This elegy is written in Temne, one of the major languages of Sierra Leone. It is in honour of the late Sierra Leonean writer Gbanabom Hallowell (photo). A translation into English and a Glossary will follow.
Orwawo, Orsoko!
By Gibril Gbanabome Koroma, Toronto, Canada
Orwawo, Orsoko!
Aye wan, kon ntay kaneh-su kpa nyeima koneh-ah?
Kon ntay kaneh ansoko do Yoni kpa nyeima kaleneh-ah, wan?
Aye Orsoko wan, ethah ma yor mbor,
Nfi munfeth, wan. Ko-yorneh-ah?
Pa Kurumassaba gbet kornor tara moryen
Spah kan kan kuru-an ormarr anyeh ntay-ay
Nya-beh!
Kori-ah su Fola Massa Binbinkorror-an
Kori-ah su Kassi Lolo-an,
Kori-ah su Yamba Wuka-n
Kori-ah su Raka-Faray-an
Kori ah su Pa Hallowell-an
Kori-asu Ansoko ahYoni po koneh-aye beh
Aye-eeeeee-ah!
Awo-ooooo-ah, owa!
Aye-aye-aye, Orwa!
Ben-ben-ben, eh-eh-eh. Owa!
Translation
Fare thee well, Orsoko!
Oh my brother, why did you not tell us you were about to go away?
Why did you you not tell the Sokos of Yoni that you wanted to return?
Oh Orsoko my brother, this is not good at all,
You died young, my brother. What really happened?
Only God, the Almighty knows now
We now say may God help those you left behind,
All of them
Say hello on our behalf to Fola Massa Binbinkroh
Say hello to Kasi Lolo,
Say hello on our behalf to Yamba Wuka
Say hello on our behalf to Raka Faray
Say hello on our behalf to Pa Hallowell
Greet for us all the Yoni Sokos that had gone
Aye-eeeeee-ah!
Awo-ooooo-ah, owa!
Aye-aye-aye, Orwa!
Ben-ben-ben, eh-eh-eh. Owa!
Glossary
1. Fola Massah Binbinkorroh: A former Paramount Chief of Yoni chiefdom, in the Tonkolili district, north of Sierra Leone. He was a recognised Grand Chief Patron of the Poro society of Yoni and very popular.
2. Kasi Lolo, one of the most revered Poro leaders
3. Orsoko: A member of the Temne Poro Society, a traditional secret society of northern Sierra Leone. The opposite of Orsoko is Orgborrka (an uninitiated person).
4. Pa Kurumassaba: God, the Almighty
5. Pa Hallowell: Father of Gbanabom, who died before him.
6. Raka Faray: A former very famous Sokobana, or senior Poro member.
7. Sokos: Members of the Poro society.
8. Yamba Wuka, a former prominent Poro leader.
9. The last five lines are sacred untranslatable chants of the Poro secret society of the north of Sierra Leone.
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