Romani anthem

"Gelem, Gelem" is a song composed by Žarko Jovanović, often used as the anthem of the Romani people. The title has been adapted in many countries by local Roma to match their native orthography and spoken dialect of the Romani language.^[1] Some of the song's many titles include,

• "Gyelem, Gyelem" (Hungarian orthography),
• "Jelem, Jelem",
• "Dzelem, Dzelem",
• "Dželem, Dželem" (alternative Croatian and Latin Serbian and Bosnian orthography),
• "Đelem, Đelem" (Croatian and Latin Serbian and Bosnian orthography),
• "Djelem, Djelem" (German and French orthography),
• "Ђелем, Ђелем" (Cyrillic Serbian and Bosnian orthography),
• "Ѓелем, Ѓелем" (Slavic Macedonian orthography),
• "Џелем, Џелем" (alternative Cyrillic Serbian and Bosnian orthography),
• "Джелем, джелем" (Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian orthography),
• "Opré Roma" and
• "Romale Shavale".

In an interview with reporter Mike Kalezić, Jovanović himself titled the song "Opre Roma".^[2]

After experiencing firsthand the incarceration of Roma during the Porajmos (the Romani Holocaust of World War II), Jovanović later composed the lyrics of "Gelem, Gelem" and set them to a traditional melody in 1949. The song was first adopted by delegates of the first World Romani Congress held in 1971.^[3]

Lyrics

Alternate lyrics

There are many versions of "Gelem, Gelem", notably those translated by Ronald Lee.^[5]

References

Sources

• Patrin Web Journal - Gelem, Gelem: Roma Anthem

External links

• Kosovo Roma Oral History Project - Roma Culture: Music
• Loyko: Djelem
• Original song by "Opre Roma" Sung by Jarko Jovanovic
• more information on Roma
• Gelem Gelem in Italian language (by Roberto Malini and Alexian Santino Spinelli)