DJELEM, DJELEM
Created on 20/01/2004Latest update on 27/09/2023
Artist: Olivera Vuco
Author: Zarko Jovanovic
Label: Network
Year: 1967
In Yugoslavian film Skupljaci Perja (The Feather Catchers) by Aleksandar Petrovic, winning the Palme d'Or at the 1967 Cannes festival as J'ai même rencontré des Gitans heureux. Became the official Roma anthem following the first Gypsy World Congress near London in 1971. Djelem means I Have Traveled. The melody is an old Roma (Tiganii) love song, arranged at the end of WW II. Lyricist Jovanovic (1923-1985) survived three concentration camps were he was inspired by the Croatian guards' orders: Go, go, work, work, djelem, djelem, move, move. The Rom's destiny.
Covers:
- 1969:
Zarko Jovanovic [wrote the words of the official anthem following a dramatic eviction of a Roma camp in North England, causing the death of a child in a burning camper]
- 1980s:
- 1989:
Esma Redzepova & Ensemble Teodosievski [as Szelem Szelem]
- 1990s:
Ibro Lolov [as Gelem, Gelem]
- 1992:
Rromano Dives [idem]
- 1997:
Kocani Orkestar [kapelnik Naat Veliov's grandfather played it as well]
- 2004:
Vaya Con Dios [as Je l'aime, je l'aime]
- 2009:
Melodies migrate freely between Turkey and Hungary, with Rom tiganii as major go-betweens.
