"Bro Gozh ma Zadoù" (Kerneveg Breton pronunciation: [bʀoː ɡoːz‿ma ˈzɑːdu]; French: Vieux pays de mes ancêtres; "Old Land of My Fathers") is the anthem of Brittany. It is sung to the same tune as that of the national anthem of Wales, "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", and has similar lyrics. The Cornish anthem, "Bro Goth Agan Tasow", is also sung to the same tune.

Bro Gozh ma Zadoù
English: Old Land of My Fathers

National anthem of Brittany
LyricsFrançois Jaffrennou, 1897
MusicJames James, 1856
Adopted1903
Audio sample

This anthem is played during major sporting events at the final of the Coupe de France between the Stade Rennais F.C. and the En Avant Guingamp, at the end of a day's broadcasting on the local radio station Bretagne 5, as well as cultural events.[1][better source needed]

History

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The Breton lyrics are the creation of François Jaffrennou (Taldir) in 1897, and the music was that composed by James James, of Pontypridd, Wales, for "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau". The new song was first published in 1898 and circulated as "Henvelidigez" ("Adaptation"). It was chosen as the national anthem (and a song to celebrate friendship between the Welsh and Bretons) in 1903, at a Congress of the Union Régionaliste Bretonne held in Lesneven, Brittany (France). Maurice Duhamel adapted it for piano, and it was first recorded by Pathé in 1910.

In November 2021, it became the official anthem of Brittany[2] with a new arrangement by Frédérique Lory played by the Orchestre National de Bretagne (National Orchestra of Brittany) in partnership with Comité Bro Gozh ma Zadoù and Coop Breizh.

Lyrics

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Breton original[3][4] IPA transcription[a] English translation

I
Ni, Breizhiz a galon, karomp hon gwir vro!
Brudet eo an Arvor dre ar bed tro-dro.
Dispont 'kreiz ar brezel, hon tadoù ken mat,
A skuilhas eviti o gwad.


Chorus:
O! Breizh, ma bro, me 'gar ma bro.
Tra ma vo mor 'vel mur 'n he zro,
Ra vezo digabestr ma bro!

II
Breizh, douar ar Sent[b] Kozh, douar ar varzhed,
N'eus bro all a garan kement 'barzh ar bed.
Pep menez, pep traoñienn d'am c'halon zo ker,
Eno 'kousk meur a Vreizhad taer![c]


Chorus

III
Ar Vretoned 'zo[d] tud kalet ha kreñv.
N'eus pobl ken kalonek a-zindan an neñv.
Gwerz trist, son dudius a ziwan enno.
O! pegen kaer ez[e] out, ma bro!


Chorus

IV
Mard eo bet trec'het Breizh er brezelioù bras,
He yezh a zo bepred ken bev ha biskoazh,
He c'halon virvidik a lamm c'hoazh 'n he c'hreiz.
Dihunet out bremañ, ma Breizh!


𝄆 Chorus 𝄇

1
[niː bʀɛi̯.ziz‿a ˈɡɑː.lɔ̃n kaˈʀom(b)‿ɔ̃n ɡwiːʀ vʀoː]
[ˈbʀyː.ded‿eː ɑ̃n ˈaʀ.voʀ dʀeː aʀ bet tʀoː.dʀoː]
[ˈdis.pɔ̃n(t) kʀɛi̯z‿aʀ ˈbʀeː.zel ɔ̃n ˈtɑː.du ken mɑːt]
[a ˈskɥiː.ʎaz‿e.viː.ti o ɡwɑːt]

 
[o bʀɛi̯s ma bʀoː meː ɡaʀ ma bʀoː]
[tʀɑː ma voː moːʀ vel myʀ‿(e)n e zʀoː]
[ʀɑː ˈveː.zo diˈɡɑː.best(χ) ma bʀoː]

2
[bʀɛi̯z‿ˈduː.aʀ aʀ zen(t) koːz‿ˈduː.aʀ aʀ ˈvaʀ.zet]
[nø(ː)z‿bʀoː alː a ˈɡɑː.ʀɑ̃n ˈkeː.men(d)‿baʀz‿aʀ bet]
[peb‿ˈmeː.ne(s) pep ˈtʀaɔ̃.jenː dam ˈhɑː.lɔ̃n zo keːʀ]
[eː.no kuzɡ‿møʀ a ˈvʀɛi̯.zat tɛːʀ]

 

3
[aʀ vʀeˈtoː.ned‿a zo tyt ˈkɑː.led‿a kʀẽ(ː)(v)]
[nø(ː)s pop(ɬ) ken kaˈloː.neɡ‿aˈzin.dɑ̃n ɑ̃n nẽ(ː)(v)]
[ɡweʀs tʀist sɔ̃n dyˈdiː.yz‿a ˈziː.wɑ̃n ˈen.no]
[o ˈpeː.ɡen kɛːʀ ez‿ud‿ma bʀoː]

 

4
[maʀd‿eː bet ˈtʀeː.xed‿bʀɛi̯z‿eʀ bʀeˈzeː.li(.)u bʀɑːs]
[e jeːz‿a zo ˈbeː.pʁet ken beːw a ˈbis.kɔ̯as]
[e ˈhɑː.lɔ̃n viʀˈviː.diɡ‿a lamː hɔ̯az‿(e)n e hʀɛi̯s]
[diˈhyː.ned‿ud‿ˈbʀeː.mɑ̃ ma bʀɛi̯s]

 

I
We, Bretons by heart, love our true country,
Armorica, famous worldwide.
Any fear in battle without, our such good fathers,
For thee shed their blood.

Chorus:
Brittany, my country, I love my country,
So long as the sea, like a wall surrounding thee,
My country shall be free!

II
Brittany, land of old Saints, land of bards,
There is no other country I love as much.
Ev'ry mountain, ev'ry glen to my heart dearest,
There rest many heroic Bretons.

Chorus

III
The Bretons, a people strong and valiant,
No people under the skies are as brave as them,
Whether they may sing a sad gwerz or a nice song.
O my very beautiful country!

Chorus

IV
If in past Brittany may have been in battle defeated,
Her language shall always remain well alive.
Her flaming heart still in her chest beateth,
Thou art now awakened, my dear Brittany!

𝄆 Chorus 𝄇

Notes

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  1. ^ See Help:IPA/Breton, Breton language § Phonology and Breton language § Orthography.[5] The transcription is based on the Kerneveg dialect, the most spoken dialect.
  2. ^ Sometimes written as Zent,[6] zent[7] or Sent.[8]
  3. ^ Sometimes written têr.[6][8]
  4. ^ Sometimes written a zo.[6][7][8]
  5. ^ Sometimes written ec'h [ex].[4][8]

References

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  1. ^ Nolwenn Leroy chante le Bro gozh ma zadoù au stade de France avant la finale Rennes-Guinguamp (3 May 2014) – YouTube
  2. ^ ″L’hymne de la Bretagne – un formidable outil de rayonnement : la Région encourage la diffusion d’une nouvelle version du Bro gozh″ on bretagne.bzh
  3. ^ "Les paroles du Bro Gozh ma Zadoù" (in Breton). Bro Gozn ma Zadoù. Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  4. ^ a b "324bis CP nouveau Bro Gozh.pub" (PDF). Région Bretagne. 2021-11-25. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  5. ^ "The Breton - English dictionary | Glosbe". Glosbe. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  6. ^ a b c "Bro goz ma zadou" (PDF). Chorale "Cantarée". October 2017. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  7. ^ a b Newsletter. The Branch. 1984. p. 72.
  8. ^ a b c d Duhamel, Maurice. "Kanaouennou Taldir" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved 2022-04-09.

Further reading

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  • Jean-Yves Carluer, « Bro Goz ma Zadou, ou Doue ha va bro ? Retour sur une controverse ». In Langues de l'Histoire, Langues de la Vie. Mélanges offerts à Fañch Roudaut, Brest, Les Amis de Fañch Roudaut, 2005, p. 309-317
  • Jean Ollivro, « Bro gozh ma zadou : l'identité territoriale bretonne ». In Bretagne 2100 : Identité et avenir, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 2001, p. 27-35
  • Sion T. Jobbins, The Welsh National Anthem: Its story, its meaning. Y. Lolfa, 2013
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