#1591: Kawolin Akawo : Henrius replies to Wilcken's question

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: C&C Henrius <tet_ansanm@hotmail.com>

Although I'm not sure who she was exactly, you can believe I heard this song 
everywhere I went in Haiti, being named Caroline AND a student of Haitian 
song and dance!  I was told it's Kawolina Kawo, however, and more often 
heard the last line sang, "nEg nwE ti zorEy tande" than the way you have it. 
  Also I'm told the reference to nEg nwE anraje is about Haitian 
revolutionaries.  But anraje does not mean crazy.  It just means volatile 
and passionate... or "move"  :)






>
>Kawolin Akawo, danse kongo jis kO m fE mwen mal o (bis)
>Danse kongo nou laye kongo (bis)
>Kawolin Akawo, nEg nwE ti zOrEy anraje
>
>I'm speculating that if Kawolin was indeed among the piquets, the last
>phrase--"the black troublemaker is crazy"--might be a description of
>peasant revolutionaries.  Of course, that would reflect a biased
>upperclass point of view.  A translation from a more popular perspective
>might be, "The people are rising up."  With the swirling kongo skirts,
>and the dancing 'til exhaustion...nice!  But I can be way off base.  If
>anyone knows anything about this song, please share.  MEsi davans.
>
>Lois Wilcken
>La Troupe Makandal - New York City's #1 Haitian Roots Ensemble
>621 Rutland Road, Brooklyn NY 11203
>718-953-6638 / makandal-ny@juno.com
>

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