During the Multinational festival in Canberra in February this year I had the chance to meet an exceptional Bulgarian. She was in Canberra for the only reason to see the performance of ‘Varna’ ensemble.
She is a woman having passed though an awful personal tragedy and despite this fact she is still strong enough to do her best to make the Bulgarian culture and folklore popular here, in the distant Australia.
This is Valya Yaninska.
She was born in the beautiful capital of Bulgaria Sofia, she graduated as an engineer and somehow she felt in Australia.
Soon after her arrival she had an accident and was coma for a few days. She had been recovering for months and the insistent efforts of the doctors help her revive. By her side in the hospital are her mother, her husband, her little son and her friends from the ‘Martenitsa’ choir. Their deep love returned her to life.
Today she still says she lives a second life. A life, which she wants to devote to everything beautiful, that she had learnt in Bulgaria.
And when she opened her eyes she not just started singing but singing a Bulgarian song. All were surprised by her melodic voice. The surprise was bigger because she started singing ‘Imala maika edno mi chedo’ (A mother had a child).
As a cure, offered by God, the Bulgarian folklore songs helps Valya survive the pain and recover after the numerous surgeries.
Today she recovers and continues singing in ‘Matenitsa’ choir. Bulgaria has given to the world many magnificent voices. And Valya’s beautiful and warm voice is like a balm for the soul. Her big smile and big warm eyes attract the friendship of those who had come over to listen to her singing.
Now that I am writing about Valya I still hear her sweet voice singing ‘Katerino mome’. This voice is a real miracle, a divine miracle. A voice which washes out all bad thoughts and pours into your soul a spring’s freshness and you somehow start singing along.
Even when you hear her for the first time you remain indifferent, her voice grabs you in a moving and magical way.
You feel the strong magic of the Bulgarian song when you listen to Valya. She not just sings but she lives the song.
She is a former member of ‘Gotse Delchev’ ensemble from Sofia.
Nowadays a number of Australian organizations frequently invite her to take part in concerts on different occasions. Wherever she goes she performs the Bulgarian folklore songs, songs, filled with love and sorrow for the native Bulgaria.
Meanwhile Valya is a wonderful mother and wife and a good company and a friend.
She is extremely intelligent and knowledgeable woman and she is the permanent advertiser of Bulgarian folklore in Australia. She proudly wears her traditional costume.
For the little time after her recovery she manages to get in contact with different cultural institutions in Sidney and Canberra. Thus she reminds that Bulgaria exists, that Bulgarians exist and that they have good qualities. Valya is doing her best to develop her conception of outlining Bulgaria’s advantages and change the negative opinion for our country in Australia. Let’s hope she will have the strength to achieve that with the support of other compatriots.
Her belief is that humanity always wins and the song is a little miracle, which you extremely need being far away from home.
According to her, people are the same all around the world. It doesn’t matter whether she will perform at the theatre, at a local hall or on the meadow. The most important thing is the love to the song…
I wish her from the bottom of my heart a long life to sing and make people happy when listening to her voice. Let her be an ambassador of Bulgarian folklore art in the distant Australia.

Adriana Andreeva
Canberra, Australia

Translation: Vera Genova