Oj lulaj, lulaj [Hush-a-bye]
Traditionally, lullabies weren’t only used to sing children to sleep. In societies dominated by men, they provided a space in which women could express themselves, share their dreams with each other, and teach their children about the world. Thus, the lyrics often meant more for the mother than they did for her child. Women didn’t just give their voice to lullabies: lullabies were a vehicle allowing women’s voices to be heard.
This seems have been the function of a traditional song from the Lubelskie region, Oj lulaj lulaj [Hush-a-bye], performed by Sebastian Wypych and Hanna Rybka. It is a vision of the future, a mother’s dream expressed in song.
Hush-a-bye, hush-a-bye
Sleep now, sleep my dear
A falcon brave you’ll be
Grow up strong so you can work
Down in the fields with me
All parents dream of a normal life for their children. They dream of a world where children do not have to grow up in the shadow of a disease. They dream that the curse will finally be lifted.
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