Izimbali Zebhalisamu. ( Balsam Flowers)

I've been in Japan two full years now. Okinawa to be exact, which really isn't Japan. It's very different. This next piece is one that is very special to me. Six months after I arrived in Okinawa, on December 6, 2012 I started writing a poem in Zulu. It was the first time I ever wrote anything in my home language that I felt was necessary for me. That I felt was profound. I was unable to express my feelings in any other language or way. A lot of thoughts had come together for me to realize how much I cherished my identity and  I felt like for the first time ever, I was connecting with who I really am. This is precious to me because it's one of the main reasons I had decided to go to Japan. It's not something I discuss with people, if I don't feel they're ready to understand it. Which is often, where I am now. It's a part of me that I feel that people who understand my context can truly open up to and share and enjoy. It also comes off a bit patriotic which wasn't intentional but I guess is also a shade of who I am. I like to think of it as just a celebration of my country and my people. I didn't publish it immediately because I knew I needed to add more to it that it wasn't complete. Not long after an Okinawan friend of mine, a music teacher whom I used to practice music with in our spare time, taught me an old Okinawan folk song which I have cherished since. It is in the Okinawan language called Uchinanchu and below the song I've put an English translation of it. I felt that it was the missing part of this piece since it resonates so much with me. So today I want to share this piece. 

I skipped a country to find secrets, beauty, wisdom, knowledge, courage, hope, answers, God. 

I found them all. Not very long  I realized that if had skipped a country to realize it's worth. My country has: secrets, beauty, wisdom, knowledge, courage, hope, answers and God. But what good is all that to people who don't realize what they have? 

Nighlwithe esiswini somdali 

Ngigxume ngasuka  endlini

Ngabaleka ngaphuma ekhaya 

Ngithe ngiyofuna okunye, Hhayi lokhu 

Cha mina ngifuna okunye, okwengeziwe, okungaphezulu, okunamandla, okukhanya kangcono

Okwengeziwe kunalokhu, okucwebezelayo, imfundo ephakemeyo, inkanyiso engaphezu kwaleyo enginayo. 

Cha mina ngeke ngihlale la. 

Vele angiselona ichwane 

Juba kangisilo kudala ngachuthwa 

Xoxo kangisilo kudala ngagxuma 

Angalanga kutshelwa kudala ngopha 

UMopho injwayelo, ngibhandisha ngeZwi 

Ngigeze amanxeba ngezinyembezi

Ngigqoke imiyalo njengejezi. 

Pho kunani! 

Angifungwanga ngingumagcino. 

Kwabathi kangimuliswanga kangibelekwanga nginezimpendulo

Ngafungwa ngamuliswa ngabelekwa phezulu! 

Idlozi lami lakudala

Idolizi lami lokuqala

Idlozi lami lokugcina

Isiqalo Sami

Nesiphetho Sami

Kalingamukelanga belingivunile kakade

Esiswini sikaMama

Mina ngesaba 

Ngahlwitha

Ngagxuma

Ngabaleka

Bengimusha 

Namanje ngisemusha

Indodakazi kangilahlekanga 

Ikhaya ngiyalazi 

Ngithe ekuhambeni emazweni ngibuka ngibona 

Imicabango yasanguluka 

Ngibone impithizelo 

Ngibone bedidizela 

Beya le nale 

Benemibuzo bengenazo izimpendulo 

Bengenandaba nempilo 

Ubumnyama bunzulu 

Benakho konke okufiswa amehlo 

Benethezekile kodwa bengenawo umthetho 

Bakhononda bebubula kodwa kungenadlame 

Benemfundo yonke kazange bayibambe 

Bedla balahle 

Bekhoseliwe bebahle   

Kodwa benozwela 

Belalela 

Benenhlonipho 

Bebekezela 

Amanzi okuphila ageleza umhlaba wonke 

Anikwa laba abacelayo 

Boba bayaphiwa Wona

Yena uvula Imithombo aqhumise umhlaba 

Uveza amachibi yonke indawo 

Ubusise ngemifula 

Wena owomile woza! 

Mina imifula ngiyibonile 

Ngicotshwe amachibi 

Ngaphala izibi ngazihlehlisa 

Ngifuna umfula

Ngazembula 

Bheka manje ngiyagezwa 

Imicabango emibi iyafadalala 

Izibi zezono zami sezizoba yindaba nje 

Mina ngifunda imfundo yaphezulu 

Kumanje lamagama angicoca umqondo 

Ageleza njengempophomo ephemela emlonyeni wami 

Nasepheshaneni lami 

Phuza  nawe ukhombise abanye 

Umthombo kaKristu. 

Tinsagunu Hana  ( The Balsam Flowers)- a warabe uta ( song) 

Tinsagu nu hana ya 

Chimi sachi ni sumiti 

Uyanu yushi gutu ya 

Chimi in sumiri 

Tin naburi  bushi ya 

Yumiba yuma  rishiga 

Uyanu yushi gutu ya 

Yumin naran 

Yuruha rasu funi ya 

Ninu fua bushi miati 

Wan na cheru uyaya

Wandu miati 

Takaradama yatin migaka 

Niba sabisu

Asayu chimu migachi 

Uchiyu watara 

Makutu suru hitu ya 

Ataya ichi madin 

Umuku tun konati 

Chiyun sakai 

Nashiba nani gutun 

Nairu gutu yashida 

Nasan yui karadu 

Naran sadami 

Nasan yui karadu 

Naran sadami 

( English translation) 

Just as my fingernails are stained with the pigment from the balsam flowers, my heart is painted with the teachings of my parents. 

Although the stars in the sky are countable, the teachings of my parents are not. 

Just as ships that run in the night are guided to safety by the North Star, I am guided by my parents who gave birth to me and watch over me. 

There's no point in possessing magnificent jewelry if you don't mantaining it. People who mantain their bodies will live wonderfully. The desires of the person who lives sincerely will always run true and as a result she will prosper. You can do anything if you try, but you can't if you don't.