ARTS & CULTURE: 'SOMEONE IN AFRICA LOVES YOU' TRANSLATED INTO KISWAHILI
‘Translators are the shadow heroes of literature.’ - Paul Auster
'Someone in Africa Loves You', Kenya's representative poem on Commonwealth Postcards, was recently translated in Kiswahili by writer/educator/publisher Paul Nganga (pictured). The narrative poem has previously been translated into Arabic and Chinese.
Kiswahili, a phonetic language spoken by over 150 million people worldwide, is a working language of the African Union and has been touted as Africa's de facto 'lingua franca'. According to eTV , a continent-wide broadcaster, Kiswahili is the second most widely spoken language inside Africa.
Below is the Swahili version of the poem. (Original English version available here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01wjtmp )
------------------------------------
'Yupo Mtu Akupendaye, Hapa Afrika'
Alexander Nderitu (Mfasiri: Paul Nganga)
Alikuwa binti mrefu wa Kizungu, wala hakuwa mtalii Afrika Mashariki;
Alikuwa mwanafunzi huko Oxford, alikosomea Historia.
Alikuwa ziarani, kujionea walikonadiwa Waafrika, hizo enzi za utumwa;
Na magofu ya vita vya Waarabu na Wareno, kale hiyo.
Mwanzo nilimwona, alipotembea ufuoni, peke yake.
Alinigutusha, machoni na moyoni kuniingia.
Nilipomwuliza jina alijibu, ‘Suzanne...iliyo na ‘e’’.
Tangu hapo, hapakuwa na la kututenganisha.
Nilimtembeza kuyaona Magofu ya Gedi na Ngome ya Yesu;
Usiku tulifurahia mng’aro wa anga la pwani,
Na kuwashangilia wanasarakasi na wacheza densi,
Miili yao myeusi iking’ara kwenye mbalamwezi.
Suzanne alivaa kikwetu, nikawa nazisonga nywele zake.
Tulicheza densi, tukiimba nyimbo za Bob Marley na The Wailers.
Alipokuwa, lazima yule Mungu wa Mapenzi wa Wayunani alituonea fahari.
Tulicheza densi usiku kucha, mimi na ‘Suzanne...iliyo na ‘e’’.
Suzanne alijilaza ufukweni, joto la pwani likampata vizuri,
Nilimfunza Kiswahili, naye akanifunza lugha ya mitaani kwao.
Wasemao husema, majira na mawimbi hayamsubiri msafiri;
Punde, uliwadia wakati wa Suzanne kurudi kwao.
Bila yeye, maisha si maisha tena kwangu.
Nachukizwa haraka, wenzangu ufukweni wanadhani nachizika.
Nilimtumia Suzanne barua-pepe nikisema: ‘Yupo mtu akupendaye, hapa Afrika’;
Naye akajibu: ‘Naikosa Afrika, na nakukosa wewe zaidi,’
Na kutia saini: ‘Suzanne...iliyo na ‘e’’.