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Haro’a Haktana – Israel [Yonatan Karmon]

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Hebrew:הרועה הקטנה
Pronunciation:hah-ROH-ah hah-kuhtah-NAH
Translation:The Little Shepherdess
Alias:Haroa, Haru’a, Haro’ah Hak’tanah
Choreographer:Yonatan Karmon
Year:1959
Lyricist:Rafael Eliaz
Composer:Moshe Wilenski
Form:Individuals in Closed Circle
Skill:Intermediate
Energy:Lively
Hand Hold:hands down, no holding (modern version)
Date Taught:11/28/2023
Teacher:Cherie

The full title of the song is Haro’a Haktana min Hagai, which translates to, “Little Shepherdess From the Valley,” so that means a short Valley Girl who hangs with sheep. As with many Israeli dances outside of the kibbutzim period, the choreography doesn’t match the story of the song. Oh well. It’s a fun dance regardless…

Lyrics

Ka'asher te'atzemnah einai
ve'eshkach et edri veyonai,
od ezkor, od ezkor, yedidai,
haro'ah hak'tanah min hagai.

Kochavim yid'achu me'alai
vehachoshech yichas et chayay,
ach ani od er'eh lefanai
haro'ah hak'tanah min hagai.

Ba'ilan ye'almu tziporim
veharu'ach yidom beharim.
Yacharish chalili vezimro,
ach eshma et tzilah be'evro.

Vehayah ki efkach et einai,
vehineh haro'ah min hagai.
Ke'gadia shechamchamah bein gadai
hi po'ah vesho'elet: matai?

Hi sho'elet: matai, bachuri,
tevarech et imi bech'fari,
vetochal mepriha beganah,
vetish'teh im avi miyeinah.

Va'ashiv laro'ah hak'tanah:
lo esva mepriha beganah,
lo eshkar miyeinah begatah,
rak bikashti lishko'ach beitah.
When my eyes shall close
And I shall forget my flock and my pigeons
I shall yet remember, I shall yet remember, my friends,
The little shepherdess from the valley.
 
Stars shall extinguish above me
And the darkness shall cover my life,
But I shall yet behold before me
The little shepherdess from the valley.
 
In the tree birds shall go silent
And the wind shall go still in the mountains
My flute and its tune shall go silent,
But I shall hear her ringing sound as it passes by.
 
And were I to open my eyes,
And lo, she is there, the shepherdess from the valley,
Like a tawny goat kid among my goat kids
She bleats and asks: When?
 
She asks: When, my lad,
Will you bless my mother in my village,
And eat from her fruit in her garden,
And drink with my father from her wine?
 
And I shall respond to the little shepherdess:
I shall not satiate from the fruit in her garden,
I shall not indulge from her wine in her winepress,
I have only desired to forget her home.
LyricsTranslate.com

Teaching & Dancing Examples

Kadeema! Israeli Dance performs HaRoah HaKtanah at the 2008 Texas State Fair
Teaching: Rokdim
Roy Butler: American version
Teaching: IFD Israeli folk dancing for beginners w/ Gadi Bitton
Teaching: DanceNissim
Teaching: Yehuda Emanuel

Music Examples

The OG: Shoshana Damari
Eti Bitton – modern pop version
Step Forward, modern interpretation
Shoshana Demari Live