8.4. “Rikāz rānda” / “Rich coast”

The poem “Rikāz rānda” was written by the well-known Livonian poet and community activist Kōrli Stalte (1870-1947). The poem is also the title and opening poem of Stalte’s Livonian-Latvian poetry collection of the same name, published in 2020.

It is sung by Kalā jeng in the accompanying video. Kalā jeng (“Fish’s Soul”) is a contemporary Livonian music group that performs music created in the style of Livonian poetic heritage.

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Vaņtligid, kui piedāg tikkiž
kūldatõd um kȭnka pǟl,
ammõ randõ pǟvaļikīs
nǟtõ kūldas pāistam sǟl.

Kajāgõn āt õbdizt tībõd,
samti am um kākuoļõn,
ōrõnd nei īž tõurõd lībõd
rāndadīban, sportistõn.

2x: Mis tēg minnõn kītõt kūldast,
õbdõst, mis um mōnallõ,
kīenta vȯtšõmõst um mūldast,
tulgid īņõz miernaigõ.

Ētagõd sīn pūol eņtš sīlma,
sīn, kus pǟva lūojõ lǟb;
kus siz vȯlks kil iļ mōīlma
neijen rikūzt, kui sǟl nǟb?

Sǟl nǟb neijen kuldõ lāistam,
kuijen tõvā mier īd um,
siegās valdõ õbdõ pāistam
lāinõd tutkāmis kui lum.

2x: Mis tēg minnõn kītõt kūldast …

Illõ ailõb purpur pīla,
allõ laint um dimanti.
Amā immõr rikāz vīļa
äbnimtõd ja ädsmingi.

Kädūd imlõs kubbõ pānda
tēg set võikst ja īdsõ sūs
kītõ sǟl: “Ūod rikāz, rānda,
seļļizt rikūzt äb ūo mūs”.