Eolie

The women’s vocal collective Odłam Źdźbło (in English – Section Culm) performs Eolie, a traditional Ukrainian song associated with rites of passage.

In many cultures, transition to adulthood is a ritual accompanied by trials involving pain and separation. Children with Ondine’s have to face such trials since birth. Living with constant medical procedures, and forced to rely on drips and catheters means they have to grow up much faster than their peers. One of these procedures, tracheal intubation, takes away their voice, leaving these infants without their basic means of expression and communication. Their cries are silent.

Eolie is sung using the open voice technique which produces a bright and intense sound. Odłam Źdźbło have reimagined the song as a lullaby, cutting short or muting the final syllables of the words. The counting out and repetitions in the lyrics are reminiscent of children’s songs. The mysterious recurring cry eolie gives the song a mantra-like nature.