Music > Fomi 47
Composer: Codé di Dona
Performer: Codé di Dona
Language: CVC
Fomi 47
Famine '47
Eh, eh, eh, eh
Eh, eh, eh, eh
Era na 59
It was in '59
Txuba skorregadu
The rain did not come
Dezanima-m nha bida
Disillusioned by my life
N djobe santa pa-m ba San Tomé
I went to sign up to go to São Tomé
N ba na Praia Santa Maria
I went to Praia Santa Maria [location in Santiago]
Na skritoriu Fernandi Sosa
To the office of Fernando Sousa [name of official]
N da-l nome e po-l na papel
I gave him my name and he listed it
Es da-m nunbru 37
They gave me the number 37
Eh, eh, eh, eh
Eh, eh, eh, eh
N da rinkada N ba pilorinho
I returned and went to Pelourinho [the former slave auction spot turned food market in Cidade Velha]
N txiga na Bibi di Riqueta
I spoke to Bibi di Riqueta [name of vendor]
N po-l nha probulema
I told him my problem
E djuda-m mata fomi
He helped me fight my hunger
Eh, eh, eh, eh
Eh, eh, eh, eh
Kuatu dia ku kuatu noti
Four days and four nights later
Na kuatu ora di madrugada
At four in the early morning
N odja barku "Ana Mafalda"
I saw the boat "Ana Mafalda"
N odja luz toma baía
I watched light fill the bay
Kandu Ana Mafalda tchiga bem
When Ana Mafalda arrived
Pa leba gentis Santomé y Prinsipi
To take people to São Tomé and Príncipe
N poi kabesa na txon
I put my head on the ground
N xinti N kuda vida
I felt my life ending
Oh naná, oh naná, eh, eh, eh
Oh nana, oh nana, eh, eh, eh
N djunta nhas manduxu
I gathered up my things
N po-s dentu sakutelu
I put them in a bag
N toma boti N ba pa bordo
I took the small boat to board the ship
N rumadu moda saku
Where I was arranged like a sack
Kantu dia sen sustentu
How many days without sustenance
Kantu dia sen kebra-djedjum
How many days without an end to fasting
Kantu dia sem mata fomi
How many days without food
Na puron di bapor ta bai
In the hold of the ship I went away
Oh naná, oh naná, eh, eh, eh
Oh nana, oh nana, eh, eh, eh
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