from Masks: (i) Libation: (iii) Atumpan

Kon kon kon kon
kun kun kun kun
Funtumi Akore
Tweneboa Akore
Tweneboa Kodia
Kodia Tweneduru
Odomankomo ’Kyerema se
Odomankomo ’Kyerema se
oko babi a
oko babi a
wa ma ne-ho mene so oo
wa ma ne-ho mene so oo
akoko bon anopa
akoko tua bon
nhima hima hima
nhima hima hima…
Funtumi Akore
Tweneboa Akore
Spirit of the Ceder
Spirit of the Ceder Tree
Tweneboa Kodia
Odomankomo ’Kyerema says
Odomankomo ’Kyerema says
The Great Drummer of Odomankomo says
The Great Drummer of Odomankomo says
that he has come from sleep
that he has come from sleep
and is arising
and is arising
like akoko the cock
like akoko the cock who clucks
who crows in the morning
who crows in the morning
we are addressing you
ye re kyere wo
we are addressing you
ye re kyere wo
listen
let us succeed
listen
may we succeed…

part III of Sequence 1 'Libation' from Masks (1968) in The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy (OUP, 1973), Kamau Brathwaite 1968, 1973, used by permission of the author

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