Asi biva, Ham Liachi, bar minán, asi biva yo con él, bar minán ! que me topes una novia, bar minan, que me seya a mi plazer, No me mires chiquitica, bar minán tengo años en cutí, bar minán ! boy de mi ya stan casadas, bar minán ! tienen hijos al charshí. Una hija bova tengo, bar minán me la llaman Tengeré, bar minán, cuando sale a la plaza, bar minán me la hacen kepazé. Mueva moda mos quitaron, bar minán, las hijikas de Stambol, bar minán Cuando salen a la calle, bar minán se les meneya el digidón.
So he lives, Ham Liachi, bar minan
so I live with him, bar minan!
Find me a bride, bar minan,
one that will please me. Don't see me as young, bar minan,
I've many years, bar minan!
Those my age are already married, bar minan,
and have children going to the market. I have a foolish daughter, bar minan,
They call her "Pot", bar minan,
when she goes to the square, bar minan,
they make fun of her. A new fashion was brought to us, bar minan,
by the girls from Istanbul, bar minan,
when they go out to the street, bar minan,
their little backsides shake.
From Morenika Izmirlia, 2021 A lyrical cantiga modeled after Turkish songs, composed of several loosely connected stanzas that touch on varied themes: a plea to a matchmaker for a suitable bride, a young woman’s impatience as others her age already have children old enough to go to market, playful teasing of a foolish daughter, and criticism of the immodest new fashions in women’s dress. The Aramaic phrase bar minan appears as a folkloric expression used to ward off misfortune.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025