Catholic Europe
06-12-2004, 20:46
I'm currently listening to a song called Oye Mi Canto (it features Nina Sky). It's basically in half Spanish and half English.
I've asked my firend, who has been learning Spanish for 6 years to translate the Spanish parts for me because I wanted to know what they meant, however there were two words that she had no idea about and they were not in the dictionary either. I was wondering if any spanish speakers on here would know. The two words are: boriqua and morena. Thanks!
Boricua is a word sometimes used to denote a Puerto Rican or a person of Puerto Rican descent. It is derived from the Taino name for the island of Puerto Rico, Boriquén.
Marzanna or Morena is the Slavic goddess of death and winter. Her name comes from Slavic root mor used in words "freeze", "death", and is the meaning of the month of March. She was ritually burned and drowned yearly; effigies made with the last straw of last years’ harvest, dressed in white with a broom and cycle. She is decorated with ribbons, myrtle, or woodruff and was carried in a procession of the people to a river. They burned and drowned her to rid themselves of the cold, dark season of death to welcome the spring. Both were necessary as Sun (fire) and Rainfall (water) were necessary for the fertility of the year’s crops. In Christian times she is equated with Saint Mary, and is the consort of Dazbog, who is associated with Saint John the Baptist. On Saint John's day (summer solstice again) Mary is said to bathe together with John in a ritual purification. Mary sits on a stone or a golden throne and sews, suggesting that she might be associated with fate and death. Mary is also associated with swans.
Just copied it off Wikipedia
Although i'm pretty sure Morena isnt the Slavic Goddess of Death and Winter... at least song wise.
Catholic Europe
25-12-2004, 22:34
Although i'm pretty sure Morena isnt the Slavic Goddess of Death and Winter... at least song wise.
Apparently, as I have just discovered, morena means 'dark skinned'. I think that this is probably the correct translation as it fits in very well with the song and the rest of the lyrics.