Our World, Our Music

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Additional Resources

Why do people write songs? What inspires them? Sometimes it is the world around them.

Kaldak-Khamar is the name of a pass through the Tannu-Ola mountain range in the southern part of Tuva. In 1933-1934 the road from Kyzyl (the capital) to regions on the Mongolian border was built. For one year people dug the pass using only simple tools like picks, shovels, and wheel barrows, and created an important road connecting Siberia, Tuva and Mongolia. These lyrics were written by the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the then-independent state of Tannu Touva. The author, Salchak Toka, was a government leader and also one of the great writers of classic Tuvan literature — a Soviet Union State Prize winner. This song is about a wish to dig out Kaldak-Khamar pass, to build a smooth road, and to quickly drive a car to the other side of the mountains.

Kaldak-Hamar

Kaldak-Khamar

Tuvan

English

Kaldak-Hamar kadïr artïn

Kazïp alza, aštap alza.

Hartïga deg Bora mungaš,

Karam eške četken bolza.

Tes-le-Hemniŋ kožuununga

Deski čaagay oruk bolza,

Devip turar Bora mungaš,

Tenek heyge četken bolza.

Kaldak-Hamar artïn-sïnïn

Kazïp alza, aštap alza.

Kaŋ-na demir čïčaan mungaš,

Hala čokka haldïp orza.

Tes-le-Hemniŋ kožuununče

Deski čaagay oruk bolza,

Demir čïčaan munup algaš,

Tendiš diveyn haldïp orza.

It would be nice to dig, to clean

The steep pass of Kaldak-Khamar.

It would be nice to catch up my beloved

Ridden the hawk alike Gray.

It would be nice to have a straight good road

In the Tes-Khem kojuun.

It would be nice to catch up playful prankster

Ridden the dancing Gray.

It would be nice to dig, to clean

The steep pass of Kaldak-Khamar.

Would be nice to drive

A steel and iron car with no obstacles.

It would be nice to have a straight good road

To the Tes-Khem kojuun.

It would be nice to drive

A car with no staggering.

Why do people write songs? What inspires them? Sometimes it is the world around them.
Kaldak-Khamar is the name of a pass through the Tannu-Ola mountain range in the southern part of Tuva. In 1933-1934 the road from Kyzyl (the capital) to regions on the Mongolian border was built. For one year people dug the pass using only simple tools like picks, shovels, and wheel barrows, and created an important road connecting Siberia, Tuva and Mongolia. These lyrics were written by the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the then-independent state of Tannu Touva. The author, Salchak Toka, was a government leader and also one of the great writers of classic Tuvan literature — a Soviet Union State Prize winner. This song is about a wish to dig out Kaldak-Khamar pass, to build a smooth road, and to quickly drive a car to the other side of the mountains.
Kaldak-Hamar	Kaldak-Khamar
Tuvan	English
Kaldak-Hamar kadïr artïn Kazïp alza, aštap alza. Hartïga deg Bora mungaš, Karam eške četken bolza. Tes-le-Hemniŋ kožuununga Deski čaagay oruk bolza, Devip turar Bora mungaš, Tenek heyge četken bolza. Kaldak-Hamar artïn-sïnïn Kazïp alza, aštap alza. Kaŋ-na demir čïčaan mungaš, Hala čokka haldïp orza. Tes-le-Hemniŋ kožuununče Deski čaagay oruk bolza, Demir čïčaan munup algaš, Tendiš diveyn haldïp orza.	It would be nice to dig, to clean The steep pass of Kaldak-Khamar. It would be nice to catch up my beloved Ridden the hawk alike Gray. It would be nice to have a straight good road In the Tes-Khem kojuun. It would be nice to catch up playful prankster Ridden the dancing Gray. It would be nice to dig, to clean The steep pass of Kaldak-Khamar. Would be nice to drive A steel and iron car with no obstacles. It would be nice to have a straight good road To the Tes-Khem kojuun. It would be nice to drive A car with no staggering.