A traditional Greek song belonging to a group of songs called "Nisiotika"- "Νησιώτικα"- Ιsland songs.
I decided against doing a word-for-word translation of this song on the video. Nostalgic ones such as this one lose too much when translated in this way. They so often contain special words with multiple meanings and sentimental analogies that have their roots in the sadness of history and in the mystique of its folklore. They are part of the psyche of many Greeks and greatly appeal to them. Since no translation seems capable of doing them justice I have just given a summary of each verse instead.
Come to the Aegean Islands
to see Angels fluttering their wings.
Come to see them as
they scatter roses with their
fluttering.
Oh Blessed Mary, help my Aegean
Oh my Aegean, let your blue waters
be tranquil.
May those who left you
come back
to your desirable islands.
Come to see the rose water.
Oh Aegean
May your waves become rose-water.
The Aegean Islands are located between mainland Greece and Turkey and consist of 7 groups of islands. The two most popular groups of islands with tourists are the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.
The Cyclades islands are made up of around 220 islands and among them some of the most famous and photographed in Greece: Santorini, Mykonos and Amorgos
The Dodecanese islands take their name from the Greek meaning 12 islands but actually consist of 12 larger plus 150 smaller islands. These islands offer beautiful beaches with crystal waters, traditional villages and are in fact closer to Turkey than mainland Greece. Because of their position, they have experienced an even greater number of invasions than the rest of Greece and boast a wealth of archaeological remains.
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Αιγαίο. Μια ατέλειωτη γαλάζια θάλασσα που αγκαλιάζει τα Ελληνικά νησιά. Ένας υγρός παράδεισος, κατάσπαρτος με μικρές οάσεις καταπράσινης γης, που γέννησαν τους σημαντικότερους αρχαίους πολιτισμούς κι έδωσαν τα φώτα τους στην ανθρωπότητα.
Τα σμαραγδένια νησιά του Αιγαίου ξεχωρίζουν για τις φυσικές καλλονές τους και την πολυσήμαντη ιστορία τους. Λόγω της γεωγραφικής τους θέσης -- βρίσκονται στο σταυροδρόμι τριών Ηπείρων (Ευρώπης, Ασίας και Αφρικής) και πολύ κοντά στα Μικρασιατικά παράλια -- ήρθαν σε επαφή από τα αρχαία χρόνια με πολλούς λαούς και γνώρισαν διαφορετικούς πολιτισμούς.
Έτσι, επιλέγοντας και αφομοιώνοντας τα στοιχεία εκείνα που ταίριαζαν με την ελληνική κουλτούρα και τη νησιώτικη ιδιοσυγκρασία, δημιούργησαν στην ασφαλή αγκαλιά του Αρχιπελάγους έναν πολιτισμό που έμεινε στην ιστορία.
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s4HWeVu_PXw/maxresdefault.jpg)