As we have noted elsewhere on this web-site, a large part of na-mara’s ‘project’ in recent times has been the development of a repertoire that draws from the song and tune traditions of France, northern Spain and, more recently, Quebec, which we have sought, through translation, to make more available to English speaking audiences for whom much of the material may be new and unknown.
As we said in the introduction to our EP 'Only For Three Months', we do this in complete humility, with the simple aim of making these songs available to audiences who otherwise might never hear them. We do not intend this as any form of cultural colonialism. Indeed, we always seek to identify our sources and thoroughly recommend that the original artists, songs and tunes be followed up. In our view, there are some truly great talents working in these 'kissing cousin' traditions who deserve greater attention than appears to be the case in the British Isles today.
With respect to the process of translation, it has been an exciting challenge for me. I make no great claims - or indeed any claims - to being strong in languages. My approach is to get the best understanding I can of the meaning of the songs - with a much thumbed dictionary and reliance on French friends and others - and then, in truth, I build the song anew. Clearly, there is a need to stay as true to the story of the song as possible. However, sometimes the phrase just does not translate. Even if it does, you then have to try and make the rhyme work throughout the song and fix the words with the metre of the tune. This can result in having to vary or embellish or change in some other way the story in the song. The task is to do as little of this as possible.
Could there be some howlers in what I have already done? There could well be and, if so, I apologise in advance. However, my fervent hope is that listeners enjoy the songs as 'new' songs, give them merit for that, and don't get too hung up or 'sniffy' about the exactitude of the translation. And if, through doing this, others feel they can do a better job, then I am all for that - especially if it means that we get a fuller understanding of the songs of France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Sweden............
