COPYRIGHT DEV VIRAHSAWMY AND ICJM
Dev Virahsawmy,
5, Edwin Ythier street,
Rose Hill, 71368,
Mauritius.
limemsa@gmail.com
http://boukiebanane.com
http://www.boukiebanane.intnet.mu
Pou seki mo kone,
Seki mo pa kone,
To lamour
Li kouma laroze
Lor enn petal roz.
For those I know
And those I don’t know,
Your love
Is like dew
On a rose petal.
KONTENI/CONTENTS
PREFACE: A NATIONAL TREASURE
PROLOG
TIPA VER GRAN LALIMIER
MERSI BONDIE
THANK YOU, MY LORD
TIPTI ZAFER POU PAS LETAN
ANOU RANZ SIME EK PON
EPILOG
LIV PAR DEV / BOOKS BY DEV
POSTFACE: TOUJOURS VIVANT, LE POETE
PREFACE: A NATIONAL TREASURE
Dev Virahsawmy has been a clear-eyed and faithful witness to the formation, evolution, and transformation of the Mauritian nation for over fifty years. He has shared with us his gift of language, tirelessly composing in a variety of genres: poetry, fiction, essays, and stunningly original translations into Kreol of Indian, English and French classics, and of the sacred texts of great religions. He has elevated our lingua franca to the status of a fine literary idiom. His most famous play, Toufann, loosely “translated” from Shakespeare’s Tempest, has been staged in English in London. It stands out among the numerous postcolonial rewritings of the famous play (such as Aimé Césaire’s Une tempête) as a shrewd and hilarious assessment of the intertwining of power and sexuality, as well as a prescient engagement with technology: who can forget his brilliant rendering of Prospero as a magician in his “kontrol room”?
Today, over fifty years after Independence, Dev presents us with the gift of his autobiographical reflections and poems, his “zistwar mo pei.” It is a volume that, like our patchwork nation, is a mix of his signature styles: sonnets, religious musings, political writings, and personal anecdotes.
His story begins in 1971, in the trauma of violence, when the leaders of the newly formed political party, the MMM, were targets of assassination. The bullet meant for Dev on November 25th killed his friend Azor instead. Dev wonders why he survived, what designs God had for him: “toultan mo poz kestion kifer mo ti sap dan lamor.” This trauma is a motor of creativity, and this new book, opening on his “Testaman enn Endou-Kreol,” outlines what he owes to the diverse cultures and influences that all Mauritians are privileged to share. He has a sense of urgency about how we need to get along, appreciate each other, and understand our common humanity in the era of climate change and rising ocean levels that threaten our very survival. The book concludes with beautiful lyrics calling for the dawn of a new age: “Bann vie manier ki blok progre/Zot plas zordi li dan baydoum.”
Dev Virahsawmy is our national treasure, a prince among poets, a voice of reason and sanity in an age of new challenges. It behooves us all to stop, listen, and pay attention.
Françoise Lionnet
Cambridge, Mass., USA
PROLOG
Dan maryaz ek lanterman
Zestaz par tonn fer piti.
Pa traka si pa konpran,
Samem sime paradi.
Nou langaz pa enportan,
Sa zis bon pou tilespri.
Plis enn lang nepli grandi,
Li finn mor depi lontan,
Plis li fer giji-giji,
Fer zom, fam ek bann zanfan
Respir parfen paradi.
Ala zistwar mo pei
Ar so pret ek pousari,
Profeser ki finn modi,
Politik exper dan trik,
Paran ki nek pans piknik.
19.11.2018
TIPA VER GRAN LALIMIER/TOWARDS THE GREAT LIGHT
MERSI BONDIE
TESTAMAN ENN ENDOU-KREOL
Le 25 Novam 1971, ti ena 2 evennman violan dan Kirpip.
Premie dabor, bann aktivis PMSD ti atak loto Paul Berenger divan Minispalite Kirpip. Erezman Paul ek bann aktivis MMM dan so loto ti reysi sape.
Detrwa minit pli tar, dan loto mo kamarad Mahboob – mo loto M117 ti anpann – mo ti rant dan lari Satonef. Mo kamarad Azor ki ti sagren mwa parski mo lame gos paralize, ti asiz deryer. Enn kou mo ti tann enn tapaz fren. Ler mo ti get deryer mo ti trouv Falkonn gri PMSD e par enn lafnet ti ena enn lagoul fizi pwente dan mo direksion. Mo ti ouver laport, ti zet lekor deor. Anmemtan ti ena enn detonasion. Loto Falkonn gri ti disparet atoutvites. Ler mo ti get deryer, mo ti trouv Azor ar enn trou dan so latet. Li ti mor dan mo plas.
Azor ti enn senpatizan PMSD me li pa ti dakor ki bann aktivis PMSD ti atak mo lakaz ar kokteyl Molotov e li ti vinn get mwa pou dir mwa sa. Depi sa zour la li ti vinn mo kamarad e souvan kan li ti lib, li ti pe akonpagn mwa pou ed mwa.
Enn lamitie onet ek senser ti atas nou ansam.
Depi le 25 Novam 1971, toultan mo poz kestion kifer mo ti sap dan lamor.
Eski se parski, si mo pa ti sape, pa ti pou ena Li, Zeneral Makbef, Toufann, plis ki 2,000 poem, tizistwar, novela ek roman, Shakespeare an Morisien? Parski mo pa ti pou trouv mo de tifi grandi, ni mo trwa tizanfan vinn egey mo lavi? Non, non, non!
Parski mo pa ti pou dekouver veritab lafwa e etidie ek tradir Bhagavad-Gita, Ansien Testaman, Nouvo Testaman ek Koran. Sa bann tex sakre la finn fer mwa trouv lizour, kone ki mo ete.
• Bhagavad-Gita finn ansengn mwa: RE-ENKARNASION EK AVTARR;
• Labib finn montre mwa LAMOUR EK PARDON;
• Koran finn ansengn mwa SOLIDARITE EK PARTAZ.
Akoz mo kwar ki Bondie parfwa vinn lor later kouma enn imen (Avtarr), mwa enn Endou mo panse ki Zezikri li pa “fils de Dieu” me Bondie ki, pou dir so mesaz Lamour ek Pardon, ti swazir pou vinn parmi nou parey kouma Krishna ti aksepte kondir saryo Arjouna pou ouver so lespri e ed li tras so sime.
Si mo ti gagn kout bal le 25 Novam 1971, mo ti pou fini dan nwarte.
Bondie finn servi Azor pou permet mwa grandi. Mersi Bondie, mersi Azor!
27.11.2018
THANK YOU, MY LORD
TESTAMENT OF A HINDU-CREOLE
On November 25 1971, two violent events took place in Curepipe.
First, PMSD activists attacked Paul Berenger’s car in front of the Curepipe municipality. Fortunately, Paul and MMM activists in his car managed to escape.
A few minutes later, in my friend Mahboob’s car – my car M117 had broken down – I was in Chasteauneuf street. My friend Azor who was sorry for me because of my atrophied left arm, was in the back seat. Suddenly I heard the screeching sound of brakes being brutally applied. I looked back and saw the grey PMSD Falcon and the barrel of a gun pointing in my direction. I opened the door and dived outside. There was a loud detonation. The grey Falcon disappeared at full speed. At the back of my car was my friend Azor with a hole in his head. He took the bullet meant for me.
Azor was a PMSD supporter who was upset by the fact that PMSD activists had attacked my house with Molotov cocktails. He came to see me to tell me that. Since that day we had become good friends and whenever he was free, he would accompany me to help me.
We were bound by a true and sincere friendship.
I have always wondered how and why I escaped death.
Was it to allow me to write poems, plays and literary prose; to see my two daughters grow and to look after my grandchildren?
No!
It was to allow me to find true faith, study and translate religious literature and discover the path to light.
• The Bhagavad-Gita has taught me reincarnation and avatar;
• The Bible has taught me love and mercy;
• The Coran has taught me solidarity and sharing.
Because of my Hindu belief in avatar (avtarr), I think Jesus is God and not God’s son. He came to teach us love and mercy in the same way as Lord Krishna came to guide Prince Arjuna.
Had I died on 25 November 1971, I would have been in eternal darkness.
Azor was God’s agent to help me grow.
Thank you, my Lord; thank you Azor.
27.11.2018
18 SEPTAM 2018 – ALA KI MO ETE!
Li enn gran soulazman
Kan nou kone, anfen,
Ki nou ete.
Konesans donn liberte.
Tou imen lor later ena mem anset:
200 Afriken ki plis ki 50,000 banane desela
Ti kit Lafrik pou peple lemonn.
Nou rasinn dan Lafrik.
Later Moris li enn later Kreol.
Depi 400 banane imigran sorti partou
(Lerop, Lafrik, Lenn, Lasinn)
Nou pe transform nou lil Kreol.
Nou tou nou Kreol;
Nou ena 2 lang Kreol:
Morisien ek Angle.
Nou viv dan enn repiblik maritim:
Nou ena 2,200 km2 later ek
2,300,000 km2 lamer.
Lavi sorti dan dilo;
Nou sivilizasion pou grandi dan dilo.
ENN GRAN DESTEN!
Aster mo kone ki mo ete.
Enn Indo-Afriken-Kreol
Ki kontan later,
Ki pa per lamer.
18 SEPTEMBER 2018 – THIS IS WHAT I AM!
It’s a great feeling
To know who you are,
At long last.
Knowledge gives freedom.
All humans have the same ancestors:
50,000 years ago, 200 Africans
Left Africa to people the world.
Our roots are in Africa.
Mauritius is Creole land.
For 400 years, immigrants
From Europe, Africa and Asia
Have been transforming our Creole island.
We are all Creoles;
We speak 2 Creole languages:
Mauritian and English.
We live in a Maritime Republic
Made of 2,200 km2 of land
And 2,300,000 km2 of sea.
Life comes from the sea;
Our civilization will grow in and on water.
What a great DESTINY!
Now I know who I am.
A Hindo-African-Creole
Who loves his land
And is not afraid of the sea.
19 SEPTAM 2018 – MO IDANTITE
Mo finn viv enn zoli lavi
Ar so bon ek move moman
Tranpe dan dilo sakre lamour,
Lamour Bondie;
Lamour Loga;
Lamour mo zanfan ek tizanfan.
Sak bon ek move moman
Finn ouver mo lizie
Pou konpran mo karrma.
Mo nepli per lamor
Parski li koumansman
Enn lot lavi.
Moksha ou nouvo nesans?
Pa kone.
Me mo atma kone.
Enn ti reflexion:
An Morisien, ki mo pou servi pou ‘atma’?
Mo servi ‘nam’; ena lezot ki servi ‘lam’.
‘Nam’ ek ‘lam’ zot ena plis ki enn sans.
“Zis minwi, bann nam kit zot tom.”
‘Nam’ se enn lespri malefik ousa tortire.
An Angle apel sa ‘ghost’.
“Li enn nam sinema.”
Savedir li kontan al sinema.
Akoz sa, ena dimoun ki prefer servi mo ‘lam’.
Tou nam pa malefik.
Ena nam ki gid nou larout.
An Angle apel sa ‘Holy Ghost’.
Akoz sa mo trouv ‘nam’ plis korek
Parski ‘lam’ li kapav osi enn zouti
Ki servi pou koupe-transe,
Pa zis pou raze.
Mo pe viv enn zoli lavi.
Dimoun pe koumans aksepte
Ki nou viv lor enn lil Kreol
Kot nou koz 2 lang Kreol:
MORISIEN ek ANGLE.
Nou tou nou bann imigran
Lor enn lil Kreol.
Samem baz nouvo dime.
Samem soubasman
Pou konstrir NASION MORISIEN.
Malgre difikilte, malgre dife dan lorizon,
Ena lespwar.
19 SEPTEMBER 2018 – MY IDENTITY
I’ve lived a good life
With good and bad moments
Soaked in sacred love
Of God,
Of Loga,
Of children and grandchildren.
Each good and bad moment
Has shed light
On my karma.
I’m not afraid of death;
It’s only the beginning
Of new life.
Moksha or rebirth?
Cannot tell
But my soul knows.
By the way,
Should I say soul or ghost?
In Mauritian there are 2 words for ‘soul’,
‘Lam’ and ‘nam’.
When words are polysemic
Choice is difficult.
Let’s skip this.
Not really relevant.
My life is good.
That we live on a Creole island
Speaking 2 Creole languages,
Mauritian and English,
Is no more repugnant.
That we are all immigrants
On a Creole island
Is our blessed tomorrow,
The foundation-stone
Of the nation to be.
Threatening difficulties? Yes.
Lurking dangers? Yes.
And yet hope shines.
20 SEPTAM 2018 – PARDONE ME RAPEL
Bate-rande pa fer dimal!
Yer, bann Eropeen ti rant partou,
Koken, viole, touye.
Zot ti sir tousa ti zot drwa.
Bondie ti dir zot
Al siviliz bann sovaz.
Zordi bann sovaz pe rant partou
Pou enn bouse manze.
Bann Eropeen pe ranz miray,
Fit zouti, imilie, tortire, touye …
Bate-rande pa fer dimal?
Ki Bondie pe dir aster?
Enn sans lor nou ti lil Kreol,
Kot imigran sorti partou
(Sorti Lerop, Lafrik ek Lazi)
Nou pe ranz sime lalimier,
Tipatipa ziska Gran Lalimier.
Bate-rande fer dimal.
Olie bate-rande,
Anou aprann partaze;
Anou aprann pardone.
Anou lir ansam
Bhagavad-Gita
Ansien Testaman
Nouvo Testaman
Koran.
Tousala parol mem Bondie.
20 SEPTEMBER 2018 – GOD OF MERCY
A tooth for a tooth cannot hurt!
Yesterday they invaded us;
Robbed, raped and butchered.
It was their right, they felt.
God told them
Tame savages
Today savages are invading
For some grub.
They now build walls
Getting ready to humiliate, torture and kill …
A tooth for a tooth cannot hurt?
What is the Lord’s message?
Thank goodness! On our little Creole island
Peopled by immigrants from everywhere
We build paths of light
Step by step to The Great Light.
A tooth for a tooth does hurt!
Instead,
Let’s learn to share;
Let’s learn to forgive.
Let’s together learn to read
The Bhagavad-Gita,
The Old Testament,
The New Testament,
The Holy Koran,
Words from the same God.
23 SEPTAM 2018 – NOUVO KILTIR POLITIK
Tou zafer politik
Me politik pa tou zafer.
Dan tou zafer ki nou fer
Ena so kote politik
Me sa pa vedir ki politik
Kapav ranplas tou.
Politik pa kapav pran plas
Lafwa ek lamour.
Bizen osi fer diferans ant
Politik ek politik-parti.
Ena bann gran problem politik
Ki transand politik-parti,
Politik-partizan.
Sanzman klimatik,
Sekirite alimanter,
Egalite zom-fam,
Drwa minorite sosial ek sexiel,
Literesi … Tousa konsern tou parti politik
Apart bann rasis, fasis ek sexis…
Anou adopte enn nouvo kiltir politik.
23 SEPTEMBER 2018 – NEW POLITICS
Whatever we do
Is in a way political.
Yet politics is not All.
Politics is present in all we do
But politics cannot replace All.
Faith and love transcend politics
Which bows its head.
Let it be clear:
Politics and party-politics
Are not the same.
There are issues
That transcend party-politics,
And political bias.
Climate change,
Food security,
Gender equality,
Minority social and sexual rights,
Literacy concern us all
Except racists, facists and sexists of course.
Let’s adopt a new political culture!
25 SEPTAM 2018 – NOUVO LESPRI
Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie Sanders, Yanis Varoufakis ek lezot
Pe plant lespwar dan leker limanite;
Pa lespwar koz manti,
Fer manti vinn vre
Ek vre vinn manti,
Kouyonn lizie,
Angourdi lespri
Me lespwar ki repoz lor mesaz lavenir,
Lor okip zarden Bondie,
Lor parol mars ar aksion,
Lor kouraz kalkile
Dan lentere zanfan ek tizanfan,
Ki konbat egoism ek gourmandiz
Pou ranplas li par
SOLIDARITE EK PARTAZ.
Zordi gramaten, mo finn aprann
Ki Parti Travayis Angle
Finn deside pou entansifie konba
Kont Pitay-Plen-Tenk
Ki pe touy nou planet,
Fer Lenzistis vinn lerwa
- Enn manz 99, 99 manz enn –
Lamizer nwar pou 99,
Fortinn vantar pou Enn.
Zom, fam, zanfan, partou dan lemon
Pe kriye for-for:
“ARETE FOUTOU!”
25 SEPTEMBER 2018 – NEW LIFE
Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie Sanders, Yanis Varoufakis and others
Are sowing hope in humanity’s heart;
Not lying hope
Which makes truth of lies
And lies of truth,
Which fools our eyes,
And dulls the mind
But hope that heralds the future,
Built on stewardship,
Which walks the talk,
Which thinks of children and grandchildren
Not yet born,
Which fights selfishness and greed
To grow the tree
Of SOLIDARITY AND SHARING.
This morning I heard
That the English Labour Party
Has decided to intensify the fight
Against Mammon,
The butcher of our planet,
Placing the crown on injustice’s head
- 99 for one and one for 99 –
Dire poverty for 99,
Haughty wealth for one.
Men, women and children all over the world
Are shouting the same thing:
“FOR GOD’S SAKE, STOP IT!”
26 SEPTAM 2018 – FONNDOS MAYA!
Kan siklonn pe bate,
Li pa ler pou pas lasir lor sali
Pou fer li glase.
Tansion taker kriye “Chooorrr!”
Ou swiv direksion so ledwa.
Kone ki ou ete.
Kone kot ou ete.
Kone ki pe arrive.
Sinon lakesoungwa degize answami
Pou fer ou dans tig.
Agwa Mamon pou fer giling-giling
Paysa pran nisa ar ou zorey,
Zwe sapsiway ar ou lespri.
Bwana labank, baron ladrog,
Mamlouk roderbout
Konn tou trik
Zes touy konesans.
Kan ou get lemonn dan fon enn kouyer,
Ou rant direk dan latrap,
Fini dan ganndol.
Zoli tapaz ek lanbalaz
Fer lougarou rant dan lakaz.
26 SEPTEMBER 2018 – GET LOST MAYA!
When furious winds are raging
Do you use floor polish
To make it shine?
Beware! Rapist shouts “Stop thief!”
And you follow his finger’s direction.
Know who you are;
Where you are;
What’s going on.
Beware of Diabolus in hermit’s garb
Making you dance the step to hell.
Match-maker Mammon
Will with chiming coins
Cozen your ears,
Play foot-shuttlecock with your mind.
Bank lords and drug barons,
Arse-licking mongrels,
Tricksters of all sorts,
Virtue-killing liars will have their way.
If you watch the world
From the shallow bowl
Of a spoon
You go straight
Into the trap
And end up
At the bottom
Of the cliff.
Siren song and bright wrapping
Open the gate to hell.
27 SEPTAM 2018 – ROD LIPO-POUL
Dan Pei Toktok, nou mari komik.
Kan X dir kiksoz, Y tir lartik.
X rod drwadevot, Y pa dakor;
Eleksion vini. Pa dakor dakor
Servi drwadevot pou rant dan pouvwar.
Rod lendepandans? X sant laviktwar;
Y met lenz nwar, sant bilenbi long;
X imit Bitoul, Y kokorong.
Lerla enn mirak brouy labou partou:
X ek Y zwenn pou partaz ladou.
Dan Pei Toktok, nou kontan tir lay;
X menas Y pou fer li manz may;
Y menase, “To dal pa pou kwi!”
Apre toulede mont lor mem lili.
Zot dir pa pran kont, “Sa politik sa!
Bril idol sakre, lerla sanz manntra.”
Letansa zanfan pa konpran nanye.
Tousala parey! Mem kaka-nene!
Avoy tou ferfout, rod nisa dan bang;
Ferm lizie pou viv! Nou fer kouma tang.
Si bang pa ase, ena sentetik.
Diabolik finn vinn mirak anzelik.
Kan pou tom dakor lor endispansab?
Kan pou diskite e aret tir sab?
Kan nou pou aret met lafwa dan fab
E tou trap lame e aret fer krab?
Dife fer laraz, pie mang pe brile!
Li pa ler aster priye lamone.
Ena enn sime pou limanite:
SOLIDARITE! SOLIDARITE!
27 SEPTEMBER 2018 – NIT PICKING
In Nuttyland, we’re all cranky.
When X says Y, Y says X.
X wants universal suffrage; Y is against.
When elections come Against is For
To get power.
Independence. X sings “Triumphant”
Y wears black and sings “Bitter gourd”.
X has Beatles haircut; Y chooses skinhead.
Then … O Miracle! Mud is stirred.
X and Y hold hands to enjoy manna.
In Nuttyland we’re good at nit-picking.
X threatens Y; Y threatens X
And end up together in bed.
They tell us not to worry: “That’s politics!
Burn what you adore and adore what you burn.”
Meanwhile children are lost.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee! Same shit!
Fuck it all, let’s get high on bhang!
Let’s be tenrec-like and not see.
If needs be, there’s synthetic too.
The devil turned angel … of death.
When will we agree on basics?
Can’t we talk and not fight?
Can’t we stop mixing faith with fables?
Can’t we not hold hands generously?
Life’s on fire and my mango tree is burning.
Don’t worship false Mammon-like gods!
Only one way left for us:
SOLIDARITY! SOLIDARITY!
8 OKTOB 2018 – TOUKOREK
Manti sa do ta! Pei pa toktok!
Pa ekout pagla, pa ekout bann plok!
Misie Dideor ti dir nou enn fwa
Gran Boug ti tir plan pou ranz douniya.
Manti sa do ta! Nou pei enn far.
So fanal fouy trou dan vwal marenwar;
Fer grannwar vantar desann so kalson
E met declare dan kare koson.
Anou sant kiltir: “Pa traka baba!
Ena dalpita ek makaroni;
Ena farata ek moulouktani;
Ena dilebi, ena kennteki.”
Nou pei model pa zis paradi
Me osi model grander tilespri.
Boukou-boukou senn pou nanye ditou,
Tapaz barik vid finn vinn manitou.
Piti kouma gran, nou tou tirer plan;
Nou envant koze ki pa ekziste;
Noumem nou model nasion larkansiel.
Pa ekout bann rann, ekout zis nou bann.
Anou sant kiltir: “Pa traka baba!
Ena dalpita ek makaroni;
Ena farata ek moulouktani;
Ena dilebi, ena kennteki.”
8 OCTOBER 2018 – ALRIGHT JACK
Come off it! This is not Nuttyland.
Don’t mind fools and bollocks!
A foreign gentleman once told us
Grand Master designed our world.
Rubbish! Our land is a lighthouse.
Its lamp can tear night’s veil;
Strip arrogance
And checkmate la-di-da.
Let’s sing our glory: “Don’t worry, my friend!
Aloo gobi, macaroni,
Paratha, mulligatawny,
Jaleebi and Kentucky.”
My land is model for paradise,
Model for the size of narrow mind.
Much ado about nothing is commandment,
Noisy-Empty-Vessel rules.
We’re all good experts
At myth-making.
Rainbow nation is us.
Don’t mind them, think of us.
Let’s sing our glory: “Don’t worry, my friend!
Aloo gobi, macaroni,
Paratha, mulligatawny,
Jaleebi and Kentucky.”
10 OKTOB 2018 – TOU VINN ENN
Maha-Bwana-Paysa finn deside!
Li finn deklare, Li finn dekrete:
Limem ekriven, Limem prodikter,
Meter-ansenn, reziser ek akter.
Atansion! Li sef enterpretasion;
Li kone ki bon ek seki pa bon.
Li ki deside ki pou pibliye,
Ki pou difize, ki pou sansire.
Kontan, pa kontan, enn sel konklizion:
Kan TOU vedir ENN, peyna konfizion.
Li finn regle tou. Limem prezidan,
Manejer-Gorli, Antrener-Refri;
Zame li ofsayd, zame li perdi;
So kismat apel gagnan permanan.
So biznes pa konn okenn restriksion.
Deregilasion premie komannman;
Privatizasion iltim sakreman.
Se so liberte ki san finision.
Kan tou vedir enn, enn bizen tousel,
Sinon boukou pou rod vinn kouma enn.
Les enn pran boukou ek boukou pran enn
Pou ki nou later vinn kouma lesiel
Kot ENN kontrol tou e tou priye ENN.
Li pa ti dir, “Tou pou enn, enn pou tou”?
10 OCTOBER 2018 – ALL IS ONE
Great Lord Wonga has decided!
He has ordained and decreed:
He is writer, producer,
Director, editor, actor.
Watch it! He heads appreciation
For he knows what’s good or bad.
He decides on publication,
Broadcast and censorship.
Willy-nilly, stuff it!
When ALL becomes ONE, all is creaseless.
He controls all. He’s president,
Manager-goalie, trainer-referee;
He’s never offside, never loses;
His karma is permanent win.
Free trade without restriksion;
First and foremost, no regulation;
Sacred sacrament: privatization.
“My” absolute freedom is the rule.
When All is One, One must be unique.
Otherwise many will want to be One.
Let One takes much and many take one
To make heaven on earth
Where ONE controls all and all worship ONE.
Did he not say, “All for one and one for all?”
11 OKTOB 2018 – TAP DE DAN ENN
Marsan lesans ek diezel
Refiz ferm so karousel.
Kifer ferm bann pwi-petrol?
Kifer tenker perdi rol?
Solision boukou pli senp:
Ale monwar, kontrol tenp,
Plant patol ek pie chalta
Pou fer ver vinn kalipa.
Si tro tar pou fer kiksoz,
Anpes margoz siz dan loz,
Kas enn poz, aret palab,
Pa pran kont gorl enbarab.
Pa bizen al get dokter
Kan maler peyna loder;
Ranpli pos kaka-mile,
Pa perdi letan zaze.
Lorizon pe pran dife?
Toufann kouma’nn araze?
Sounani pe fer mari?
Verdigri grignot lespri?
Lasesres parsi-parla,
Debordman dir mwa ki la?
Kifer trakase mayfrenn?
Solision dan de-dan-enn.
11 OCTOBER 2018 – HAVE A DOUBLE SHOT
Fossil fuel business
Refuses change.
Why close oil fields?
Why dry dock tankers?
The way out is simple:
It’s bio-fuel.
Grow trees to make green world.
Just do it!
If it’s too late
Wipe out bitterness;
Relax and stop small talk;
Let the inevitable thrive.
Why waste money on cure
When the end is near?
Fill your coffers with wonga
And forget the rest.
The horizon is ablaze?
Hurricanes are wild with anger?
Tsunami rules powerful?
Green verdigris corrodes the mind?
Drought here and flood there?
Why worry?
Don’t you know the cure?
A double shot!
12 OKTOB 2018 – MERSI BONDIE
Ayo mo Bondie! Pardonn mo erer!
Akoz bann panndit dan nenport exper;
Akoz bann monper sef konservater;
Akoz mawlana ki resit par ker,
Mo ti pran larout grat ledo maler.
Dan brouyar epe mo ti rod daway;
Ti tras enn sime ki kraz lor miray.
Enn sans ki enn swar, TO ti pitie mwa,
Obliz mwa konpran mo zis enn fouka
Ki melanz kalchoul, met dan mem bagal
Lafwa TO donn nou ek ritiel bankal.
Zordi mo lafwa, touni san ritiel,
Pa bizen lansan ek seremoni,
Pa bizen larzan ek so parrsadi,
Dan lang pa konpran, pa bizen dimiel.
Mo dir mo lamour dan lang maternel,
Fer dimoun konpran bann fler bizen nou,
Fer frer-ser kone nou tou bizen tou.
Larkansiel enn zour ti dir mwa sekre
Lavi-eternel pou zame bliye.
AYO MO BONDIE! MERSI TO BONTE!
12 OCTOBER 2018 – MY SWEET LORD
My sweet Lord, forgive me!
Because some pandits wallow in nonsense,
Because some priests refuse change,
Because some imams regurgitate misunderstanding
I took the wrong road to waste and loss.
In thick fog I looked for safety;
Chose the road to disaster.
My luck is your mercy!
One night you pitied me,
Made me understand I was a fool
Mixing up things and putting in the same jar
Your gift of faith and corny rituals.
My ritual free faith, today,
Needs no incense or service;
Needs no fees or offerings
In words obscure, needs no sweetener.
I say love in my tongue;
Get people to look after flowers
And know people need people.
The rainbow once told me the secret
Of eternal life for good.
MY SWEET LORD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS!
13 OKTOB 2018 – PA MELANZ KALCHOUL
Pa melanz kalchoul! Mama pa ti dir?
Ena pou douri, satini, rason.
Aret fer teti, aret latet dir!
Manze prop finn vinn manze pou koson.
Pran kouyer douri pou servi douri;
Trap kouyer kari pou servi kari.
Aret melanze, aret fer malang!
Malang dan deksi, malang dan lespri.
Pa melanz kalchoul! Pa melanz kalchoul!
Pa les ti detay anpes twa trouv kler.
Nou pe koz Darwin, teori siyans,
E twa ki to fer? Koz kouler lapo.
Nou pe diskite ki nou bizen fer
Pou anpes nwizans rwinn nou lekzistans
E twa ki to fer? Rod enn bout lao!
Nou dir nou bizen Nasion Larkansiel
E twa ki to fer? Koz enn ta gonaz:
Twa to gran nasion, li li ti nasion.
Nou pe koz lenportans lang maternel
E twa ki to fer? Kime ar laraz,
Refiz solision ek explikasion.
Pa melanz kalchoul! Zero vinn Zoro!
13 OCTOBER 2018 – DON’T MIX UP
Don’t mix up! Don’t you know?
This is for rice; that one for curry.
What an ass you are!
You’ve messed up the good food.
Use the rice spoon for rice;
The curry spoon for curry;
The ladle for soup.
Mixing up is messy.
Mess in pots and pans and in your mind.
Don’t mix up!
See the wood, not the trees!
Darwin knows who we are, not Adolf.
And you prefer Adolf.
What must we do to save creation?
What? You need promotion?
We need to build a rainbow nation!
Stop your crap!
We’re not bothered by upper and lower birth.
Our mother tongue …
Hold on!
You don’t want to see the wood.
You love your muck!
Mix up and zero becomes Zorro.
14 OKTOB 2018 – AMALGAM
AMALGAM?
Ena seki bon, ena seki fay.
Enn bon amalgam pou fer to ledan
Regagn lazenes; move amalgam
Fer enn bon lide perdi so valer.
Yer nou ti pe dir li ti neseser
Madam ek misie viv egalite.
Enn kou san atann, to kas nou konte
Ar zistwar Labib ki fer kwar Allah
Ar enn kot Adan ti fabrik lotla.
Akoz sa to dir fam lot kalite.
Travayer sosial, artis, profeser
Fer bon amalgam pou konbat ladrog
Me kan prezize ek stipidite
Pe marye pike, sa amalgam la
Pou fer paradi brile dan lanfer.
Olie edike, reabilite,
Blam, ensilt, palab ranpli nou ver grog;
Orzi mesanste pou tir nou manze.
Olie barlizour, marenwar traka.
Fer enn amalgam nou sega ar jaz,
Lerla tamasa ekler nou laplaz
Me kan bachara kas difil sitar
Parski li pa ble, parski li pa blan,
Parski li pa blon, parski li zoulou,
Lerla amalgam fer malis ar nou.
14 OCTOBER 2018 – AMALGAM
AMALGAM?
There’s good and bad.
Good and your tooth gets young.
Bad and a good idea loses its lustre.
We were discussing equality
And out of the blue
You blabbered about Adam’s rib.
So, you say, women are inferior!
Social workers artists and teachers
Find ways to fight addiction
But stupidity and prejudice combine
To burn heaven in hell.
Educate? Rehabilitate?
No way!
Blame and insult fill our glasses.
An orgy of mischief drives out sense.
Night swallows dawn.
Fuse sega and jazz
And joy brightens our shores
But when clumsy breaks sitar strings
Because it’s not blue, white or blond,
Simply because it’s black,
Then amalgam,
The wrong one,
Simply fucks us.
15 OKTOB 2018 – KI TO ETE?
Kan to pa konpran ki twa to ete
To pa pou konpran kot to pe ale.
Aret get lemonn dan fon enn kouyer!
Dan fon enn kouyer, tou paret traver.
To get to lapo, li bien diferan;
To get to seve, li bien diferan;
To get to lizie, li bien diferan.
Tousala kasiet seki pa vizib.
Seki enportan souvan envizib.
Nou tou dan lemonn nou’ena mem paran
Ki bien-bien lontan kit later Lafrik
Pou peple lemonn (Lerop, Lamerik,
Lazi, Lostrali). Sa laverite!
Pa get zozo par so plim! To tande!
Seki ekziste, nou lizie montre?
Seki tas dan nwar li pa ekziste?
Dir mwa kan to lizie ti trouv Bondie?
Aret get lemonn dan fon enn kouyer!
Dan fon enn kouyer, tou paret traver.
Nou tou sort Lafrik, viv lor Lil Kreol;
Nou tou nou konn koz 2 koyne kreol;
Nou tou rekonet ena ENN BONDIE.
Bann nom diferan, mem divinite.
Ki paret ble me ki pa ble? Lamer.
Kan to get lemonn dan fon enn kouyer
Lao vinn anba; lanver ek traver
Anpes nou trouv kler, donn zimaz deler.
Seki ete vre li kasiet deryer
Seki pa ete, vadire akter.
15 OCTOBER 2018 – KNOW THYSELF
Not knowing who you are,
You won’t know where to go.
Look at the world in a concave bowl
And it’s all upside down.
Your skin is different;
Your hair is different;
Your eyes are different.
They all hide the invisible.
Important is rarely visible.
All humans have the same parents
Who, very long ago, left Africa
To people the world (Europe, America, Asia and Australia)
This is the truth.
Does the feather alone make the bird?
What we see exists?
What we don’t see doesn’t exist?
Have your eyes seen God?
The world in a cocave bowl
Is upside down.
Our cradle is Africa;
We live on a Creole island;
We all speak 2 Creole koines;
We all have only one God
- one God, with different names.
What looks blue but is not blue?
The sea. The world in a cocave bowl
Is upside down.
And we don’t see what really is.
What really is may hide behind what is not
And so, Maya tricks us.
15 OKTOB 2018 – HARAM
Dan rengn marenwar, lalimier febli
Me zame kile akoz dan so nam
Li sir ki dime so ler pou vini.
Dimoun marenwar, brouyar dan lespri,
Finn met dan latet ki siyans haram:
Labib ki koz vre, Darwin koz manti.
Finn pran Vatican enn siek ek demi
Pou realize ki siyans pa Ram;
Li servi lespri pou konpran Shakti.
Komie tan ankor lespri retresi
Pou les makadam blok vizion tamam,
Fer zanfan Bondie pran sime modi.
Lepok marenwar pa pou fini net
Me rengn lalimier pou lev so latet.
15 OCTOBER 2018 – HARAM
Even in the realm of darkness, light may flicker
But will never go out for its soul knows
That its day is soon to dawn
Darkness folks with foggy minds
Believe science is haram.
The bible speaks truth and Darwin not.
It took the Vatican 150 years
To understand that science is not God;
It uses the mind to understand creation.
How long will shrinking minds
Take to understand this
And help God’s children to see the light.
The realm of darkness will always be there
But the era of light will eventually triumph.
17 OKTOB 2018 – ATANN SO LER
Bondie, ARSITEK nou evolision,
Kone kan bizen dir seki bizen.
Koze tro boner zis bon pou fer ler;
Koze anretar fini dan pit nwar.
So premie mesaz sonn kouma loraz:
Nanye pa pou la si peyna lotla.
Nesans ek lamor, lamor ek nesans,
Koumansman-lafen, lafen-koumansman
Tourn dan enn gran serk. Nanye pa bouz fix!
Lalinn, later, soley, dan galaxi
Toultan anmouvman; lafen-koumansman,
Koumansman-lafen …
So deziem mesaz fer dimoun gagn per:
Kan pa ekoute kapav zwenn tase.
Boukou siek apre boukou devlopman
Li fer nou konpran seki vrevremem:
Li apel LAMOUR.
Li atann so ler pou enn lot lizour:
Li pa zis lamour, Li osi PARDON.
Plizier siek pli tar Li vinn koz PARTAZ.
Li atann so ler pou nouvo mesaz.
Donn mesaz par doz kan so ler vini;
Pa rod galoupe avan konn marse.
Marx ti aprann sa, Marx ti konpran sa.
Li ti dir koumsa, pa dimann enn pep
Pou fer enn zafer san preparasion,
San ledikasion, konsiantizasion.
Kouma Labib dir:
“POU SAK KIKSOZ ENA SO LER.”
17 OCTOBER 2018 – BIDE THE TIME
He designed and built
And knew when to say what is to be said.
Premature words slip on taro leaf
And delayed words sink into oblivion.
The first message rang like thunder:
Nothing exists without its other.
Birth, death; death, birth
Beginning of end; end of beginning
Move along the circle of time. Non-stop movement:
Moon, earth and sun all move round in a circle;
End of beginning and beginning of end…
His second message was frightening:
Obey or!
Centuries later He revealed His true nature:
His name is LOVE.
More centuries later a new message:
He’s also MERCY.
Six centuries later He revealed SHARING
For the time is ripe.
There’s a time!
Don’t run before you can walk.
Marx understood this.
Don’t ask people to do what they are not prepared for.
As the Book says:
“To every thing there is a season,
And a time to every purpose…”
17 OKTOB 2018 – PEI PITEN VIERZ
Dan pei piten vierz
Ena vierz ek preske vierz
Me peyna ditou ki pa vierz.
Dan pei koumadir
Nou servi laport deryer
Pou laport divan res entak.
Peyna pese e loner fami sov.
Dan pei mirak …
Ena preske vierz ki enpe ansent;
Nou priye Soma me pa fim ganja;
Nou tou etero e nou tou mono;
Nou modi poli, nou modi omo.
Chichichi ayo! Nou pa fer pese,
Nou pa fer malang. Nou priye Bondie.
Nou pa pou toler:
Tifi kontan tifi;
Garson kontan garson;
Enn tifi kontan de garson;
Enn garson kontan de tifi.
Dan nou peyna sa!
Pa bliye Moris model paradi!
Bondiemem kontan gout nou parrsadi.
Prive ek piblik peyna okenn tas;
Pouvwar pa servi pou nou gagn nou chas;
Zame nou servi lafors pou gagn kas;
Dan pei mirak napeyna paspas;
Transparans zame finn rant dan lenpas …
NOU FIER NOU VIV DAN PEI PITEN VIERZ.
17 OCTOBER 2018 – LAND OF VIRGIN TARTS
In the land of virgin tarts (LVT)
There are virgins and almost virgin;
Non-virgins are extinct.
In as-if land
Back door is used
To keep front door pure.
So, there’s no sin and dishonor.
In miracle land …
There are ‘almost virgin’ who are a bit pregnant;
We worship Soma but do not smoke grass;
We’re all mono-hetero
And we curse poly and homo.
Ewww! Spare us Lord!
We abhore sin and regularly worship.
Girl with girl? Death penalty!
Boy with boy? Death penalty!
One girl and two boys? The whip!
One boy and two girls? Against our culture!
Don’t forget, Mauritius was a model for paradise!
The Almighty relishes our offerings.
Spotless private; spotless public;
Power never gets to our head;
We never coerce to make money;
Tricks and scams have fled the land;
Transparent-honesty is universal virtue …
We are proud citizens of LVT.
18 OKTOB 2018 – KWOVADIS
Kouma pou konpran? Dir mwa Raja Ram!
Rom pe fer piyaz, pe detrir menaz,
Pe fer zenn zanfan pran sime deler,
Pe fer lazenes perdi zot valer.
Pwazon legal pe ravaz nou lakaz.
Kouma pou konpran? Dir mwa Raja Ram!
Taba pe detrir lasante pei;
Zom, fam ek zanfan pe nouri profi
Gro biznes rapas miltinasional
Ki giji zwisans ar pwazon legal.
Kouma pou konpran? Dir mwa Raja Ram!
Kan gran fet vini, (Holi, Divali,
Maha-Sivratri), Soma fit lespri,
Pelren ek devo priye, medite.
Ala fos swami dir nou fer pese!
Kouma pou konpran? Dir mwa Raja Ram!
Kikfwa mo’enn tinwar ki dan konfizion!
Boukou gran koko dir ganja geri;
Represion zame ti enn solision.
Kifer Pinokio kontign koz manti?
Kouma pou konpran? Dir mwa Raja Ram!
Kan paran nek rod fer roupi kare;
Kan lekol pa pe donn ledikasion;
Kan zanfan riye kan koz relizion;
Drol ki zot pe rod zwisans nouvote?
Kouma pou konpran? Lespri grandimoun
Fini kabose. Res zis rabase.
18 OCTOBER 2018 – QUO VADIS?
A dinnae ken! Help me Lord!
Rum ruins lives and homes,
Drive children into mental bins
Force youths into decrepit age.
Legal poison kills!
A dinnae ken! Help me Lord!
Tobacco ruins town and country where
Men, women, children feed Saint Profit of
Rapacious multinationals which
Titillate urges for legal poison.
A dinnae ken! Help me Lord!
For great festivals such as Divali
Soma whets appetites for
Worship and meditation.
Why does Swamiji speak of sin?
A dinnae ken! Help me Lord!
I must be a confused idiot!
Great scholars say Gandia’s good;
Repression is not a solution.
Why does Pinocchio tell lies?
A dinnae ken! Help me Lord!
Parents go on a money rampage;
School teaches fuck all;
Religion is perceived as a joke.
No surprise! Kids look for new thrills.
A dinnae ken! Help me Lord!
Our elders have gone berserk.
Words have become meaningless.
19 OKTOB 2018 – TAXI-MENAZ
Pou René Noyau
“Tansion Kayma” finn tas dan mo memwar,
Fer mwa rapel bien to parol yer swar.
Me kayma zordi ena lot bataz;
Li peyna patri, li peyna lakaz;
Li pa konn Brahma, li pa konn Agni,
Li pa konn Allah, li pa konn Zezi.
Li konn zis pitay. Li telman gourman
Ki so lak finn may tou bann kontinan.
Partou dan lemonn li ena agwa
Ki ranz so maryaz ar maha-paysa.
So lame ketren tor travay onet;
Kan laport ferme, li pas par lafnet.
Tansion li vini! Menaz vinn taxi.
Taxi mont lor kes; tibiznes pati;
Grobiznes grosi; bann ki’ena gagn plis,
Bann ki dan nayba pou manz sinapis.
Tou bann fonksioner pou kapav aster
Ar zot joutifri fer rev milioner
Ar travay tax-fri dan menaz Iber.
Travay dan biro, lekol, lopital –
Travay legal? – sa pou zis enn sawal;
Apre ler nou fer bal ek karnaval.
Ki pa bon ladan? Sa apel progre!
Ki taxi frode? Aret rabase!
Bef dan disab, sakenn get so lizie!
19 OCTOBER 2018 – UBER OR NOT
for René Noyau
I remember “Tansion Caïman”
From yesterday.
But today’s cayman is different.
It’s from nowhere;
Knows no god;
Knows only Mammon.
Its greed has fettered the planet.
A battalion of matchmakers
Tie its knots with trillions.
Its ruthless claw rapes honesty;
It uses transom windows to sneak in.
Here it comes! Private car is now taxi.
Genuine taxis are redundant;
Small business simply dies
To make place for big businesses;
The insatiate haves grab more and more;
The have nots simply … go bust.
Duty-free private car owners
Can now have millionaire’s dream.
Tax-free income the Uber-way.
Office, school and hospital paid work?
That’s peanut pocket money.
Work to rule to work after.
That is democracy!
What’s wrong with that? That is true growth!
Clandestine taxi? Poacher? Stop, will you!
I mind my business, mind yours.
23 OKTOB 2018 – PERSONEL AVAN
Sa Moris sa! Ki to ti kwar?
Kan bizen pran enn desizion,
Morisien pa perdi letan
Lor seki bon pou zeneral
Me seki bon pou personel.
Parski enn fwa enn taxi ti
Fer li mizer, fer dominer,
Li kwar Iber, Ouber, Uber
-tousala, baba, mem zafer-
Sel solision! Samem sover!
Si enn dokter fer enn erer,
Eski nou ferm konsiltasion,
Pou donn pouvwar Dokter Nipat?
Si profeser fer enn erer,
Eski nou touy ledikasion
E fer dimoun remars katpat?
Si enn monper fer enn erer,
Eski nou kraz tou relizion
E les Satan diriz jatpat?
Zetwal filant enpresionan
Me Polaris ki gid nou pa.
Nouvote souvan atiran
Me atansion latrap lera.
Met personel ek zeneral
Anekilib pou zwir lavi.
Lor de lipie marse normal;
Lor enn lipie bel zavari.
23 OKTOB 2018 – PERSONAL FIRST
This is Mauritius.
When a decision is to be made
General interest can wait,
Not personal.
Once he had a problem with a taxi driver.
Now he’s Uber fan.
Taxi drivers are crooks, must be wiped out!
If a doctor makes a mistake,
Close all surgeries and promote black magic?
A teacher has erred.
Do we close all schools?
A paedophiliac priest?
Close all churches and
Worship Satan?
Shooting stars are spectacular
But Polaris shows you the way.
The new attracts
But mind your soul.
Measure for measure!
Let general and personal be
In harmony
To make life worth living.
On two feet you walk;
On one foot you stumble
And fall.
11 NOVAM 2018 – REMEMBRANCE DAY
Dan siek dernie, pa enn fwa me de fwa,
Bann bezzotminn egois ek gourman
Ti plonz lemonn dan lamor ek disan,
Dan destriksion, dezespwar ek dega
Malgre Bondie bien lontan ti desid
Pou mont lor lakrwa, aksepte tortir
Pres lamour-pardon, kre nouvo kiltir,
Pou dir so zanfan aret plant lasid.
Rajo, lagazet ek television
Pe dir nou rapel, falepa bliye
Erer lepase, nou stipidite
Ki ti plonz lemonn dan gran destriksion
Me bann bezzotminn egois-gourman
Pou rekoumanse pe fit zot zouti
Parski dan lager ki ena profi.
Kan nou pou konpran? Kan nou pou konpran?
11 NOVEMBER 2018 – REMEMBRANCE DAY
In the last century, twice, not once
Some selfish, greedy bastards
Plunged the world in a bloodbath
Although God did accept to face torture
To preach love and mercy.
On remembrance-day
Some selfish, greedy bastards
Are still weapon-ready
For in war there is much personal wealth.
When will they ever learn?
WHEN?
12 NOVAM 2018 – KAN SO LER VINI
Kan so ler finn arrive
Met mo jinn ek mo kourrta,
Poz mwa lor enn tapi fler
Lor sivier ar dibwa mang.
Amen mwa kot Sakre-Ker
Pou mo dir Zezi mersi;
Apre bril lakaz mo namPa bizen akoz Moksha –
Ramas enn pogne lasann;
Dimann Ton Zan Seve Blan
Enn ti kwen dan so lakour;
Fouy enn trou, met mo lasann,
Plant enn pie nen friyapen;
Ekrir lor enn bout kartron,
“Enn Hindou-Kretien-Kreol
Pe dormi anba so pie.”
12 NOVEMBER 2018 – WHEN TIME’S UP
When my time has finally come,
Dress me in jeans and kurtha;
Lay me on a flower rug
Placed on mango-wooden stretcher;
Carry me to Sacred Heart
For I must say “Thank you, my Lord”.
Then burn my free soul’s house
Which Moksha has made de trop;
Take a handful of ash,
Ask white-haired Uncle Jean
For leave to dig a hole in his yard;
Put in the ash and on top a breadfruit tree.
On a piece of cardboard write,
“A Hindu-Christian-Creole
Sleeps under his tree.”
TIPTI ZAFER POU PAS LETAN
ROBINE LETAN
Lendi, Mardi, Merkredi,
Dilo robine koule;
Zedi, Vandredi, Samdi,
Mar-O-Vakwa pankor sek;
Lerla kan Dimans vini
Tansion dilo pa koule.
Zanvie, Fevriye koste ar Mars,
Pa bliye selebre pe gagn laz;
Avril, Me, Zen, Zwiye ek so Out
Freser dir tansion gagn tarrtarri;
Septam, Oktob, Novam ek Desam,
Petal rouz pe anons finision.
Dilo robine kontinie koule,
Souvan ti file, parfwa lok-loke.
Peyna pou traka! Kan so ler vini,
Robine pou sek.
Lerla selebre
Fizion ar Bondie.
22.11.18
LEPOK LONTAN
Mo rapel mo lepok, letan lontan, dan Goodlands. Mwa, zans bitasion, mo ti ena bann reper sir. Sak lakrwaze ti ena so pie – Lakwraze Tamaren, Lakrwaze Boukie Banane, Lakrwaze Pie Lila, Lakrwaze Badamie; sak sime ti ena so gourrou – Tata Iranah, Bada Chacha, Ton Manilall.
Kan nou ti pe fane, fer zafer ki pa bizen, vwazen ti pe dir nou fer atansion, mem raport nou ar nou paran. Kan nou pa ti konn kiksoz, pa ti pe konpran enn leson nou ti pe al get Misie Hurry, Misie Fulena.
Aster douniya finn bien sanze: Tou dimoun konn tou zafer san aprann. Zot apel ‘grandimoun’ vie siko, dinozor. Zot exper dan tou zafer, mem seki zame zot pa finn aprann.
Apre boukou banane aprann e lorla lasans finn protez mwa parski mo finn zwenn ek aprann ar gran-gran koko kouma Profeser John Lyons, Profeser David Abercrombie, Profeser Pit Corder, mo kapav dir ki mo konpran enpe ki ete Lengwistik, ki ete enn lang kreol. Me dan mo pei, bann ki pa ena okenn nosion lor siyans lengwistik fer gran-gran deklarasion. Lisien finn fini manz zot lamourprop, zot sharram.
“Tigit konesans enn bien move zafer” toultan grandimoun dir. Aster ar rezososial kot boukou liberte san responsabilite enn zafer normal, nou pe gagn boukou zeni ki pouse kouma konde dan karo abandone.
Ekrir enn poem e lor vites sa bann zeni la pou vinn montre ou kot pou met virgil. Pou zot fonolozi ek fonograf mem zafer; gramer ek ponktiasion sinonim; “pitoresk ek pitagor zot sinagog”.
Kan ou dir zot ou pa dakor ar zot, lerla prepar ou pou enn lapli ensilt ek zoure.
Samem apel Repiblik Boukouleng, Foul Letre Fonksionel kot nou dekor bilten vot ar pie banann, labouzi, robine ek kakanene.
22.11.18
VIV LIBERTE! IPIPIP-OURA!
Ala nou tou nou kontan liberte! Nou tou nou dir for-for: “MO liberte li sakre.” Liberte lezot? Sa enn lot zafer. Pli tar nou koze.
Baron lendistri kwar dan so liberte pou enpoz so kondision; aval seki pli feb ki li; fer gouvernman privatiz lekol, lopital ek prizon; servi lenerzi fosil; les lalwa marshe kaspake. Kan 1% popilasion posed 99% larises pei ek 99% dimoun partaz 1%, liberte mari vivan! Liberte sakre!
Baron ladrog kwar dan so liberte komers. Ena demann popiler. Li li fer so dewar: reponn lapel e fourni marsandiz.
Baron politik kwar dan so liberte fer lalians, kas lalians; marsande ar baron lendistri ek ladrog; kouyonn lepep ‘admirab’ ar fos promes; kiltiv ignorans dan karo demagozi; plen pos. Pa samem ki apel demokrasi?
Baron sosio-kiltirel kwar dan so liberte karapat ki sanz lisien sak fwa gouvernman sanze; defann ritiel fek-envante; koz for-for lor zafer li pa kone, li pa konpran.
Baron media kwar dan liberte SO lenformasion; difiz niouz sansasionel pou bouste lavant; pa dir seki pa bon dir.
Baron relizion kwar dan liberte so dogm; “fer seki mo dir, pa fer seki mo fer”.
Pa zoli sa? Nou tou nou kwar dan nou liberte, pa liberte lotla.
Eski mo ena liberte poz detrwa kestion?
• Kifer ena povrete malgre krwasans ekonomik?
• Kifer zanfan attire par ladrog?
• Kifer zanfan al lekol me apre 7-10 an lor ban lekol, zot pa konn lir, ekrir ek konte?
• Kifer bien tigit dimoun frekant legliz, mandil ek kovil?
• Kifer jabet ek obezite pe vinn enn problem lasante mari serye?
Enn lavwa misterye dir mwa ar boukou lotorite, “Misie, respekte zot liberte! Respekte povrete; respekte lamour ladrog; respekte bann ki pa kone; respekte bann ki prefer fennsifer; respekte dimoun ki anvi malad!”
Enn larme konseye diferan baron konsey mwa aret poz kestion sibversif. Ena kees ladan!
“Tansion twa! Bizen respekte liberte lezot!”
23.11.18
LET’S STOP BLUFFING AND HOODWINKING!
Had we time enough, we could go on with this little game of flexing muscles which are more like cotton wool. We are all pretending that we can do it without any little help from any little friend or yesterday’s opponent. We love to pretend to be what we are not and think that people are too stupid to see the truth.
But time is not on our side for TWO reasons: global warming and climate change; the very messy situation in which the country is now.
Recent reports by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and US National Climate change assessment, the work of 300 scientists and 13 federal agencies, reveal the urgency of the matter. Within 10-15 years sea level may rise by at least 1 metre. What does this mean for The Maritime Republic of Mauritius? Port Louis will be under water; beach tourism will be something of the past; many small islands will disappear (Agalega, Ile aux Benitiers etc.) … It is now believed that certain staples like rice and wheat will no longer grow worldwide any more. What does that mean for us? Food security will become NUMBER ONE problem. Do we have time to contemplate leaves on trees, forgetting the forest? Is bickering over non-urgent details the way forward?
MLP is strong in rural areas but rather weak in urban areas; lacklustre MMM and PMSD, two toothless mastiffs, vie with each other for a niche in town but have little following or foothold in rural areas. The future cannot be built on a rural-urban antagonism. Besides the consequences of global warming and climate change we must address a long list of urgent issues: gender violence, gender equality, drug addiction, poor standard of literacy, management of our maritime resources, economic democracy, nation building etc.
No one party on its own will be able to unite the republic and mobilise human and material resources to face all the challenges. Willy-nilly MLP, MMM and PMSD must unite their strength and energies and learn to work together. Can’t they agree on a five-year contract after which they may decide whether to go on or to split? Or do they prefer to fight each other and give the Jugnauth clan another mandate to enrich a few and impoverish us all materially and spiritually.
THE SOLUTION IS A LEFT OF CENTRE PROGRAMME.
25.11.18
SOME PRECISION ON THE ASSASSINATION OF AZOR ADELAIDE
Dear Nad,
In today’s l’Express there is an article / opinion piece by Mr Jayen Teeroovengadum which demands some clarifications and precisions.
On the day my friend Azor died (25 November 1971), there were two violent events in Curepipe which took place within 15 minutes or so of each other.
Firstly, the car of Paul Berenger which he was driving was attacked by PMSD activists in front of the Municipality of Curepipe. Fortunately, Paul and his bodyguards escaped.
A few minutes later I was in Rue Chasteauneuf in a friend’s car and my friend Azor was in the back seat. Our car was attacked by the occupants of a grey Falcon who fired at me, missed me and killed my friend Azor.
It was a period of great conflict between MMM and PMSD activists.
Shortly before that day my house was attacked with Molotov cocktails and Azor was saddened by this for he pitied me as I am a handicapped person. He came to see me to offer me his help. I had no bodyguards. He was not an MMM activist but he thought that I, a member of the Legislative assembly, needed help and protection. We became friends.
I am writing this to you for I believe journalists are witnesses of an era and this one is on the wane. Soon, I too will be gone but what you write will remain.
Please also note that when there was an attempt to accuse Sir Gaetan Duval of the murder of Azor Adelaide, I took the defence of the accused in court.
Brotherly Namaste,
Dev Virahsawmy
26.11.18
P.S Loga deals with this in her book, The Lotus Flower. If you don’t have a copy, Loga will be delighted to offer you one.
NESANS SHOBIZ MORISIEN
Yer tanto, 9 Desam 2018, dan Caudan, mo ti temwen detrwa evennman enportan.
• Divan mo lizie vre shobiz Morisien ti pe devlop so mix. Bravo Ashish ek Caudan Art Centre!
• Mo zorey ti emerveye par enn fizion jaz ek sega. Bravo Dean! To enn jak!
• Mo lespri ti exite par devlopman enn veritab revolision kiltirel. Bravo meteransenn, teknisien, tradikter, akter, santer, danser ek mizisien!
Lil Kreol Moris ena plen nouvote dan so vant. Talan pa manke parski Kreol Lerop, Lafrik ek Lazi pe marye-pike.
Vre kreasion artistik pe dir nou pa les bann mediok kas nou konte. Ena lavenir si nou konn chombo gouvernay.
BONNANE!
10.12.2018
POU NADIA MURAD EK DENIS MUKWEGE
Kan eski lemonn pou peple ar Nadia ek Denis?
Kan bann zom pou konpran ki laservel pa dan labraget?
Kan Sara pou kapav marse san gagn per taker?
Kan eski pouvwar pa pou sinonim violans?
Nou militant kont violans sex,
Nou finn gagn enn batay
Me lasours la li ankor lwen
Kot fam, zom ek zanfan
Kapav bwar lamour
Ansekirite.
Yer nou ti krisifie Marimadlenn;
Viol Dropadi, Katija ek Shakti.
Zordi servi sex pou tortire,
Imilie ek touye.
Akoz sa nou bizen boukou
Nadia Murad ek Dr Denis Mukwege.
Dr Mukwege, ankor komie Sara
Limanite bizen
Pou nou koumans trouv kler?
11.12.2018
REFORM ELEKTORAL
Nou dan Moris, nou bann exper dan “ENN TA SENN DAN VID”.
Enn ta palab anpes nou get veritab problem pou dekouver vre solision:
• Demokrasi anpann parski dimoun pa konn lir. Nou bizen senbol pou nou vote. Akoz sa ‘pie banann’ eli.
• 50 banane apre lendepandans nou touzour pa finn fouti devlop enn idantite nasional. Nou sistem elektoral nouri kominalism ek kasteism. Bizen arete ar TRWA DEPITE par sirkonskripsion. Si nou ole devlop demokrasi, meritokrasi ek kiltir nasional ki mars ar egalite jennder, nou bizen met anplas enn KARANTENN sirkonskripsion ki eli ENN depite sakenn e nou bizen fer plas pou ENN VENTENN depite ki eli par reprezantasion proporsionel.
• System BESLOUZER bizen aboli.
• Bann parti politik ki pa sekter pou gagn responsabilite pou asire ki tou bann minorite reprezante: etni, oryantasion sexiel, krwayan/nonkrwayan, ets.
• Sak parti demokratik bizen prepar so lalis pou proporsionel dapre system ZEBRA: zom/fam/zom/fam …
• Finansman parti politik par leta pa pou aret koripsion. Zordi se neoliberalism ki rasinn koripsion. Si koripsion ti enn laliann, neoliberalism ti pou so kanbar.
ANOU ARET ZAZE!
ANOU KONSTRIR ENN REPIBLIK PROGRESIS LAIK!
11.12.2018
REFORM AND NATION BUILDING
As could be expected, there was a lot of foaming and frothing sound and fury over an ill-baked project which had no clear orientation or ambition.
When will present leaders understand that what we need is not a recipe for uncontrolled gibberish – ‘fer ler’. A genuine electoral reform should aim at, at least, ONE long term objective. In the present conjucture, NATION BUILDING should be our top priority.
The present order does not help to promote supra-ethnic values for it is embedded in communalism and casteism. Moreover, the sheer size of constituencies is a hindrance to the emergence of good resident local leaders and favours the national elite who are very rarely candidates of constituencies where they reside or work.
Constituencies which are either too large or too small encourage corruption. Should we not go back to the drawing board and design some 45-50 SINGLE-MEMBER constituencies for the Maritime Republic? To ensure wider representation there should be a complementary PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION system based on a list of 20-25 candidates prepared by party leaders whose duty, inter alia, is to ensure the adequate representation of different culture and gender sensibilities. This will make the BEST LOSER SYSTEM redundant.
LET US BUILD A PROGRESSIVE LAY MARITIME REPUBLIC.
14.12.2018
APPEARANCE AND REALITY
Some people with budding political ambition and other media stars, see and want to see local politics as a duel between two ‘dynasties’, meaning TWO families who have been in the forefront of active politics as opposed to armchair political ‘know-all’ observers. They assume that there is no other way of assessing the present situation and think that the Vaish Lords will always lead and non-Vaish ambition must play second fiddle and seek Vaish ‘pagri and dhoti’ to hide their non-Vaishness. The MMM leader is an outstanding exemplar of this outlook.
We never see the wood for the trees. The hidden reality is what we must find. Neoliberalism today rules the world with its Trump, Macron, Narendra Modi, Bolsonaro and new converts ranging from right of centre to far right. Does this mean there is no alternative? Should we ignore Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn or Yanis Varoufakis? If destructive neoliberal ideology occupies a dominant position AT PRESENT, it does not mean that progressive politics is dead. The new international progressive movement is already gathering momentum.
In the Maritime Republic of Mauritius, the fight may appear as one between two ‘dynasties’ but, in fact, it is between neoliberals and progressives. Neoliberal politicians of the MSM coop are unconditional vassals of BIG MONEY here and elsewhere; they subscribe to the ‘little India’ myth to be in the good books of the racist, retrograde and repulsive Modi; people for them are mere commodities to be bought and sold; they think global warming and climate change are inventions of deranged minds. The progressive MLP belongs to the social-democratic or Fabian-socialist tradition and is a proponent of economic democracy, social justice putting people first and Maurice, Ile Durable.
Local and foreign big money are dead against Navin Ramgoolam and are behind the scheme to have him replaced by a neoliberal. Fighting against neoliberalism outside and resisting it inside is the duty of all progressives. What will MMM and PMSD do? Berenger is fishing for a ‘Medpoint-Bis’ even if he were to become a ‘half-ration’ INTERIORLESS PM for some months. Xavier Duval wants his cake and eat it – the best of both worlds.
Progressives must decide what they want.
04.01.2019
WHITHER … AND NOT WITHER
50 years after independence, we are still far from genuine nationhood with a national supra-ethnic identity and a common purpose. And yet all necessary ingredients are present. But we have chosen to look elsewhere.
The years following independence saw systematic French attempts to neo-colonise us and make Mauritius “la petite France” but now France has much bigger fish to fry. Moreover, the Indian Ocean geopolitical reality has much changed. Two new world powers have emerged and according to WORLD BANK and IMF reports, as per GDP-PPP, the three world economies in order of importance are China, USA and India. The Indian Ocean is now a very important sea route for both China and India which see the continent of Africa as resource to be exploited.
For both China and India, Mauritius has re-emerged as the “Star & Key” of the Indian Ocean for it can be an important strategic platform to strengthen economic links with Africa. If both are ardent suitors, India has an edge on China for it has a new myth to support its ambition: Little India. This myth will be used systematically to reinforce emotional links in support of political and economic ambition. What are the chances of success? Plenty, for the following reasons:
• Hindus represent 40% of the population of Mauritius;
• The Hindu political and economic elite have no qualms about being vassals of “Mahabharat” for rewards are most promising;
• Mauritian ‘Big Money’ of all colours and creed will be keen to establish links with Indian Super-zillionaires as it guarantees increased wealth;
• A high percentage of the Mauritian Hindu electorate have a lot of sympathy for the ‘Little India’ myth and non-Hindu politicians who dream of Prime Ministership will not dare denounce India’s expansionism and neoliberal appetite.
CONSEQUENCES?
• The Maritime Republic of Mauritius will become India’s neo-colony.
• Nation-building will suffer a hard blow.
• Ethnic tension and conflict will be exacerbated.
WHITHER DO WE GO?
• We must not give up the fight to build a free, progressive and independent nation on our creole islands (Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agalega etc.).
• We must ensure that all citizens of the republic master well oracy and literacy in Mauritian, English and French.
• We should intensify the fight against obscurantism and alienation.
• We should be prepared to face repressive regimes here and there.
ALL PROGRESSIVES IN THE REPUBLIC SHOULD JOIN FORCES IRRESPECTIVE OF COLOUR, CASTE OR CREED.
13.01.2019
MO MATLO POLIO
Ena enn koze ki dir
‘Mem gro niaz nwar ena so rebor lalimier.’
Polio ‘si parey.
Li ti souk mo lame gos,
Fatig lezot parti mo lekor,
Me li ti fors mwa “manz ar li”.
Zwe gorlkiper, voleborl ar enn lame;
Mont bisiklet, aprann naze ar enn lame;
Pa les andikap kas mo konte depi 1945.
Me mo matlo Polio,
Kasiet dan enn kwen,
Les mwa fer mo fanor
Ziska 75 an.
Lerla, li relev so latet
Pou fer mwa konpran
Ki li pa’nn bliye mwa.
Aster li profit febles laz
Pou fer mwa rapel ki depi 1945
Li mo torsenn kole.
Wi, mo matlo Polio ek mwa,
Nou pou kol ansam
Lavi-lamor.
14.01.2019
ANOU RANZ SIME EK PON AR 12 SONET (LET’S BUILD ROADS AND BRIDGES)
Walls, walls everywhere you look!
Walls, walls everywhere you go!
Walls, walls they creep up like hell!
When will the walls come tumbling down?
- LAMOUR KONPASION-PARDON
Lalimier Lamour amenn lizour toulezour;
Konpasion, pardon, partaz: materyo ranz pon.
Me Mamon dir non, non, non; bizen ranz miray;
Met zepis gourman ek egois dan karay.
Lamour-Pardon dan partaz rod tengn nou laraz;
Olie konstrir sitadel, koup pie pou fer fles,
Dir nou pa perdi letan ar nenport so zes;
Ranz bann pon lor larivier, konekte vilaz.
Me lespri Mamon pli for dan latet pagla;
Fer lalians ar Toupoumwa, enpoz so lalwa:
“Dan vre paradi ena plennti lor-larzan;
Plis pitay plen tenk, plis vinn prezidan.”
Materyo ranz pon pe triy lanti dan prizon
Me zot sir dime Mamon pou dimann pardon.
04.01.18
COMPASSIONATE AND MERCIFUL LOVE
Love’s light brings life everyday;
Pity, peace help build bridges.
But Mammon says niet; build walls;
Season life with egogreed.
Mercy keeps fury in check;
Decries forts and weaponry;
Waste not your time in folly;
Rather build roads and bridges.
But Mammon reigns supreme;
Builds power with Imemine:
“Bliss is spelt ‘money and gold’;
Blessed wealth makes you lord-king.”
In jail, bridge-building impulse
Believes Mammon will beg for peace.
2. PON LINGWA FRANGKA
To rapel Loga ler nou pe ranz pon
Pou travers dilo; tras sime vwayaz
Pou al zwenn lotla; defons bann baryer
Ki separ zanfan imigran lontan
Nou ti zwenn tase parski bann dimoun
Ti prefer miray, filwar ros lor ros?
To rapel Loga ler nou zanfan ne
Nou ti fer serman ki nou pou ed zot
Tras nouvo sime, kiltiv enn zarden
Kot fler natirel ek bann nouvo gref
Pou grandi ansam dan lakorite?
Rev la zordi pe vinn realite!
Pon Lingwa Frangka permet pasaze
Lokal, dideor ranz nouvo dime.
05.01.18
THE LINGUA FRANCA BRIDGE
Loga, remember when building bridges
Over rivers and canals; charting new ways
To meet and greet others; smashing walls
Which kept us all apart in various ghettoes,
We flunked, ran into walls because of
Cretins’ craze and craving for forts and ramparts?
Loga, remember when our children came
We vowed to guide and help them
Chart new roads and grow in their gardens
Old and new blooms of different colours
And fragrances living in harmony?
The old dream is coming true!
The Lingua Franca bridge allows work and play
From here and there to build a new day.
3. KAN MIRAY BAR GETE
To kone twa ki vedir pirte kiltirel?
To kone twa ki vedir kiltir natirel?
Nayjanele, zennpannkonn, sori minotno!
Bann tribi dan mo pei koz disan san tas?
Bann dimoun dan mo lari touletan pe fas?
Kifer mo bayo kifer? Kajani koko!
Sak krwayan pe dir so prop relizion peper;
Sak vwazen pe dir so vwazen pou’al dan lanfer.
Keufer? Vy? Pourkwa? Sa zizman bondie, matlo!
Pourtan nou tou imigran lor later mazik;
Pourtan nou tou sorti dan vant mama Lafrik;
Nou tou ena mem disan, priye mem Bondie:
Bagwann, Elohim, Allah, zot tou mem Bondie.
Ala ki arive kan miray bar gete!
06.01.18
WHEN WALLS BLIND US
What does it mean, cultural purity?
What does it mean, natural culture?
Paakone, jenedenekonnpa!
Clans at home claim to have untainted blood?
People where I live see mote not beam?
Why brother why? Me not know!
Believers say their’s is true religion;
Neighbours pray for neighbours’ damnation.
Why oh why and wherefore? Divine justice!
And yet we’re all immigrants on magic island;
And yet we all grew in Africa’s womb;
We all have the same blood and worship the same God:
Bhagwan, Elohim, Allah? One and only.
See what happens when walls blind us!
4. KISASA?
“Ki li dir? Ki li pe dir? Ki pe dir?
Pa pe konpran, do ta! Pa mo kiltir!”
Dan Paradi Babel, bel tourdisman!
Boukou son ek tapaz. Zero konpran.
Bann anz dan Babel dan koze pa peng
Parski zot bileng, trileng, boukouleng
Me parol rantre-sorti san kit tras;
Servo pe kaye; paz kouver ar tas.
Sak anz dan Babel finn ranz enn miray
Otour so lang, so kiltir, so maray;
Anpes polision, kontaminasion
Ki sorti partou ar lezot nasion.
Bann anz pa kone nou ki fer kiltir.
Kiltir partaze samem lavenir.
07.01. 18
WHAT THE HELL!
“What he says? What he’s saying? What is said?
No understand friend. Not me world!”
In heavenly Babel there’s much confusion.
Much sound and fury signifying nothing.
Babel angels love lingual activity
For they are multilingual, no worry;
Unhindered, words galore flow freely
While the brain stagnates and blots pages.
Each Babel angel has built a wall
Around their language, culture and hut;
Fight pollution and contamination
From foreigners, aliens and elsewhere.
Pity they don’t know we make culture;
Sharing is the road into the future.
5. PON POU PAROL PON
300,000 an desela homo-sapiens
Ar lanatir ti konstrir so kiltir;
Ar poumon, lagorz, labous ek nene
Nou anset Afriken envant koze,
Parol pon ki soud linite imen.
Partou dan lemonn, tou bann desandan
Anset Afriken finn devlop parol
Varye, diferan avek mem rasinn,
Rasinn imen responsab devlopman,
Devlopman lespri, devlopman lekor.
Parol pon ki soud linite imen
Pa ase. Bizen pon ant parol pon:
Koine Grek, Anglo-Saxon, Morisien
Petri dan seni zeni tradiksion.
07.01.18
BRIDGE FOR BRIDGE WORDS
300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens
Used nature to build their culture;
With lungs, throat, mouth and nose
Our African ancestors invented speech,
Words to build and boost humankind.
Throughout the world, our ancestors’
Descendants developed a world of bridge words,
Variegated, different but having common roots,
Human roots responsible for development,
Development of both mind and body.
Words that build and boost humankind
Also need bridges between bridge words:
Greek, Anglo-Saxon, Mauritian koine
Kneaded by the translator’s genius hands.
6. O SARASWATI!
O Saraswati, ansam ar to ser,
Tifi Gran Zeous, gid nouvo lespri
Ki pe fer parol vinn enn libreri;
Ki pe fer bann son vinn enn moniman;
Ki pe ranz bann pon ek kraz bann miray;
Ki pe fer zimaz danse dan divan;
Ki pe ranz lasos dan nouvo karay;
Ki zame aret fer zoli travay.
O tifi Zeous, ansam ar to ser,
Bramma so Shakti, dir poet laba,
Dir poet isi, bizen lafaya
Pou met armoni dan leker amer.
O Saraswati, O tifi Zeous!
Zot pe trap lame? Ala lavi dous!
09.01.2018
O SARASWATI!
O Saraswati, you and your sister,
Great Zeus’ daughter, guide new minds
Who translate old words into standard books;
Who with rhyme-rhythm erect monuments;
Building up bridges and tearing down walls;
Painting new pictures that swing in the wind;
Inventing delicacies for all tastes;
Never giving up, never complaining.
O dear Greek goddess, you and your sister,
Brahma’s own Shakti, tell poets hither,
Tell poets thither, keep fire burning
To fill life with grace and bless our yearning.
O Saraswati, O Zeus’ daughter!
You are holding hands? We’ll climb your ladder.
7. NOU PA ENN LIL
Yer mo ti kwar mo enn lil otonom,
Endepandan ek otosifizan.
Zordi mo kone mo ti dan erer.
Personn pa enn lil. Nou bizen lotla.
Mo konsian ki pase dan mo latet,
Ousa dan mo leker, dan mo lekor
Me kouma pou kone seki pase
Dan latet, lekor ek leker lotla?
Bien bizen ranz pon pou mo konn lotla.
Zis lamour ek lamitie pa ase.
Ki bizen anplis? KRE-A-TI-VI-TE!
Nou bizen kontinie travay Bondie.
Sinema, natak, teat, poezi
Neseser pou fer enn lavi beni.
10.01.2018
NO ONE IS AN ISLAND
I thought I was self-governing and free,
Independent and self-sufficient too.
Now I know how wrong I was.
No one is an island. We need others.
I know what’s going on in my mind
Or in my heart, or in my body.
But how would I know what’s going on
In others’ minds, hearts and bodies?
Bridges are needed to know others.
Love and friendship are not enough.
What more do we need? CRE-A-TI-VI-TY!
We must sustain our Lord’s work.
Films, musicals, plays and poetry
We need to make life blessed and free.
8. PON LAMOUR 1
De fami lager, pa kone kifer
Me garson Ramdeo ekout so leker
Ki koz ar leker tifi Zoliker.
De zanfan Bondie ar lamour sakre
Finn fini ranz pon pou leternite
Mem si dan vilaz partou kot gete
Lapeti miray pe kas tou konte.
Tifi Zoliker, Garson Ramdeo
Toulede ansam finn fini konpran
Pa kapav les ros separ zot desten;
Les laenn diriz fler dan nou zarden;
Les bann pa konpran touy nouvo lelan;
Les bann zoli pon grene dan dilo.
De konstrikter pon desid pou dir NON!
15.01.2018
LOVE BRIDGE 1
Two families at war, no one knows why
But Ramdeo’s son listens to his heart
In unison with Zoliker’s daughter’s heart.
God’s children blessed with love
Have already built a bridge for ever and a day
Although everywhere you look
Walls creep up to smash bridges.
Zoliker’s daughter and Ramdeo’s son
Are fully aware that
They cannot allow stones to stand between them;
Allow hate to bully garden flowers;
Allow “dinnae ken” to kill new prospects;
Allow bridges to fall into deep water.
The two bridge builders say ‘NO’ to all that.
9. PON LAMOUR
Olie rezwisans, ti ena gou rans
Dan vilaz parski garson gat nasion
Ti desid partaz lamour ar tifi
Bannla, lamour ki dan tou liv Lespri,
Ki li dan Gita, Labib ou Koran,
Met ansam de atma ek de fami,
Fer vilaz grandi, amenn armoni,
Beni lavi ar gras ek elegans.
Ton Toulsi, abba, sey fer zot konpran
Me sab, lamans pios ti ranplas kontan.
Enn aswar dan nwar, zot ti asasinn
Jati bechwa ki ti amenn mofinn.
Kot disan fane enn fler ti leve;
Ton Toulsi ti dir li’apel “khounkephooul”.
15.01.2018
LOVE BRIDGE 2
No rejoicing, only bitterness
In town because naughty boy
Felt love for alien girl,
Love which according to wisdom
— Be it Gita, Bible or Koran —
Binds souls and families,
Makes life better, brings harmony,
Makes living blessed and sublime.
Old Tulsi in vain tried to appease
But knives and cudgels flourished.
One dark night they were murdered,
Those rotten misfits, seeds of disease.
Where blood was spilt a red flower grew
Which Old Tulsi called “drops-of-blood”.
10. TRWA DAN ENN
Omilie enn ti lil, omilie enn gran sitadel
Ti ena enn shivala, enn legliz ek enn moske.
Trwa plas pou priye, trwa plas pou kriye ensanite:
Eta zangarna, eta bechwa, eta enfidel!
Monper, maharaj ek mawlana ti gagn kongolo;
Pa kone kouma pou fer bann fidel trouv larezon
Parski sakenn ti pe get zis so tibout lorizon,
Refiz sey konpran kifer so vwazen pa so matlo.
Enn zour enn fouka – li apel Toktok –
Asiz anba enn pie tanbalakok
Pou konpran mesaz, konpran Lekritir
Dan Gita, Labib ek dan Koran ‘si.
Enn kou Lalimier ekler so lespri:
Touletrwa bizen pou nou lavenir.
16.01.2018
THREE IN ONE
In the middle of an isle, middle of a citadel
Stood three shrines: a mandir, a church and a mosque.
Three places of worship but alas of hate grotesque:
Hey you pagan, hey you traitor, hey you infidel!
Priests, Pujaris and Imams were deep in quagmire;
Knew not how to make their flocks see the light
For each one only saw their narrow-blinkered sight,
Unwilling to open ears and minds to others’ choir.
One day a loony – his name was Nutty –
Sat beneath a tree – it was a dodo tree –
To study and understand the words true
In the Gita, the Bible and the Koran too.
Suddenly Light shone bright to light his mind:
We need all three to serve mankind.
11. KOINE
Ena pon ki vizib, ena pon envizib.
Koine li enn pon envizib me neseser
Parski li permet diferan kiltir koze,
Partaze; parski li permet evolision;
Fer lide avanse; fer lespri devlope;
Permet dimoun diferan tap lame ansam.
Koine Grek, zouti lager Alexann Legran,
Ti vinn enn gran pon pli tar pou mesaz Zezi;
Koine Angle, enstriman kolonizasion,
Finn vinn enn pon endispansab pou nou kiltir;
Koine Morisien, sorti dan vant esklavaz,
Pe vinn siman pou ranz enn nasion larkansiel.
Lavi enn kontradiksion: rekto vinn verso;
Verso vinn rekto; seki anba mont lao.
16.01.2018
KOINE
Some bridges are visible; others invisible.
A koine is an invisible vital bridge
As it makes room for culture dialogue
And sharing; it fosters growth;
Promotes new forward-looking thoughts
And help strangers to hold hands.
Greek koine helped Alexander’s conquests
And later helped the spread of Jesus’ teachings;
English koine, powerful colonial torture
Has become an essential engine of culture;
Mauritian koine from the womb of alienation
Is now the cement to bind a rainbow nation.
Life is a contradiction: bad becomes good;
Good becomes bad or what you would.
12. OM, AMENN, AMINN
Ena ki kwar ki limem tou,
Ki li forzron so prop desten;
Ena ki kwar ki li’nn ne lib
Me ena Enn pli gran ki li.
Ena ki kwar ki so Aminn
Pli for ki tou; ki so Amenn
Pli gran, pli bon; ki so mantra,
Samem so Om, pli bon, pli gran,
Pli siperyer. Ala kouma
Bann zoli pon finn vinn miray.
Ena kone ki touletrwa,
So Om, Aminn ek so Amenn
Trwa pon solid ki mars ansam
Pou tir nou dan obskirite.
17.01.2018
AUM, AMEN, AMEEN
Some believe they’re all in one
And they make their own future;
Others think they are born free
But there is One above them.
There are those who think their Ameen
Is above all; that their Amen
Is above all; that their mantra
Is second to none, that Aum is boss,
Is paragon. Here’s why, friend,
Sublime bridges have turned into sordid walls.
But a few of us know that all three,
Aum, Amen and Ameen
Are perfect matching bridges
Bringing light to darkness.
EPILOG
BONDIE, mama-papa kreater,
Mersi to finn donn nou to lamour
Petri dan lenerzi liberte.
Bann seki pa konpran ki to plan
Pa dakor ki to’nn les Lisifer
Kontinie kaspake lor latersa parey partou dan liniver.
Si partou, tou zafer ti korek,
Nou pa ti pou ena liberte
Pou swazir ki sime bizen pran;
Nou pa ti pou devlop konesans,
Nou pa ti pou ena enn konsians
Ki ed nou separ gon ar douri;
Ed nou konpran lebien ek lemal.
BONDIE, mama-papa kreater,
Mersi pou bann kado to’nn donn nou:
Konesans, lamour ek liberte.
Mersi to finn gard dan nou memwar
Zistwar Petrous Legran Eternel,
Koumsa nou kapav pans so kontrer;
Pans, mazinn ek envant so kontrer.
Tank zanfan pa bliye lepase,
Savedir pou ena LESPERANS;
Me si zanfan bliye lepase,
Savedir pou ena ZAVARI.
Me tansion! Napa les lepase
Pran pouvwar pou ranplas lavenir.
Akoz sa, neseser sant foutan
Rengn malang dirizan TOUPOUMWA.
Anou tou sant ansam boufonnri!
1
“Pei Bonnter ti bien garni
Akoz dimoun ti bien beni.
Zot ti priye plennti bondie:
Later, Lesiel, Dilo, Dife.
Zot ti pratik boukou lafwa:
Lakrwa, Chakrra ek Swastika.
Zot ti konn koz boukou lingwa:
Madamsere, Franswa, Patwa;
Zame bliye koutim ansien
Ki toultan fer trik mazisien:
Fer lepase ranplas vivan;
Fer bann anset plis enportan
Ki bann zanfan ki dan tourman;
Ki soufrans ki rod soulazman.
Zot lerwa ti Petrous Legran:
Gran militer, gran mardayer,
Gran profiter, gran kouyoner.
So bann size ti respe li
Parski li ti enn tigit pli,
Bien-bien tigit, pli piti ki
Bondie.
Bann konseye pa fer zistwar
Parski li ti kontrol pouvwar
E si fane “Tansion razwar!”
Tande!”
2
Enn swar minwi lor douziem kou
Enn miniminitififi
Ti koumans koz enn lot koze:
“Bliye Lakrwa ek Swastika!
Get bote fler pous dan labou!”
Li ti pe koz enn lang bizar,
Apel koyne ki tou koze
Me ki poet Lerwa Petrous
Ti konpar ar pete bourik.
O sakrilez! Li dir koumsa,
“Bann vie manier ki blok progre,
Zot plas zordi li dan baydoum.”
Bann konseye ek relizie
Fer aret li, krisifie li
Pou ki dimoun zame bliye
Ki zot lerwa Minis Bondie.
Me bann zwazo, fler ek pwason,
Finn konn par ker nouvo mesaz.
Partou pe tann nouvo refren:
“Bliye Lakrwa ek Swastika!
Get bote fler pous dan labou!
Bann vie manier ki blok progre,
Zot plas zordi li dan baydoum.”
16.12.2018
LIV PAR DEV / BOOKS BY DEV
(Liv papie ek LivE/Hard and Soft copies)
POEZI ORIZINAL/ORIGINAL POETRY
BOUKE LARKANSIEL
DISIK SALE
LATER 7 KOULER
POEZI BILENG VOL 1
SAN SONET
ZEPIS MELANZE 1: ARET FER VADIRE; BAGET JAZ; BAJANN; BALAD GALOR; ENN GRAP AYKOU; GAMAT-MEHFIL; KAAJANI; DAN PEI TIDIMOUN; KOT TO PE ALE?; LAPRIYER DEV
ZEPIS MELANZE 2: ANOU RANZ SIME EK PON; LARENN AMMA; LES LESPRI FLANE; LIMERIK-AYKOU-AKROSTIK; LIRIK PLEN TENK; NOU KWAR NOU KONE; PA GET ZOZO; POEM ANPROZ; POEM PERDI BANN
ZWAZO SAMAREL
9 LONG POEM:
KARAY SO; LAFIME DAN LIZIE; LONBRAZ LAVI; METIS; POU LOGA; SIR KOUTAGRAM; TAMTAM, GITAR EK SITAR; THANATOS LOR BAZ; TRIP SERE LAGORZ AMARE
POEZI TRADIXION
4 GRAN POET FAM
5 SIEK JALOG KILTIREL
BLAKE AN MORISIEN
DILO DIBOUT – NURSERY RHYMES
ELIOT EK LEZOT
KEATS AN MORISIEN
LAFONTENN AN MORISIEN
LITERATIR ALMAN (TIPIER DEZORDER; MAX EK MORIS)
POEZI SOUFI
PREVERT AN MORISIEN
WILLIAM EK LEZOT
TEAT ORIZINAL
AFROPERA REKIEM
4 PIES TEAT: BISTOP, PREZIDAN OTELO, TABISMAN LIR, DERNIE VOL
5 PIES TEAT: PROFESER MADLI, TANTINN MADOK, KRISHNA, BEF DAN DISAB, BASDEO INOSAN
TOUFANN
TRILOZI ABS: ZENERAL MAKBEF, DOKTER NIPAT, ABS LEMANIFIK
TRILOZI LIBERTE: LI, DOKTER HAMLET, HAMLET 2
TRILOZI GONAZ: GALILEO GONAZ, SIR TOBY, LINNKONNSING FINALAY
TRILOZI SHAKTI: DROPADI, BISMA EK SO VAS, WALLS
TRILOZI ZILIET: ZILIET EK SO ROMEO, MAMZEL ZANN, TI-MARIE
TEAT TRADIKSION
ANTWANN EK KLEOPAT – ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
ENN TA SENN DAN VID – MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
HAMLET – HAMLET
LERWA BWAR – TWELFTH NIGHT
LERWA LIR – KING LEAR
OTELO – OTHELLO
RAMDEO EK ZILIET: ROMEO AND JULIET, a rewriting
TARTIF FRODER– TARTUFFE (MOLIERE)
TRAZEDI MAKBES – MACBETH
ZIL SEZAR – JULIUS CAESAR
PROZ LITERER ORIZINAL
20 TIZISTWAR: ALIAS MEME, BOURRBAK EK RENAR, DAYRI ENN FOUKA, DOKTER KALIPALEND, ENN LAVWA DAN ASWAR, FENNSIFER, KONFESION SHARAM, LANTONWAR, LERWA KLOJOUS, MANILALL KALIPA, MEDAVI/PA FASIL, OU KI OU DIR, PALTO DIDEOR, PIL-FAS, SAKENN SO PROGRAM, SATYA, SO BOY, SO SEMBOU, TANBAV, TIBOUT
5 NOVELA
JAMOUNA, JERICHO, LENPAS FLANBWAYAN, PRENSES PRATHNA, TANTINN TIMI.
ROMAN
SWIV LAROUT ZISKA …
PROZ LITERER TRADIKSION
BAZ ZANIMO – ANIMAL FARM
EZOP POU ZANFAN LEKOL
ZISTWAR GRIMM-ANDERSEN
LITERATIR RELIZIE
BHAGAVAD-GITA AN MORISIEN
BONDIE SO NOM LI MIZERIKORD
KORAN
LABIB: EKZOD
LABIB: LIV POETIK
LABIB: PROVERB
LABIB: PSOM
LABIB: ZENEZ
MATERYEL PEDAGOZIK
TRAINING MANUAL IN BILINGUAL LITERACY
UNIVERSAL BILINGUAL FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
POSTFACE: TOUJOURS VIVANT, LE POÈTE
Entrer dans la lumière. A pas comptés. En comptant les pieds, comme avec des vers. Dev Virahsawmy aime jouer. L’enfant qui s’amusait au gouli danta ne sommeille qu’à peine en lui. Vif, plein d’énergie, il joue à un autre jeu. Zwe raye avec la mort. Lui lançant un défi. Celui de faire ses Tipa ver gran lalimier.
C’est le poète qui décide. Tant pis si le livre imprimé est moribond. Sa voix, cela fait des années qu’elle résonne dans ses écrits accessibles à tous grâce à son site web. Doigt d’honneur aux difficultés financières qui asphyxient la création.
Dans le débat public, politique, éducatif, la voix du poète est encore là. Un exemple pour ces pseudo-intellectuels qui ont depuis longtemps déserté la place publique. Pour ne défendre leurs opinions que dans les salons feutrés. Là où l’on n’a pas besoin d’assumer ses opinions. Ni d’aller jusqu’au bout en leur nom.
Le poète a connu la victoire, la prison. Il n’en est que plus poétique. Pour clamer, déclamer, proclamer ses convictions, ses contradictions. Son humanité. Dans un monde ki pe vir anbalao.
Avec ses fulgurances, son parcours passionné, la voix du poète est boussole. Même si elle a changé de couleur, elle n’a pas viré de bord. Toujours la langue maternelle l’a bercé. Toujours la langue maternelle a été une nécessité. Linn fer Shakespeare koz kreol vou’zot.
Fidèle à lui-même, le poète a couché dans le même berceau ses vers dans les deux langues qui arrosent le champ de ses possibles: l’anglais et le morisien. Faisant passer le Morisien en lui avant tout. Pour se proclamer à la face du monde Indo-Afriken-Kreol. Tout est là. Réincarnation, rédemption. Multiple en un. D’un «fouka ki melanz kalchoul»- c’est comme cela que le poète se décrit lui-même. Assez fou dans tous les cas pour met choula. Et nous dire en face nos quatre (souvent bien plus) vérités.
Il en a bousculé des croyances, le poète. A commencer par les siennes. Aujourd’hui, il pointe le doigt en direction de, «bann panndit dan nenport exper/ Akoz bann monper sef konservater/ Akoz mawlana ki resit par ker/Mo ti pran larout grat ledo maler».
Dev Virahsawmy qui dit salam? Impossible. D’accord, il a laissé ses consignes. Poétiques. Respectons-les. «Lor sivier ar dibwa mang/Amenn mwa kot Sakre-Ker/ Pou mo dir Zezi mersi/Apre bril lakaz mo nam (…) Ramas enn pogne lasann/Dimann Ton Zan Seve Blan/Enn ti kwen dan so lakour/Fouy enn trou, met mo lasann/Plant enn pie nen friyapen». Et si on en mangeait tous de ses fruits?
Aline Groëme-Harmon
SALAM
RAMDASS, GOUNA EK DEV (1943)