Famous Macedonia

## Μακεδονία ξακουστή

**Regional anthem of Macedonia, Greece**

"**Famous Macedonia**" is a Greek march song established as the regional anthem of Greek Macedonia. It has been used by the Hellenic Army since the Balkan Wars, and it can be heard on holidays and on national anniversaries. The origin of the song is uncertain, but it is likely based on a folk song.

The song is usually included in performances or informal presentations of Macedonian traditional dances in the region of Macedonia or beyond. While local communities in Greek Macedonia give it a central place in the local music and dance ensemble, it is not functionally tied to social life nor is used in circumstances related to the life cycle (e.g. marriages). From a musicological and kinesiological point of view, the melody does not correspond to the traditional local music, while its lyrics in terms of form do not correspond to the folk songs and in terms of content they reproduce exclusively the national ideology.

The original version of the lyrics, used especially during periods of nationalist upheaval, spoke of the "Bulgarians" who were expelled, emphasizing the national rivalry between the two and conveying pride in Greece's victories over Bulgaria. The term "Bulgarians" has been used derogatory for many decades by Slavic-speaking residents of Macedonia and consequently insultingly overall by northern Helladians, questioning their nationalism. The original version of the third verse is occasionally found in informal events and has been replaced by the less categorical and politically correct phrase "barbarians", which is now used almost exclusively and refers to a national ensemble not barbaric but civilized, which includes all the population categories of local residents and refugees.

## History

The exact origin of the song is uncertain. According to an ethnographic study conducted in the villages of Serres and Drama, this song was not known nor danced in certain places. Women from Ano Oreini and Petrousa attribute Greek lyrics and dance instruction to an anonymous teacher after World War II. Petrousan women claim that the melody of the song is an adaptation of their own local melody, which became "somewhere more central", and they dance a related melody with Slavic lyrics, similar to those of other local traditional dances.

In 1873, Musicologist Markos Dragoumis identified a cassette with Spanish-Hebrew songs of Thessaloniki, which included the melody of the song as a composition for the inauguration of the Schola de la Alianza, the first Jewish school in Thessaloniki. It was created for the inauguration of the Jewish school and then passed on to other peoples of the region or was originally created in the mid-19th century by a Western composer for the Ottoman sultan and then used from the Jewish communities.

After World War II, dance was included in the list of Greek national dances, taught in schools in many parts of Greece—including cities—and was associated with national anniversaries. There is no detailed information on how he became part of the training program. There is no mention of this in the Greek Dances of the dance teacher Charalambos Sakellariou, a 1940 book used by the Lyceum of Greek Women, the Gymnastics Academies and other bodies. In Greek national ideology, singing has become a symbol of local Greek Macedonian identity, praising a timeless Greek Macedonia, connecting modern Greek Macedonia with the kingdom of Alexander the Great. Since the time of Macedon, it has often been used as a raid on military parades throughout Greece. "Famous Macedonia" is sung on national anniversaries, mainly in Northern Greece, usually before Greek national anthem "Hýmnos is tin Eleftherían". There is also a mocking variation of the lyrics, not very well known, reminiscent of songs saved by Domna Samiou.

## Lyrics

### Current lyrics

#### Greek original

𝄆 Μακεδονία ξακουστή,
του Αλεξάνδρου η χώρα, 𝄇
𝄆 Που έδιωξες τον τύραννο
κι ελεύθερη είσαι τώρα! 𝄇

𝄆 Ήσουν και είσαι ελληνική,
Ελλήνων το καμάρι, 𝄇
𝄆 Κι εμείς θα σ'αντικρύζουμε,
περήφανα και πάλι! 𝄇

𝄆 Οι Μακεδόνες δε μπορούν
να ζούνε σκλαβωμένοι, 𝄇
𝄆 Όλα και αν τα χάσουνε
η λευτεριά τους μένει! 𝄇

𝄆 Macedonia xacusti,
tu Alexandru hi chora, 𝄇
𝄆 Pu edioxes ton tyranno
ci eleutheri isæ tora! 𝄇

𝄆 Isun cæ isæ hellinici,
Hellinon to camari, 𝄇
𝄆 Ci hemis tha s'anticryzume,
periphana cæ pali! 𝄇

𝄆 Hœ Macedones de borun
na zune sclavomenœ, 𝄇
𝄆 Hola cæ an ta chasune
hi leuteria tus meni! 𝄇

𝄆 Македония ксакусти,
ту Александру и хора, 𝄇
𝄆 Пу эдьоксес тон тиранно,
к’ элевтери ’се тора! 𝄇

𝄆 Исун ке исе эллиники,
Эллинон то камари, 𝄇
𝄆 К’ эмис та с’антикризуме,
перифана ке пали! 𝄇

𝄆 И Македонес де борун
на зуне склавомени, 𝄇
𝄆 Ола ке ан та хасуне
и левтерья тус мени! 𝄇

𝄆 [mɐ.ce̞.ðo̞.ˈɲi.ɐ k͡s̠ɐ.ku.ˈs̠ti]
[tu ɐ.le̞.ˈk͡s̠än̪.ðru‿i ˈxo̞.ɾɐ ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [pu ˈe̞.ðʝo̞.k͡s̠e̞s̠ to̞n ˈti.ɾɐ.no̞ ǀ]
[ce̞.ˈle̞f.θe̞.ɾi‿ˈi.s̠e̞ ˈto̞.ɾɐ ‖] 𝄇

𝄆 [ˈi.s̠uɲ ce̞ ˈi.s̠e̞‿e̞.li.ɲi.ˈci]
[e̞.ˈli.no̞n to̞ kɐ.ˈmä.ɾi ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [ce̞.ˈmis̠ θɐ s̠ɐ(n).di.ˈkri.z̠u.me̞ ǀ]
[pe̞.ˈɾi.fɐ.nɐ ce̞ ˈpä.li ‖] 𝄇

𝄆 [i mɐ.ce̞.ˈðo̞.ne̞z̠ ðe̞ bo̞.ˈɾun]
[nɐ ˈz̠u.ne̞ s̠klɐ.vo̞.ˈme̞.ɲi ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [ˈo̞.lɐ ce̞ ɐn tɐ ˈxä.s̠u.ne̞ ǀ]
[i le̞f.te̞ɾ.ˈʝä tuz̠ ˈme̞.ɲi ‖] 𝄇

#### English version

𝄆 O, Famous Macedonia,

land of Alexander. 𝄇

𝄆 Thou drovest away the tyrant,

now liberated thou art. 𝄇

𝄆 Thou wert and thou art Greek,

the pride of every Greek. 𝄇

𝄆 Thee we shall recognise

by thine honour glorious. 𝄇

𝄆 Let not the Macedonians

in slavery draw breath, 𝄇

𝄆 Even if they lose everything,

their liberty still reigneth! 𝄇

#### Macedonian translate

Позната Македонија, Александровата земја,
Каде што го истеравте тиранинот и сега сте слободни!

Ти беше и си Грк, гордоста на Грците,
И ние повторно ќе се соочиме со тебе, гордо!

Македонците не можат да живеат поробени,
Дури и да изгубат сè, нивната слобода останува!

Poznata Makedonija, Aleksandrovata zemja,
Kade shto go isteravte tiraninot i sega ste slobodni!

Ti beshe i si Gërk, gordosta na Gërcite,
I nie povtorno qe se sooçime so tebe, gordo!

Makedoncite ne mozhat da zhiveat porobeni,
Duri i da izgubat sè, nivnata sloboda ostanuva!

### Original lyrics

#### Greek original

𝄆 Μακεδονία ξακουστή,
του Αλεξάνδρου η χώρα, 𝄇
𝄆 Που έδιωξες τους Βάρβαρους
κι ελεύθερη είσαι τώρα! 𝄇

𝄆 Είσαι και θα ΄σαι ελληνική,
Ελλήνων το καμάρι, 𝄇
𝄆 Κι εμείς τα Ελληνόπουλα,
σου πλέκουμε στεφάνι! 𝄇

𝄆 Οι Μακεδόνες δε μπορούν
να ζούνε σκλαβωμένοι, 𝄇
𝄆 Όλα και αν τα χάσουνε
η λευτεριά τους μένει! 𝄇

𝄆 Μακεδονόπουλα μικρά
χορέψτε και χαρείτε, 𝄇
𝄆 Πρωτού κι εσείς στα βάσανα
του κόσμου τούτου μπείτε. 𝄇

𝄆 Macedonia xacusti,
tu Alexandru hi chora, 𝄇
𝄆 Pu edioxes tus Varvarus
ci eleutheri isæ tora! 𝄇

𝄆 Isæ cæ tha 'sæ hellinici,
Hellinon to camari, 𝄇
𝄆 Ci hemis ta Hellinopula,
su plecume stephani! 𝄇

𝄆 Hœ Macedones de borun
na zune sclavomenœ, 𝄇
𝄆 Hola cæ an ta chasune
hi leuteria tus meni! 𝄇

𝄆 Macedonopula micra
chorepste cæ charite, 𝄇
𝄆 Protu ci esis sta vasana
tu cosmu tutu bite. 𝄇

𝄆 Македония ксакусти,
ту Александру и хора, 𝄇
𝄆 Пу эдьоксес тус варварус,
к’ элевтери ’се тора! 𝄇

𝄆 Исе ке та ’се эллиники,
Эллинон то камари, 𝄇
𝄆 К’ эмис та Эллинопула,
су плекуме стефани! 𝄇

𝄆 И Македонес де борун
на зуне склавомени, 𝄇
𝄆 Ола ке ан та хасуне
и левтерья тус мени! 𝄇

𝄆 Македонопула микра
хорепсте ке харите, 𝄇
𝄆 Проту к’ эсис ста васана
ту косму туту бите. 𝄇

𝄆 [mɐ.ce̞.ðo̞.ˈɲi.ɐ k͡s̠ɐ.ku.ˈs̠ti]
[tu ɐ.le̞.ˈk͡s̠än̪.ðru‿i ˈxo̞.ɾɐ ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [pu ˈe̞.ðʝo̞.k͡s̠e̞s̠ tuz̠ ˈväɾ.vɐ.vus̠ ǀ]
[ce̞.ˈle̞f.θe̞.ɾi‿ˈi.s̠e̞ ˈto̞.ɾɐ ‖] 𝄇

𝄆 [ˈi.s̠e̞ ce̞ θɐ s̠e̞‿e̞.li.ɲi.ˈci]
[e̞.ˈli.no̞n to̞ kɐ.ˈmä.ɾi ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [ce̞.ˈmis̠ tɐ e̞.li.ˈno̞.pu.lɐ ǀ]
[s̠u ˈple̞.ku.me̞ s̠te̞.ˈfä.ɲi ‖] 𝄇

𝄆 [i mɐ.ce̞.ˈðo̞.ne̞z̠ ðe̞ bo̞.ˈɾun]
[nɐ ˈz̠u.me̞ s̠klɐ.vo̞.ˈme̞.ɲi ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [ˈo̞.lɐ ce̞ ɐn tɐ ˈxä.s̠u.ne̞ ǀ]
[i le̞f.te̞ɾ.ˈʝä tuz̠ ˈme̞.ɲi ‖] 𝄇

𝄆 [mɐ.ce̞.ðo̞.ˈno̞.pu.lɐ mi.ˈkrä]
[xo̞.ˈɾe̞p͡s̠.te̞ ce̞ xɐ.ˈɾi.te̞ ‖] 𝄇
𝄆 [pro̞.ˈtu ce̞.ˈs̠is̠ s̠tɐ ˈvä.s̠ɐ.nɐ ǀ]
[tu ˈko̞z̠.mu ˈtu.tu ˈbi.te̞ ‖] 𝄇

#### English version

𝄆 O, Famous Macedonia,

land of Alexander, 𝄇

𝄆 Thou drovest away the Barbarians,

now liberated thou art. 𝄇

𝄆 Thou art and thou shalt be Greek,

the pride of every Greek, 𝄇

𝄆 We sons and daugters of the Greek

knit a coronal for thee. 𝄇

𝄆 Let not the Macedonians

in slavery draw breath, 𝄇

𝄆 Even if they lose everything,

their liberty still reigneth! 𝄇

𝄆 Macedonians of young

let us dance and rejoice, 𝄇

𝄆 Before thou enterest

the hardships of this world. 𝄇

#### Macedonian translate

Позната Македонија, Александровата земја,
Каде што ги избркавте Варварите и сега сте слободни!

Ти си и ќе бидеш Грк, гордоста на Грците,
А ние Гркинките ти плетеме венец!

Македонците не можат да живеат поробени,
И да изгубат се, нивната слобода останува!

Мали македонски деца, играјте и радувајте се,
Прво и вие влезете во страдањата на овој свет.

Poznata Makedonija, Aleksandrovata zemja,
Kade shto gi izbërkavte Varvarite i sega ste slobodni!

Ti si i qe bidesh Gërk, gordosta na Gërcite,
A nie Gërkinkite ti pleteme venec!

Makedoncite ne mozhat da zhiveat porobeni,
I da izgubat se, nivnata sloboda ostanuva!

Mali makedonski deca, igrajte i raduvajte se,
Përvo i vie vlezete vo stradanjata na ovoj svet.

## References

1. ↑ Roudometof, V. (2002). *Collective Memory, National Identity and Ethnic Conflict: Greece, Bulgaria and the Macedonian Question.* Greenwood Press. p. 81. ISBN 0-275-97648-3.
2. ↑ Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη, Μαρίκα (2016), p. 131. Επιτηρούμενες ζωές: Μουσική, χορός και διαμόρφωση της υποκειμενικότητας στη Μακεδονία. Αθήνα: Αλεξάνδρεια.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη 2016, p. 136.
4. ↑ Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη 2016, p. 132.
5. ↑ Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη 2016, p. 133–134.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη 2016, p. 135.
7. ↑ Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη 2016, p. 134.
8. ↑ Ρόμπου-Λεβίδη 2016, p. 132–133.
9. ↑ Αποβλήθηκαν έξι μαθητές που αψήφισαν την απαγόρευση και τραγούδησαν το «Μακεδονία Ξακουστή» στην παρέλαση (2018).
10. ↑ Με «Μακεδονία ξακουστή» έκλεισε το πρόγραμμα του ο Στέφανος Βορδώνης (2018). Γραμμενος, Ηλιας.
11. ↑ Μακεδονία ξακουστή του Αλεξάνδρου η χώρα που έδιωξες τους τύρρανους κι ελεύθερ’ είσαι τώρα (2019). ΦΩΝΗ.