvinde,
Pala e Roma,
Chuv teleshoreha e phuv
Thaj del armaja kale sudbinache
Te xoxajves bilache
Te xoxajves kali jrat.
Romnije!
Pala mule thaj dzuvinde,
Pala e Roma,
Del e phuvjache choxanipe thaj del cho mrtik pala o kamipe
Nek e jag na thuvljardel
Nek o dumutnipe na buhljarel.
Del o chohanipe, Romnije, del cho mrtik pal las
Voj si chiri, mrni thaj Devleski dej
PHUV.
The Earth
Romnije!*
Because of all the dead and all the living,
Because of all Roma,
Put a curse on the Earth
To destroy the rats
To destroy the enemy.
Romnije!
Because of all the dead and all the living,
Because of the Roma
Turn the Earth upside down
And predict black destiny
To distract the devil**
To distract the black night.
Romnije!
Because of all the dead and all the living,
Because of the Roma
Cast magic upon the Earth and predict love.
Predict a fire without smoke
Predict damnation with the end.
Cast a magic spell, Romnije, save her!
She is yours, she is mine, Mother of God
THE EARTH.
—
*Romnije! — Roma woman
**To distract the devil — evil forces