Yobawandaruanem: the tall tree of our cultural heritage

MICHAEL DOM

MY ESSAY YESTERDAY on education in poetry (about which Radio Australia will interview me later this week) put me in a contemplative mood about my lack of knowledge of my own people’s language.

I can understand the language reasonably well, but I cannot speak it. I think that’s a condition shared by many of us neo-tribal city kids, a.k.a. coconuts.

That means of course that while I am able to translate the words of Tokples Sinsine into their English equivalents when spoken to me, I am unable to think in my language and therefore unable to gather the words to form sentence structures and convey ideas.

I regret the poetry I may never deliver because of my inability to think in my native tongue.

Almost 20 years ago I participated in a singsing organized at Gordon Secondary School, where I was actually the lead dancer. (Hah! Figure that one out.)

One of the songs we learned has haunted me for a very long time and the poem below is a rendering of what the song meant to me.

The song was in Kuman language, so perhaps Sil Bolkin, Jimmy Drekore or Peter Krantz would recognize or confirm what this poem is about.

Yobawandaruanem

A poem adapted from a singsing chant, one part recalled, three parts forgotten. It is metaphorical verse about how a people saw their leader to be their pride, their provider and their protector

I come to you–I come to you
You are the Tall Tree
Of the name my father’s had respected
Your name gives us strength
You call to me and I must come
I will come
Surely I come to you.

Yobawandaruanem
I come to you–I come to you
You stand above men
High above me stretch your mighty arms
Your shadow is my resting place
You shelter me and I live
I will live
Safely I live under you.

Yobawandaruanem
You are the Tall Tree
Of the name my father’s had respected
You stand above men
High above me stretch your mighty arms

Yobawandaruanem
I come to you–I come to you
You are the Tall Tree that calls me home
I come to you–I come to you.

Comments

[Michael Dom]

Thanks Peter. (I'm doing autographs when I get to POM. LOL!)

I'll continue to play my part in championing poetry for school kids, and I'm looking forward to more contributions in that category of the 2013 Crocodile Prize.

If I may suggest to SWEP; we should consider a project whereby we offer our services, to share with school kids what we have learned about writing.

Members of SWEP may select schools where they live or their alma mater, to return as guest

We might also help them to arrange their own literary competition where the 'best-of-the-best' stories, poems and essays are placed on the school notice board and forwarded through to the Crocodile Prize.

That will provide quantity of literature material.

It is the duty of SWEP to ensure quality; quality in thought and writing for each of the categories.

I'd go so far as to say that part of the Crocodile Prize award should be for the winning writer/poet to voluntarily commit to taking part in this project activity as a guest speaker.

Na wanem? Bai yumi win tasol, mekim nem blong yumi yet na ino inap long lainim ol narapela mangi? Tingting gut. Papua Niugini save mekim olsem na yumi no senis. Husat ken bai lainim ol?

As part of this guest speaking duty writers should read or recite their work and encourage the best students to do so as well.

Schools should be encouraged to organize reading competitions also. What level they take it too is up to them; class, inter-class, school or inter-school competition.

I think the IEA schools already have such programs.

In my opinion if we can go to great lengths to organize school debates, where kids thrash at each other with rhetoric, why not compete in poetry recitation - using vernacular too?

We're so busy trying to encourage smart talking but doing nothing to encourage deep thinking.

[Peter Kranz]

Michael Dom's interview on Radio Australia was broadcast yesterday evening.
______________

PNG poet says poetry needs to be a serious part of the curriculum

A prize-winning poet in Papua New Guinea believes that poetry is not taken seriously enough in the local school curriculum.

Michael Dom, winner of this year's Crocodile Prize for Poetry, published an essay in PNG Attitude entitled, 'Poetry as an educational tool'.

In it he advocates the power of poetry as part of the country's oral tradition.

He explains to Tom Maddocks how teaching poetry can translate into the classroom environment.

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/png-poet-says-poetry-needs-to-be-a-serious-part-of-the-curriculum/1036134

___________

Congratulations, Michael.

[Michael Dom]

Kela - do you think you could help me translate the entire poem into Galkope.

I know that the refrain of the song was, "Na wiwa yo-o, na wiwa yo, Yobwandaruanem na wiwa yo".

It would be fantastic to read my rendering of the song converted back into tokples.

[Michael Dom]

Thanks Kela, for the definitions - I am very happy to have recalled correctly.

My instinct comes heedlessly and ever leadless / Dances over memory.

Keith, please make the correction of the name "Yobawandaruanem".
__________

Done Michael, and thanks for this great initiative - KJ

[Jimmy Drekore]

Very well explained, Kela Kapkora, and thanks Michael for giving prominence to our figurative language.

[Kela Kapkora Sil Bolkin]

Yomba/ Yoba = Kuman language
,
Yopa = Galkope language,

Yomba/Yopa/Yoba, is a kwila (stout/tough) tree that is found in the forests. In this tree the harpy eagles and other beasts of the wilderness found their peace and solace.

Yopa is a sanctuary to the animals, especially possums, birds, etc.

Our forefathers took years to cut down the yopa/yoba tree with their stone axes and splinter to sharpen and make planks to build their men's house walls or fence their burial sites.

It does not rot like the other trees. Hence, servant as well as pedestal leaders are referred to as the Yobawandaruanem as long as they protect their constituents or tribal lands and womenfolk, even if they hurt others to protect their tribe.

As long as the leader says the name must not go down, he is seen as a Yopa/Yoba tree.

Yobawandaruanem is the equivalent to the MBE, CSM, etc in the western world.