The Fall of the Empire
Level: Advanced
Topic: Lyrics of song by Vitorino about the Portuguese Empire
Lyrics
i ilace u lufu
cadom a hay i vanvu sora siyal
heivio elefo 'aslufu
'beiwa de jetale yes
o wadoyoyo
en neloa heodom
ledom de tianidai
ti raisepuni, nen par elehui
sora 'cinnamomum su 'capsicum
mivanta de ticati-anise beiwa
o i apavu-raisoi de tidetu
caora a yuba sioren
a caei i eleyel e ledom
su en virfiyur i anelem
e varpi de nolili lealei
'citrus Luanda
nedas lirul su leipili
Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2DsabWSiOU&list=RDV2DsabWSiOU&start_radio=1
Tips
a...a... = is/are (copula)
a [subject] i [verb] e [direct object] u [indirect object]
ti- = corrupt/harmful prefix
' = imported or coined word
anelem = remain, stay, keep
anidai = want, desire
anise = carry, bring
apavu = run
'beiwa = water vessel, ship
cadom = where
caei = who
caora = because
de = of, from
doyoyo = oscillate
e = object marker
elehui = soul
heivio = magic
heodom = world
jetale = cross, intersection
lealei = forest
ledom = land, territory
leipili = flower
lirul = habitually
lufu = wind
nedas = 10/10
neloa = all, everything
nen par = 1,000
nolili = forever, eternal
raisoi = flee, escape
sepuni = command, empire
sioren = luck, random
siyal = find, notice
sora = purpose, in order to
ticati = slave, to enslave
tidetu = death
vanta = hand
varpi = nose, smell
yes = cloth, fabric
Original
Commentary
This song is emotional to me because it reflects on the immense human cost of the Portuguese Empire, which is personal to my family history. I interpret the second stanza to be about the people that were enslaved, and not the Portuguese sailors. Now, this does not seem to be the most common interpretation, but I think it's well-supported by the framing of the song as critical to the empire, the start of the second stanza with a reference to the slave ship, and the fact that the land the person longs for is referenced as Luanda.