Cyril Luximan - Kreol Poetry from Mauritius

Kreol is the native language of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Reunion, Seychelles, and other neighbouring islands in the southern part of the Indian ocean. The Kreol language from each island differs in the pronunciations and the repertoire of words.

Mauritian Kreol (Kreol Morisien) is basically a blend of French and the languages spoken by African slaves brought to the island during the French colonization period.  Gradually with the influence of other languages spoken in Mauritius, some English, Bhojpuri and Hindi words have also been included in it.

Vatsala Radhakeesoon
After being merely a spoken language for a long time, Kreol has now been introduced as a subject in schools in Mauritius. Academicians are actively engaged in ongoing research related to the Kreol language. Nowadays there are many emerging and dynamic writers who write in Kreol as well.

I have the greatest pleasure to bring forth the works of Cyril Luximan
– one of the inspirational contemporary poets from Mauritius. The original poems in Kreol appear first. Then my English translation of each poem follows.




CYRIL LUXIMAN

Eleksion

Mo enn candida inik
Dan enn eleksion ki pena trik
Napa ena konkiran
Mo for! Personn pa kapav pran!
Enn sel siez vakan
pou ranpli to leker blesan
Rezilta ti kone davans
Tou ti fer dan transparans

Biltin Vot pa ti sekre
E mo finn eli a-linanimite
Dan to lizie mo kapav lir
selwi ki to finn lir

Pandan mo kanpagn
Pa ti donn sanpagn
Pa ti ena lafis, ni azan
Nonpli ti sem larzan
Mo linteryer so laflam
Samem mo oriflam
plis ki de-z-an
Bien an-avan
 
Mo finn propoz twa meyer program
Dan panfle “Viv lavenir ansam”
Lamour, lafeksion, tandres, kares
Samem mo rises
Tousala asire azordi
E sak zour li pou grandi
E dousman dousman mo bonnfam
Mo pou kontigne aplik mo program
Asir twa pa pou ena eleksion parsiel
Parski mo manda li eternel
Malgre bann moman labrez
Lesansiel ki to santi twa erez !

(Premie Pri Konkour St Valentin 2013 Scope Magazine)
  

Election
I’m the only candidate
in an election, perfectly genuine
There’s no opponent
I’m strong! No one else can win!

There’s only one vacant seat
to fill your bleeding heart
Results were known beforehand
As everything was performed
with openness

The voting bulletin wasn’t
sealed with secrecy
I’ve been elected unanimously
In your eyes I can see
for whom you have voted

During my campaign
there was no champagne
There were neither posters
nor supporters
No money spent lavishly

My inner flame
is itself my flag
waving confidently
for more than two years
consecutively

I have proposed you a better plan
in the pamphlet
“Building a future together as One”
Love, fondness, tenderness, caresses
these are my riches

Now all those feelings are secure
And each day they will become
more mature
O my beloved wife!
Gradually I will fulfil my promise

Rest assured that there will be no
by- election
as my governance term is eternal
Despite the stormy days
All that counts is that you feel blessed
with happiness.

(Winner Poem for St Valentine Contest 2013, Scope Magazine)


Enn Mama
Enn Mama, Enn mama
Enn mama res enn mama
Santiman, mama ki en
Leker sansib, mama ki i ena
Enn mama res enn mama

Mama zoli mama, zoli mama
zoli mama
Enn bon mama, enn bon mama
Bondie finn donn so benediksion
Tou bann mama
Zanfan ki maltreat mama
lor so latet malediksion

Enn mama res enn mama
Mama zoli mama, zoli mama

Enn mama touletan fer sakrifis
akoz so zanfan
An- retour ena zanfan trouv mama lour
Avoy li dan kouvan

Enn mama res enn mama
Mama zoli mama, zoli mama
Ki li mwa, ki li twa
Finn viv andan li, set ou nef mwa
Apre kwa, avek boukou soufrans
Li donn nou nesans


Kot nou ti gagn proteinn ?
Ki ti donn nou vitaminn ?
Kot nou to gagn loxizenn ?
Nou mama fourniser tousala

Mama zoli mama, zoli mama…
 



A Mother
(to be considered as lyrics too)


A mother…a mother…
A mother remains a mother
A mother has feelings
A mother has a soft heart
A mother remains a mother

O Beautiful mother, beautiful mother
Beautiful mother!
O good mother, good mother!

God has blessed
all mothers with greatness
Children who ill-treat their mothers
on earth shall be punished with distress

A mother remains a mother
O beautiful  mother,  beautiful mother

A mother always sacrifices
for her child
But in return some children
find her cumbersome,
send her to old age home

A mother remains a mother
O beautiful mother, beautiful mother  !

Whether it’s you, whether it’s me
we have lived within her, all sheltered
for seven months , nine months
Afterwards, with much pain
in this world we have been born

Where did we get protein from?
Who provided us with vitamins?
How did we breathe oxygen?
Undoubtedly, our mothers have been
the official donors (suppliers).

O beautiful mother, beautiful mother…!

  
Enn ti Sanson

Souvan mo adore fer konpozision
Kontan ekrir bann ti sanson
Touzour ena pretext
Avek amour pou ekrir enn text
Parwa mo trouv en-de ti aksion
ki donn mwa enn sertenn inspirasion
Ousi lanvi bien for
Pou pas enn-de lakor
Malgre mo pa finn aprann solfez
Mo kapav pas lakor an-diez
Sovan mo tousle dan enn kwin
Mo ape fredonn enn ti refrin
Enn zoli to melodi
Li fer bliye bann “ennuis”
Touletan pou ena enn ti sanson
Parski se enn mwayin expression

A  Short song

I love composing songs
writing songs
There’s always a reason
to write lyrics with love
Sometimes a few events
rouse my inspiration
A strong desire to tune
some notes also springs up
Even if I haven’t learnt
to play the guitar
I know how to tune
a few notes by trial and error
I often sit in a room’s corner
humming a short refrain
A lovely melody
drives away all the melancholy
There will always be a little song
as this is a good means of expression.                                     


 Leker Brize

Mo enn leker brize
To leker res dan la zwa
Mo respekte to swa
E mwa mo res tousle
Ki promes to finn fer?
Kan to pa konn so valer
To lamour ki mo ofer
To finn al rod ayer

Aster mwa mo prefer res selibater
Atann bann zour meyer
Sa sante-la mo finn ekrir
pou remont mo moral
Melodi ke mo ape zwe
Pou liber mo panse
Kan to’va tann leker brize
To’va reviv seki finn pase
Pa pe atann zour to retour
Termine nou listwar d-amour



Broken Heart

I have a broken heart
but yours remain full of joy
I respect your choice
And now I live all alone

Why did you make promises
when you couldn’t keep them?
Despite all the love that I shower on you
You went to seek it elsewhere

Now I prefer to remain single
waiting for better days

I’ve written this song
to brighten my mood
The tune that I’m playing
will purge my pain
When you will listen to Broken Heart
You will re-live the past
I’m not waiting for your return
to put an end to our love.


  
Parfwa

Defwa pa kapav anpese
Enn ti vwayaz dan lepase
involonter mo bliye leprezan
E plonz dan ansien moman

Parfwa mo retrouv nou-de bor lamer
Anba badamie zardin Telfair
Asize lizie fixe lor lorizon
Sa lepok-la pe get dan mem direksion
Parfwa mo santi to parfin prefere
Apre boukou banana finn pase
Boukou divan finn soufle
Parfin-la enkor fre dan mo nene

Parfwa mo retrouv nou-de pe marse
Lame dan lame finn soude
Labriz for Gris-Gris* pe zwe
Ar to seve ki normal ti sifone

Bizin avwe, kole toulede
Nou tis anti nou vreman ere
Malgre sertin ti rakont salad
Lamour ti ran nou gravman malad

“Balade des gens heureux”
Eskapad bann amoure
parfwa pa kapav dir tou
Napa kwar mo finn fou

Mo oblize gard silans
konsernan bann moman intans
Pa kapav devwale
Sekre bann moman intimate
Pena okenn mwayin pou efase
Parski memwar fini anrezistre
Parfwa mo refer enn ti vizion
E reviv tousa avek passion



Sometimes

At times I can’t help
travelling in the past
unconsciously forgetting the present
and plunging in the old days
Sometimes I imagine us by the seaside
sitting under the tropical Almond trees of Telfair garden
Eyes fixing the horizon
Those were days we looked in the same direction
Even after many years have elapsed
Many stormy days have gone by
Sometimes the fragrance of your favourite perfume
still lingers through my nostrils
Sometimes I imagine us walking
hand in hand confidently
while the strong breeze of Gris Gris*
blows through your hair disheveling it

We must both admit firmly
that we were really happy
Despite people’s gossips
We were completely love sick
“A song for happy people”
Escapism for lovers…
Sometimes everything can’t be told
But don’t ever think I’ve gone mad

I’m compelled to remain silent
regarding the intense moments
We can’t reveal the secrets
of lovely intimate moments

There’s no means to erase them
as memory  deeply stores them
Sometimes my mind goes through the past days
and I re-live them with full zest.


*Gris Gris is a beach situated near the village of Souillac in the southern part of
Mauritius. It is well known for its unique agitated sea waves and strong winds.
Some people have associated it with black magic but from an artistic angle, it gives an air of island mysticism and it is  very inspirational.

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