Suriname folk-lore

e) Busi kromanti

164.

Ma-ba, ma-ba, san kǫ' Ma - ba Kro-man- ti A-mamba 'Ku-ba

[p. 636]

 

San kǫ' Ma - ba (6 times)

I came, I came,
I went and I came [back]
[I am] Akuba of the Kromanti nation.¹

1 This translation was given by a Gold Coast informant.

165.

A - yu mu yɛ - pi, yu mu yɛ - pi, yu mu yɛ - pi mi,
A - yu mu yɛ - pi, yu mu yɛ - pi, yu mu yɛ - pi - o,
A - yu mu yɛ - pi O - sai̯ Tan - do, yu mu yɛ - p'A - b'e - wa
(5 times; sung alternately by solo and chorus.)

You must help me,
You must help me - o;
You must help me,
You must help me - e.
You must help (me) Osai Tando²
You must help, Abrewa.³

2 Gold Coast Deity (Tano).

3 Gold Coast Deity; lit., ‘Ancient Woman’.

[p. 637]

166.

O - ya Bus - mǫ, ɛ Bus - me-o Ko-rą - ti - na ba- bra
O - ya Bus- mǫ, O Bus - mǫ, Ko-rą - ti - na ba - bra
Da ya-wa Bus-mǫ Kro-man-t'a Bus - mǫ - Ko-rą - ti - na ba - bra
O - ya (etc.)

Thou art God
Thou art God
O Korantina calls
O Thursday Gods
Kromanti Gods
O Korantina calls.¹

1 This translation was given by a Gold Coast informant.

[p. 638]

167.

Kro-mąn-ti ba - ri, a ba - ri, a sa - chie - o Kro-mąn-
ti ba - ri, a ba - ri, a sa - chi Na Nɛ̨ŋ-gre Kɔ̨n-dre Kro - mąn-
ti Na Bu - si kɔ̨n-dre Kro-mąn - ti Kro-mąn - ti ba - ro, a
ba - ri, a sa - chi Kro-mąn-ti ba - ro a ba - ri, a sa - chi
Kro-mąn - ti ba - ro, a ba - ri, a sa - chi Na Nɛ̨ŋ-gre Kɔ̨n-dre Kro-
mąnti Na Bu-si Kɔ̨n-dre Kro-mąn-ti Na Ɔn - dro Wa-tra Kro-mąn-ti
Kro-mąn-ti (etc.)
(End of the record)

[p. 639]

 

Kromanti is crying;

 

It cries, and it calls - o!

 

O, Kromanti is crying;

 

It cries, and it calls;

 

The African Kromanti,

 

The Bush Kromanti,

 

The Water Kromanti,

 

O, Kromanti is crying;

 

It cries and it calls - o!

168.

Ya, ya - wa - ya - wa - ye - Ya-wa, ya - wa
ya - wa ya - wa-o A Na - na - o Ya-wa, ya - wa
A - san - te - o (........) A-ya- wa dɛn - si' a - wa - ni
[ku-ma] (Repetition by the chorus)
a-wa den - si - a - wa-wa - wa- wa - wa - wa - wa A - ya - wa
dɛn - si' a - wa - ni a-wa den - si - a - o A Na - na - ba
Ya - wa dɛn - si' a - wa- (ni) - A 'sa - sa ku - ma (.......)

[p. 640]

 

Oh Ya, oh Ya, oh Ya - e,

 

Oh Ya, oh Ya, oh Ya - o,

 

Oh ancestors,

 

Oh Ya of Ashanti - o,

 

Oh Ya we greet you - o!