By Mbizo CHIRASHA, World BEYOND War, Lulai 9, 2020
NA PALAPALA HOOPAU
Nā ʻāpana o ke kahawai donga, nā muliwai
ʻO Sokoto e kahe ana i ka meli o ka hoʻokuʻu ʻana, me ka hoʻopau ʻana i ka momona o nā makahiki he mau makahiki
ʻO ka ʻohi kūlohelohe
Hāʻalo ʻo Taraba a me nā ekuku i nā wā e hele mai ana ma hope o kekahi
ʻO nā ʻāpana me ka waimaka a me nā hōʻuluʻulu i ke koko
ʻO nā hapa o ke kūʻokoʻa e hīmeni i ka kūʻokoʻa
Ke kuokoa, nā kānaka a me kā lākou mele
ʻO ka ulu ʻana o ke ʻano kilokilo, ke ʻano o ka drumbeat throbbing
Tsaunin mainono, veins of tsaunin Kure, throbbing of the heart of tsaunin ukuru
Ke hoʻomau nei ka ʻūlū ma lalo o nā wāwae o nā makuahine a me nā keiki e ʻoli nei i kēia honua i loko o ka aila me ka manaʻolana.
Kahi o ke kūʻokoʻa
Oe me nā hanauna e like me ka baobab
ʻO ke ʻano nui o nā kauhale a me ka ulu ʻana o nā ʻohana
Nā hīmeni hīmeni e pili ana i nā ʻāpana kala kālā
Pau ke mele hoʻokahi, ma ka ʻōlelo hoʻokahi, mele nā makuahine boki, kū aʻe i nā kaikuahine mbumbe
E hīmeni i nā mele bachere, paele i ka hula gavako
Kahi o ke kūʻokoʻa
Oe me nā hanauna e like me nā lāʻau panana
E nā aliʻi o kēia ʻāina, ke mele nei au iā ʻoe
ʻO kaʻu mele o nā iwi, ʻulaʻula, nā pōhaku, ka ʻū a me ka uahi
Kahi o ke kūʻokoʻa
E hīmeni ana wau i nā mōʻī nā ʻili i ko ʻili kino ma hope o ke kāmele coco
Ua ʻono ko lākou hanu i ka waiū o ka niu
ʻO wau ke mele me ka modibo o gombe, kahi o ka obioko, mele o Warri
Mele aku nei wau iā ʻoe baban lamido, oba o Lagos
ʻO nā hapa o ke kuʻikahi ke akaʻa me ka olo o ka olowo
Kahi o ke kūʻokoʻa
Nui nā aila o ka māmā a me ka ʻalā
Ke kū nei nā makahiki he mau pō o ka pō a me ka manaolana
E moe ana i nā makahiki he mau pō a me nā moeʻuhane
Nā puʻu gobe, ekulu a me aba, kū i ke kūʻokoʻa
E hoʻoili ana kou ʻōpū i ka lā o ka hoʻokuʻu, hoʻokuʻu ʻana
Hānau ʻia nā crocodile a me nā reptile me ka lā o ka hoʻokuʻu a
ʻO ka mahina o ke kūʻokoʻa
Kahi o ke kūʻokoʻa
Aia ma luna o tsaunin kuki, tasunin shamaimba, manu nunu a me nā ʻUwī ʻaluha
A ke kāohi nei i ka pōʻeleʻele o nā pō a me ke ʻano o ke kakahiaka
ʻO nā ʻāpana kūʻokoʻa i honi i nā mauna o kēia ʻāina
ʻO kēia mau mākeʻuhane komuhiko i ka ʻāina i kipa ai
Omelette o ke kaumaha a me ka beetroot o ka ʻoluʻolu
Kahi o ke kūʻokoʻa
ʻO kēia kaʻu wai merona punahele o ka loiloi i ka ʻāina he puʻuwai
ʻO ka huluhulu a ʻo kāna ʻuhane he hua palaoa
Pau ke mele kūʻokoʻa me aʻu, ka mele o ke kūʻokoʻa,
Himeni aʻe ʻo Bello, hīmeni azikiwe, hīmeni awolowo, a hīmeni shehu
Mele o nā kānaka, kānaka a me kā lākou mele.
