She won't be cowed to denying her roots
On beauty products
She wouldn't be relying on for her looks
Proud...she is of her culture
To others, it is a mark of torture
To some, it is a taboo
For any to have this facial tattoo
Pitiful glances became her lot
To them that cared, her culture she taught
The meaning behind the act
This she did with tact
It represents beauty she sings
Eni sa keke ogun, aajo ewa ni
Eni babaja ogbon, aajo ewa ni
(The one that bears twenty keke marks, makes effort to beautify
The one that bears thirty abaja marks, makes effort to beautify)
It serves as a protection against death she chants
Onikeke logun
Alabaja logbonOnikoko kaadotaA dia fin Odunmbaku…
Won ni o rubo nitori iku
Won ni o fadiye irana kan rubo
O se e iku ko pa aIjo ni o njoAyo ni o n yo
(The one that bears keke live above twenty
The one that bears abaja live above thirty
The one that bears koko live above fifty
This divines for Odunmbaku
Who was asked to offer propitiation against death
With a sacrificial fowl
He did and never struck by death
He was dancing
He was rejoicing)
Dnt know ur knowledge in the yoruba culture was this robust o, like it. It sounds like research work.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think the tribal mark thing will make it to the next generation cos of religion and civilizations.
ReplyDeleteI need to know where you learnt this deep Yoruba from. Nice piece.
ReplyDeleteI need to know where you learnt this deep Yoruba from. Nice piece.
ReplyDeleteGood work. I just read ur English translations . Cld'nt keep up with the depth of the Yoruba. If you could do this to sth you normally shld otherwise care less or know little about (tribal marks). I wonder what u'll do to sth ure more naturally passionate about keep it up
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