Zvara
Πάρτε ζβάρα τα βουνά τις κορφές νησιά και πόλεις, τα χωριά, γιοφύρια άιντε πάρτε τα βρε Πάρτε ζβάρα τα βουνά τις κορφές νησιά και πόλεις, τα χωριά, γιοφύρια και αλωνίστε τα βρε Πάρτε ζβάρα και άντε πιάστε τα βρε πιάστε δρόμους, πλατείες, τα στενά στη γύρα άιντε πιάστε τα βρε Πάρτε ζβάρα και άντε πιάστε τα βρε πιάστε δρόμους, πλατείες, τα στενά στη γύρα και πατήστε τα βρε Πάρτε τα ζβάρα όλα κάψτε τα βρε βρείτε κάθε παλιό, κάθε σάπιο και μαύρο και άιντε κάψτε το βρε Πάρτε τα ζβάρα όλα κάψτε τα βρε κάψτε κάθε παλιό, για να βγει από μέσα ο πιο όμορφος ανθός
Absolutely, I’d be happy to both translate and explain the cultural context of “Zvara” by Villagers of Ioannina City. This song is rich with imagery and meaning closely tied to Greek—especially Epirus—culture and history.
Lyrics Translation
Πάρτε ζβάρα τα βουνά τις κορφές
Take by storm (seize, sweep over) the mountains and their peaks
νησιά και πόλεις, τα χωριά, γιοφύρια
(islands and cities, the villages, the bridges)
άιντε πάρτε τα βρε
Go on, take them! (Hey, sweep them up!)
Πάρτε ζβάρα τα βουνά τις κορφές
Take by storm the mountains and their peaks
νησιά και πόλεις, τα χωριά, γιοφύρια
(islands and cities, the villages, the bridges)
και αλωνίστε τα βρε
And thresh them (trample them, dance over them!)
Πάρτε ζβάρα και άντε πιάστε τα βρε
Take by storm and come on, seize them
πιάστε δρόμους, πλατείες, τα στενά στη γύρα
Take the roads, the squares, the alleys around
άιντε πιάστε τα βρε
Come on, seize them!
Πάρτε ζβάρα και άντε πιάστε τα βρε
Take by storm and come on, seize them
πιάστε δρόμους, πλατείες, τα στενά στη γύρα
Take the roads, the squares, the alleys around
και πατήστε τα βρε
And step over them (stomp them!)
Πάρτε τα ζβάρα όλα κάψτε τα βρε
Take everything by storm, burn them all!
βρείτε κάθε παλιό, κάθε σάπιο και μαύρο
Find everything old, everything rotten and black
και άιντε κάψτε το βρε
Go on, burn it!
Πάρτε τα ζβάρα όλα κάψτε τα βρε
Take everything by storm, burn them all!
κάψτε κάθε παλιό, για να βγει από μέσα
Burn everything old, so that from inside will come out
ο πιο όμορφος ανθός
the most beautiful flower
Cultural & Linguistic Notes
“Ζβάρα” (Zvara)
- Ζβάρα is a word from Epirus dialect, not standard Greek. It means something like “by storm,” “all at once,” “sweepingly,” “with force.” Its roots are in the local language of Epirus in northwestern Greece, giving the song a regional flavor.
- The word is also the name of a local folk dance, often fast and lively, associated with the collective spirit in village festivals.
Imagery: Mountains, Villages, Bridges
- Mountains: Epirus is a mountainous region, so references to mountains and peaks evoke the area’s rugged, independent spirit.
- Bridges: Epirus is famously home to beautiful stone arched bridges, historical monuments, and symbols of connection.
- Villages, squares, alleys: Central places of communal life in Greek culture.
Threshing & Burning (αλονίζω & κάψτε)
- Αλωνίστε (thresh!): Traditional agricultural work; also a metaphor for celebrating or dancing energetically. Here it also means to “trample underfoot,” expressing a desire for sweeping change.
- Burning the old: A common motif in radical or folk lyricism (in Greece and elsewhere). Destroy the rotten, decayed, or corrupt, so that something new and beautiful can emerge.
Revolutionary Undertones
- The song urges people to sweep through their world, discard (even destroy) what is old, rotten, or oppressive, to allow something better (the “most beautiful flower”) to flourish.
- “Páte ta zvara, káps’ta ta vre" uses the collective “vre,” a colloquial address to an unnamed “you all,” making the call to action communal.
Performance and Feeling
- The song is often danced in Greek festivals, especially in Epirus. The energy builds collectively—mirroring the lyrics’ call for collective action, unity, and transformation.
In short:
“Zvara” is a powerful call to sweep through the land, to overturn stagnation, burn everything that’s decayed, so that something new and beautiful can grow. It blends local (Epirus) identity with universal themes of renewal, using dialect, folk imagery, and metaphors that evoke both communal celebration and revolution.
If you want to say it simply:
The song is about collective renewal—rising up, clearing away the old and rotten, to give birth to something new and beautiful, all set to the pulsing rhythms of Epirus folk tradition.