Yula

4. Yula

BY BORRINA MAPAKA

Yula (“Ask”) in the Lari dialect of Congo, questions the atrocities of war (in Congo and throughout the world).

Simplified Translation:

“Ask! Who can I ask? Should I ask God?
Why this fighting? What are people dying for? 
It is problem is as old as humanity. To what World can I go?
Where is a safe place? I want to live in Paradise. I’m going now to find my peace with God....”

Lari (Congolese) words with full translation and the background story of Yula are available at esthergolton.com

5. Where is the Field

Where is the field, Boy? Where is the field?
It’s over the spokes of a turning wheel,
Walk still Boy, walk still…

What’s in your bag, Boy? What’s in your bag?
A tourniquet fashioned from feathery steel,
Do spill, Boy, do spill…

Believe in the wind, Boy Believe in the wind.
It will lift you and carry you to the moon,
Fly soon, Boy, fly soon…

Where is your love, Boy? Where is your love?
It’s sowed in the seed of the winter wheat,
It’s green, Boy, it’s green…

Where is the field, Boy? Where is the field?
It’s over the spokes of a turning wheel,
It's over the spokes of a turning wheel,
It's over the spokes of a turning wheel,
walk still boy, walk still boy, walk still....