We are the first ones
Who went to Kemet
From the Kingdom of Kush
Without offending our ancestors
For we were not alone
We met the Baka people
The first ones
Dark-skinned as we are
The Baka call us Kaka
For we have the same
Ancestors
Then we got in trouble
We fought wars
And called the Creator
Who said words
And became alligator
My bridge is my savior
For I will make
My genealogy after
I am safe
Then the white man
Came
They took me
And put me
In prison
My name
They threw away
My tongue
They forbade
But, for God’s sake
Mbock will bring me
Back home
For our journey
Will not stop here
We shall go back
To where we started
Kol ɛ loŋ
Mina bɛ ɛ bot ɛ mɛkɛn
Ná tɔ pɛ Kɛmɛt
Dus pɛ mɛkoozi ɛ Kus
Aa kal bɛtat
Aa tɔ mina met
Mina bela Ibayaka
Bot ɛ mɛkɛn
Bɛ na bhibhil bot
Daa mina bɛl
Baka djoo mina ɛ Kaka
Itɛɛ náá
Mina bɛ ɛ nɛ ikaka
Ngɔt
Wɔ bee mina bela mitɛp
Wɔ
Djoo Zɛɛb-Mɛkaake
Wɔ gwa nyɛ zɛ ke
Nyɛ zɛ liiza kol
Dhaar yam yɛ ɛ salaam
Mɛ ni ka baal
Dhaar bhis cikam
Wɔ bee mitaga
Zɛ ghɛɛ mɛ
Wa mɛ i mbok
Nɔɔ din ɛ lam
Mɔs
Nɔɔ ɛyɔŋ ɛ lam
Pɛɛ
Di náá
I gu ka náá, Mbock
Waa zyɛ zɛ bulal mɛ
Pɛ daa lam
Itɛɛ náá
Cyer yina
Aani sik wak
Mina aabula
Pɛ mɛkɛn
Peresch Aubham Edouhou was born in Makokou (Gabon) in 1993. He is a Bekwel, Kota and French speaker, who graduated in Letters (Portuguese-English) from Pelotas Federal University (UFPel) in 2019. He is currently enrolled in Rio Grande Federal University’s Master of Letters Program (Language Studies) in Brazil where he has been studying African languages and literatures. He has been writing poems and traditional short stories in the vernacular — African languages. Among his poems in Bekwel language are “Dhaar” (“Genealogy”) and “Din yɛ ɛ Dis” (“Name is Eye”) in Jornal RelevO, and a short anthology of seven poems in Revista Njinga. He can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009123511450.
the Decolonial Passage 