Launa ramoramo kakakakana

A poem translated in Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin

Launa ramoramo kakakakana

Hiri Motu translation by Rev. Willie Moses and Christine Moses

Launa buatau 
Vaga auna,
Bona ahu hoduna
Launa ramoramo kakakakana

Launa mata roharoha naha bodagaiamo
Isi mirokana, 
Gorere ihavarana.
Launa udu toto gorerena

Launa herehia gauna
Kekeni eha heralaidiamu,
Mavaru ai.
Hutuma iha moaledia.

Launa lalo naha moalemu
Sene au huahuana.
Hebou ikehona,
Maino au huahuana.

Launa badu au huahuana,
Heudugurai kohuna taoni ai,
Uda hanuadia edia hanenamo.
Launa mauri ena ura gauna ta

Launa na buatau.
Vaga auna,
Bona ahu hoduna.
Launa ramoramo kakakana

Mi tasol olsem blut i kapsait

Mi tasol mi buai,
Na stik daga 
Na sel kambang wantaim:
Mi tasol olsem blut i kapsait 
 
Mi bagarapim ai bilong yu,
Mekim tit i bilak 
Na  sigirapim sik tu:
Mi tasol mekim maus i sua 
 
Mi kam nating long yu,                                   
Ol meri bilas wantaim mi
Na danis ikam bungim yu:
Mi mekim olgeta i hamamas 
 
Mi save stretim sindaun,
Mi kaikai bilong kastom 
Mi stap na kibung i kirap:
Mi kaikai bilong wanbel 
 
Na tu, mi ken kirapim tubel,
Mi bikpela hevi bilong siti 
Tasol gutpela bilong asples:
Mi stap na yupela stap

Mi tasol mi buai,
Na stik daga 
Na sel kambang wantaim:
Mi tasol olsem blut i kapsait 

I am the red, red stain

Michael Dom, original poem

I am the betel nut,
The daga stick
And the lime pot:
I am the red, red stain
 
I am the filthy eyesore,
The stained teeth
And the health hazard:
I am the mouth cancer
 
I am the free gift,                                             
The girls are garlanded with
And dance to greet:
I am the crowd pleaser
 
I am the icebreaker,
The nut of kastom 
And first act of the kibung:
I am the nut of peace
 
And, I am the nut of conflict,
The urban curse
And the rural blessing:
I am the lifestyle choice
 
I am the betel nut,
The daga stick
And the lime pot:
I am the red, red stain

Published by Ples Singsing

Ples Singsing is envisioned to be a new platform for Papua Niuginian expressions of creativity, ingenuity and originality in art and culture. We deliberately highlight these two very broad themes as they can encompass the diverse subjects, from technology, medicine and architecture to linguistics, music, fishing, gardening et cetera. Papua Niuginian ways of thinking, living, believing, communicating, dying and so on can cover the gamut of academic, journalistic or opinionated writing and we believe that unless we give ourselves a platform to talk about and discuss these things in an open, free and non-exclusively academic space that they may remain the fodder for academics, journalists and other types of writers alone. New social media platforms have given every individual a personal space to share their feelings and ideas openly, sometimes without immediate censure. The Ples Singsing writer’s blog would like to provide another more structured platform for Papua Niuginian expressions in written, visual and audio formats while also providing some regulation of the type and content of materials to be shared publicly.

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