Friday 15 May 2009

Mandinka poem

Yinti Yonto kaba
Kabalamasibo
Nbarin musoli, kaba manfeya lon
Musu jama tardeta, kaba labarola
Yinti yonto kaba
Kaba kaa malo le sabu
Kaba kaa Nekuya lee Seeyandi

Famali Nin Bamalu kunbota
Kaba laa Nyagi Bondo
Musuluwo, Alkana kaba Maa, Nin Futuwo Mansite
Nin Yamira, Diya Bekabato
Baatu Foo Fintinwu Fintinwu Yeban
Kaba Kaa Kuneyale

Yinto Yonto Kaba
Kaaba Lamasibo
Din Wulu, Wokola Malo
Kikendole Borita
Kefuntulu Yee Dante
Suwokuta Dibiman Kee
Yinti Yonto Kaba Balamasiboo!

(Poem in Mandinka Language, by Suntou Touray)

2 comments:

solo said...

I ning baara


Kabaa yaa diataa, baari, aaa

Thanks for that

SUNTOU TOURAY said...

A brief explanation of the poem for non-mandingo speakers.
The poem is adapted from the 'old mandingo secret soceity song'. it is not A sukuwo which is a religious hymms, this is more a 'right of passage' song. i only use one phrase out the right of passage song, which is the first phrase of the poem 'Yinti yonto Kaba'.

Yinti Yonto kaba: is a polite words for testicles. Old boys are warn to be careful of their testicles or wellis or mandhood more appropraitely.
There are some mandingo folklure songs which made statement depicting the insignificance of the male testcicles, thus you hear songs like: berekili lamabe- the attendance of a testicle. no need to go any further folks.

The poem is a message to both young boys and girls. to youngs boys becus, the yinti yonto, the hanging mini-stone is a dangerous intsrument if use wrongly. to girls, if they think that the mini-stone is for toying with, they are making a big mistake.
the boys can use their yinti yonto ie testicles to watse and disturb the whole life plan of the girls, through unwanted pregnancies and so on.
so it is for the girls to be strong and refuse the advances of the boys with their weapons the kaba.
a kaba is a wild fruits that people from the provences know more about. its roots is use for curing troublesome stomach pains. it is redish, usually put in bottles and water poured into it.