A very meaningful Ryukyuan folk song: Tinsagu nu Hana (Balsam Flowers)

I happened to hear this Ryukyuan folk song by chance, after following a YouTube link shared by a Facebook friend (you know how one song leads to another, right). The melody immediately caught my ear, and on further googling, the lyrics immediately captured my heart. Here it is, Tinsagu no Hana (Balsam Flowers), sung by Rimi Natsukawa:

Tinsagu nu hana by Rimi Natsukawa

Here are the lyrics translated into English (from here, here and here):

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

Although the galaxies in the sky are countable,
the love and wisdom of my parents are not.

Just as the ships that run in the night are guided to safety by the polestar,
I am guided by the parents who birthed me and watch over me.

Just as there's no point in owning splendid jewelry if you don't maintain it,
human beings who maintain their souls will live life wonderfully.

The wishes of he who lives sincerely always come true and he prospers.

You can do anything if you try, but you can't if you don't.


Wonderful, isnt' it? If you'd like to sing along, here are the lyrics in romanised syllables (adapted from here and here):

ti-.n-sa-gu-nu-ha-na-ya ci-mi-za-ci-ni-su-mi-ti,
u.-ya-nu-yu-si-gu-tu-ya ci-mu-ni-su-mi-ri;

ti-.n-nu-bu-ri-bu-si-ya yu-mi-ba-yu-ma-ri-si-ga,
u.-ya-nu-yu-si-gu-tu-ya yu-mi-ya-na-ra-.n;

yu-ru-ha-ra-su-fu-ni-ya ni-nu-fa-bu-si-mi-a.-ti,
wa-.n-na-ce-ru-u.-ya-ya wa-.n-du-mi-a.-ti;

ta-ka-ra-da-ma-ya-ti-.n mi-ga-ka-ni-ba-sa-bi-su,
a.-sa-yu-ci-mu-mi-ga-ci u.-ci-yu-wa-ta-ra;

ma-ku-tu-su-ru-hi-tu-ya a.-tu-ya-i.-ci-ma-di-.n,
u.-mu-gu-tu-.n-ka-na-ti ci-yu-nu-sa-ka-i.,

na-si-ba-na-ni-gu-tu-.n na-i.-ru-ku-tu-ya-si-ga,
na-sa-nu-yu-i.-ka-ra-du na-ra-nu-sa-da-mi,
na-sa-nu-yu-i.-ka-ra-du na-ra-nu-sa-da-mi;

From Wikipedia here:

Tinsagu nu Hana (Okinawan てぃんさぐぬ花 "the Balsam Flowers") is sometimes spelled Tensagu nu Hana. Okinawan children will squeeze the sap from balsam flowers to stain their fingernails. The lyrics of the song are Confucian teachings. Of the six verses, the first three relate to filial piety, while the last three refer to how to respect one's body and one's goals.

Each verse has exactly the same number notes using language and meter devices that are solely Ryukyuan. The English translation tells of the content of the verses but fails to convey the precision and the beauty of the song.

Alas, the best translations are metempsychoses.

Sincerely,
Malaysian Heart

What was Hindraf singing during their vigil?

Those of us who have seen the video of Hindraf's candle light vigil on 5/9/09, and the subsequent arrests by our police, would have heard the vigillers singing a song in Tamil, as they tried unsuccessfully to get to Dataran Merdeka. For the benefit of those of us who would like to understand what they were singing, and why, here is some info.

The title of the song is Tholvi nilayena ninaithaal, and it is from the 1986 movie Oomai Vizhigal. In the movie, politically connected thugs (who had earlier killed a journalist), destroy the printing press of a newspaper, in order to silence their investigative reporting. This song is what the editor sings to motivate his team after the attack. Here is a translation in English:

If we only dwell on on our defeated condition, how can we even hope of living?
If we consider this life a burden, isn't that trampling upon our mothers' dreams?

Having lost our rights, having lost our belongings, shall we give up our humanity too?
Being human, and still alive, how can we forget our dreams?

When dawn is about to break, why should our hearts be heavy?
When our hearts are full of courage, why should our eyes have tears?

Even if they oppose us, even if they spill our blood, can we ever change our path?
Our blood will only drive our fear away, then can our principles ever die?


Here is the song in full, as sung in the movie by P.B. Srinivas and Abavaanan:

Tholvi nilayena ninaithaal from Oomai Vizhigal

Some people find that anything which is unfamiliar to them makes them uncomfortable; hence they become intolerant towards it. This is especially true if there are negative stereotypes and prejudices already associated with that particular community. People like blogger Dnightcaller even go so far as to call Hindraf "biadap" simply for choosing to sing a Tamil song.

I believe that if we take the trouble to understand our fellow humans better, we will find that they feel exactly what we feel, and that what they want for their children is exactly what we want for ours. However, we first need to get over our own prejudices and speak (and act) against the subtle (and often not so subtle) racism that our fellow Malaysians still suffer in our midst.

If you would like to join them in singing this song, here are the lyrics in Romanised Tamil.

Sincerely,
Malaysian Heart

My gratitude to M.A. for providing the translation, and explaining its meaning to me.

A Translation of "Gurindam Fasal yang Kelima" from Raja Ali Haji's "Gurindam Dua Belas"

In my earlier post in honour of the late Capt. Yusof, I quoted part of Raja Ali Haji's Gurindam Dua Belas. Gurindam are words of wisdom set in verse, usually in the form of couplets.

For the benefit of readers from elsewhere, I tried Googling for an English translation, but in vain. Until one is found, may I offer this attempt at bringing these words of an eminent scholar, historian, poet and alim to a wider audience.

Translation of Gurindam Fasal yang Kelima, from Raja Ali Haji's Gurindam Dua Belas

If the well born you would identify,
look for their kindness and courtesy

Those who are happy and prosper,
waste and idleness do foreswear

If the noble you would perceive,
look you at how they behave

if it's ones with knowledge you require,
of questions and learning they never tire

As for the wise, it's easy to tell,
in this world, for the next they provide well

If the good natured are whom you seek,
when they're with company you must peek

I am not a scholar of Raja Ali Haji's works, nor am I of the literati; I will therefore defer if any of them wish to disabuse me of my literary pretensions.

If it were solely up to me, I would have translated the third verse to read:

If the noble you would perceive,
learn you for what they strive

However, as translators must always remind themselves, "I can decide what a line should mean when I write poetry of my own."

There is a Dutch translation somewhere out there, done by Elisa Netscher, a colonial official and historian who collected, transcribed and translated Malay manuscripts. If you have it, or come across it, would you send me a copy? I would be most grateful to you.

I humbly dedicate this translation to A.A.

Sincerely,
Malaysian Heart