Di-di-di nana
Sylvie wrote regarding the language of this song:
"'Di di di nana' it's a kind of Creole invented by children who were singing while drawing with their fingers in the sand or on the ground. In this song you'll find some Fula, some Dyula, some Samo… I was asking for more precise answers about the language and I was always answered 'It's a mixture, we can't tell anything more about it.'"
Di-di-di nana
Honey, Come, We're Going to Play
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Fula, Dyula & Samo)
(English)
Di-di-di nana,
Di-di-di nana
mama fleni ba yere-yere
saya fleni ba yéré-yéré
saya o tarami
a tala bassi kongɔ
fla ko missi
bambara fla ko missi
tu tu se se tu ye ye
yoro yara na bana bana sé
nion ki zon nana
nian ti bɔlɔ nan nan
bolomantié.
Honey, come, we're going to play
Honey, come, we're going to play
With the big heaven gourd (1).
Where has Death gone?
He's gone
To the village of the couscous.
The Fula (2) says "the oxen"
He only thinks of oxen.
Tu tu se se tu tu ye ye
Yoro yara na bana bana say (3)
Come, we're going to eat...
Notes
(1) A heaven gourd is a musical instrument used at weddings celebrations.
(2) The Fula is someone belonging to the Fula People.
(3) "At the end of the song these are mixed words - so untranslatable, like fiddle dee dee and tra la la. There's no exact translation." -Sylvie
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Sylvie Antoine at ANYCO for contributing this song with its French translation. English translation by Monique and Lisa.
Image: Ida Waugh (d. 1919) - "Mammy's Baby" (c. 1890).
Barka wusgo!
