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The official Anthem is an adaptation of Joan Alcover I Maspons ( 1854 - 1926 ) poem based on an ancient and popular Majorcan children's song. The music is a work by the Catalan composer Amadeu Vives and in November 1996 the Consell Insular De Mallorca made it the anthem for the Island.


TEXT AND TRANSLATION



La Balanguera (Catalan)

La Balanguera misteriosa,

com una aranya d'art subtil,

buida que buida sa filosa,

de nostra vida treu lo fil.

Com una parca bé cavilla

teixint la tela per demà

La Balanguera fila, fila,

la Balanguera filarà.




La Balanguera (English)

The misterious Balanguera,

as a subtle art spider,

empties that it empties her distaff

and takes out the thread of our lives.

As a Parca well ponders

weaving the cloth for tomorrow

The Balanguera spins, spins,

the Balanguera will spin.



Girant l'ullada cap enrera

guaita les ombres de l'avior,

i de la nova primavera

sap on s'amaga la llavor.

Sap que la soca més s'enfila

com més endins pot arrelar

La Balanguera fila, fila,

la Balanguera filarà.




Turning her glance to the past

she guards the shades of ancestry

and of the new spring

she knows where the seed is hidden.

She knows that the vine-stock climbs up higher

the deeper its roots can go

The Balanguera spins, spins

the Balanguera will spin.



De tradicions i d'esperances

tix la senyera pel jovent

com qui va un vel de noviances

amb caballeres d'or i argent

de la infantesa qui s'enfila

de la vellura qui se'n va.

La Balanguera fila, fila,

la Balanguera filarà




From traditions and from hopes

she weaves the flag for the youth

as who prepares a wedding veil

with hairs of gold and silver

of the childhood that grews up

of the old age who goes away

The Balanguera spins, spins,

the Balanguera will spin




SEE ALSO

National Anthems