aswansonsr
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- Completed CF Sept, 2022
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Perhaps one of the most common activities among all pilgrims is greeting other peregrinos and locals along the way. Equally common, and almost second nature, we offer a "Buen Camino" and receive a "Buen Camino" in return. One morning, I heard a local older gentleman, walking with his mature son, (a nifty aspect of Spanish culture), reply back with "Egualmente", which I take to translate as "Likewise."
What are unique replies to "Buen Camino" which you can share with the forum? How do you put your personal twist on this interaction?
In the monastery at Zabaldika, I learned the most traditional greeting is "Ultreia", Latin for "Forward". The traditional response from those returning from Santiago de Compostela is "Y sus eia" - "And higher to God." This summer on the Camino Frances, I greeted many with "Ultreia". I never received a "Y sus eia." response.
Anyone feel free to correct spelling or translation.
I think that you refer to a different and modern song that has been inspired by the medieval song. I learnt it when I walked with a group of French pilgrims. It starts with "Tous les matins nous prenons le chemin" and has a similar refrain with ultreia and sus eia in it. This song is popular with French pilgrims and I quite like it. I had it as my wake up call on my iPhone for some time. There is a hard to find recording by a choir of Norbatine monks (perhaps from Cahors?) which I find very beautiful to listen to.My husband sings the song "Ultreia" with his other singing hospitalero friends when they get together and we've been fortunate enough to have some French pilgrims sing it to us at the albergue in Estella.
Buen CaminoPerhaps one of the most common activities among all pilgrims is greeting other peregrinos and locals along the way. Equally common, and almost second nature, we offer a "Buen Camino" and receive a "Buen Camino" in return. One morning, I heard a local older gentleman, walking with his mature son, (a nifty aspect of Spanish culture), reply back with "Egualmente", which I take to translate as "Likewise."
What are unique replies to "Buen Camino" which you can share with the forum? How do you put your personal twist on this interaction?
In the monastery at Zabaldika, I learned the most traditional greeting is "Ultreia", Latin for "Forward". The traditional response from those returning from Santiago de Compostela is "Y sus eia" - "And higher to God." This summer on the Camino Frances, I greeted many with "Ultreia". I never received a "Y sus eia." response.
Anyone feel free to correct spelling or translation.
I believe it’s Latin.I am confused. I have never heard of this greeting “Ultreia”. What language is this?
I am not surprised.This summer on the Camino Frances, I greeted many with "Ultreia". I never received a "Y sus eia." response.
So do lots of other people https://santiagoinlove.com/en/ultreia-meaning/ It's not any Latin that a citizen of the empire would have recognized but in medieval church Latin it makes some senseI believe it’s Latin.
I was also on the camino this summer, but we obviously didn’t meet, because E Suseia was my answer, the few times I received a Ultreïa!This summer on the Camino Frances, I greeted many with "Ultreia". I never received a "Y sus eia." response.
"Grácias, buenos días" should cover that. (It isn't really necessary to directly translate the phrase that is ubiquitous in the US service industry!)“thank you. Have a nice day’
Ultreia, although a gorgeous word IMO, is lesser used between pilgrims.
I then added "Allez ultreia les All Blacks" (Go further the All Blacks) - he grimaced a little.
That’s for sure. And a smileIt's not hard, and doesn't really matter. So long as there's kindness behind the words people will get it.
Yes, indeed.So cheeky, Alwyn
I was very excited to hear those first "Buen Caminos" on the Camino Frances the first time I walked it. I thought, "Wow, I am really here! I am really doing this!"… But there’s nothing like the strength of your first “Buen Camino,” is there? Brought tears to my eyes the first time I heard it when I was on pilgrimage. Interesting to learn about the roots of these phrases, thank you.
True. You would use usted with an older individual that you might meet in town.Related to the post title: Do Spanish pilgrims use usted / ustedes or tú / vosotros? At least in France I was quickly corrected when I used formal pronouns, and was told that pilgrims used the tu form among themselves. It wasn't a question (On peut se tutoyer ?) but a statement of fact.
In Spain, it is normal to use the familiar "tu" and "vosotros." I learned Spanish in South America and it is still a bit difficult for me to address adult strangers with "tu" and I have never properly learned the "vosotros" endings. However, now that I am old, I can comfortably say "tu" to almost anyone, and I have come to expect it in return even from young clerks in stores.Do Spanish pilgrims use usted / ustedes or tú / vosotros?
And you really know the difference, don’t you…? The first one I heard was from a elderly woman in Pamplona. And she seem to really mean it! “Gravitas”, I love that.a sincere, gravitas-filled “Buen Camino.”
I saw Ultreia written a few times on my way years ago. I knew the word as Ultreya! (Onward) from the Cursillo movement. The Cursillo movement was birthed on the Camino back in the 1940s and many references refer back to the Camino.For what it is worth, I initiate a "buen camino" only for walkers who are visibly recognisable as Camino pilgrims. If they say the greeting first, I reply with "buen camino" and nothing else like "same to you" or similar. I would not attempt saying anything else because most of the time I don't even know what language(s) they would understand.
I greet locals out on a walk with "hola" or "buenos dias" or just a smile and a nod. Like @J Willhaus, when a local says "buen camino" to me first, I usually reply with "gracias". And a smile, of course.
The use of "ultreia" and "y sus eia" is unknown to the majority of Camino pilgrims. The modern narrative, as described in the first post, is just that: a modern narrative that will live eternally on the internet and in guidebooks. I can't remember whether these words are even mentioned as a greeting of old in the Codex Calixtinus or whether they can only be found in the refrain of the well-known multilingual "Song of the Flemish Pilgrims" the text of which is recorded in this ancient document written and compiled in the 12th century. Anyway, that is the main source for this narrative although usually this narrative is just copied from a website, blog or book.
I used to simply reply "gracias".Perhaps one of the most common activities among all pilgrims is greeting other peregrinos and locals along the way. Equally common, and almost second nature, we offer a "Buen Camino" and receive a "Buen Camino" in return. One morning, I heard a local older gentleman, walking with his mature son, (a nifty aspect of Spanish culture), reply back with "Egualmente", which I take to translate as "Likewise."
What are unique replies to "Buen Camino" which you can share with the forum? How do you put your personal twist on this interaction?
In the monastery at Zabaldika, I learned the most traditional greeting is "Ultreia", Latin for "Forward". The traditional response from those returning from Santiago de Compostela is "Y sus eia" - "And higher to God." This summer on the Camino Frances, I greeted many with "Ultreia". I never received a "Y sus eia." response.
Anyone feel free to correct spelling or translation.
As AlwynWellington noted above mass and greetings in small towns can be very special.The references to greetings to pilgrims from the elderly has reminded me of a very small event.
In May 2016 I was at an evening Mass at Najera.
As with weekday attendance at any parish church there, or here at home, attendance was of the elderly.
The difference en camino is a smattering of pilgrims.
The wooden pews extended across the middle with aisles and shorter pews on both sides.
During the Peace an older lady to my left turned toward me, grasped my extended had with both of hers, leaving a small coin for me to retrieve.
My hearing is such that, if she said something I didn't hear it.
But her smile and gesture spoke volumes.
Buen camino, indeed.
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