Sarnia Cherie facts for kids
| English: Dear Guernsey | |
|---|---|
| Regional anthem of | the Bailiwick of Guernsey |
| Lyrics | George Deighton, 1911 |
| Music | Domenico Santangelo, 1911 |
"Sarnia Cherie" (which means "Dear Guernsey" in English) is like a special song for Guernsey. Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands, located between England and France. This song is used as the unofficial anthem of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The name Sarnia is an old Latin name for the island of Guernsey. George Deighton wrote the words for "Sarnia Cherie" in 1911. Domenico Santangelo created the music for the song in the same year.
This special song is played at many events throughout the year. You can hear it every year on May 9th, which is Liberation Day. It is also played at Island Games gold medal ceremonies. The song is heard at the yearly Viaër Marchi community festival in July. It is also played during sports games between islands.
The English Version
This is the English version of the song. It talks about how much people love Guernsey. It describes the island's beauty and how people miss it when they are away.
Sarnia; dear Homeland, Gem of the sea.
Island of beauty, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, in waking, or sleep,
Till my soul cries with anguish, my eyes ache to weep.
In fancy I see thee, again as of yore,
Thy verdure clad hills and thy wave beaten shore.
Thy rock sheltered bays, ah; of all thou art best,
I'm returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.
CHORUS
Sarnia Cherie. Gem of the sea.
Home of my childhood, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, forget thee I'll never,
Island of beauty. Sarnia Cherie.
I left thee in anger, I knew not thy worth.
Journeyed afar, to the ends of the earth.
Was told of far countries, the heav'n of the bold,
Where the soil gave up diamonds, silver and gold.
The sun always shone, and "race" took no part,
But thy cry always reached me, its pain wrenched my heart.
So I'm coming home, thou of all art the best.
Returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.
CHORUS
The Guernesiais Version
There is also a version of the song in Guernesiais. This is Guernsey's own special language. It is a type of langue d'oïl, which is a group of languages from France.
Sarnia, chière patrie, bijou d'la maïr,
Ile plloinne dé biautai, dans d'iaoue si cllaire
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjous, mon tcheur plloin d'envie,
Et mon âme té crie en poine, mes iars voudraient t'veis.
Quaend j'saonge, j'té vaie derchier, mesme comme t'étais d'vànt,
Tes côtis si vaerts et ton sabllaon si bllànc,
Tes bànques et tes rotchets. Ah! Dé toutes la pus belle.
Mon réfuge et mon r'pos, chière île qu'est si belle.
Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.
Sàns saver ta valeur, j'm'en fus en colère,
Je v'yagis si llian, à l'aute but dé la terre.
I m'dirent dé biaux pays, et j'm'en fus brâment
Oueque la terre baillait à haut d'l'or et dé l'argent.
Nous 'tait tous amis et i fit bal chaque jeur,
Mais ta vouaix m'applait terjours, a m'déteurtait l'tcheur.
Ch'est pourtchi qué j'm'en vians. Ah! té veis, la millaeure.
Ma chière île dé répos, dé chenna j'sis saeure.
Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.
