Here are three songs for angels that are sung as part of the Priere Guinea, the opening prayer of most Vodou services:
Zanj, ki zanj sa, zanj kwala mede, o kwakwa,
Zanj, ki zanj sa, zanj kwala mede, o kwakwa,
Nou tout se zanj o,
Nou tout se zanj o,
Zanj kwala mede, o kwakwa,
Lesen mache ave nou.
Angel, what angel is that, angel kwala mede, o kwakwa,
Angel, what angel is that, angel kwala mede, o kwakwa,
We all are angels, oh,
We all are angels, oh,
angel kwala mede, o kwakwa,
The saints walk with us.
Anonse o zanj nan dlo,
Ya dosou miwa, yawe yawe,
Anonse o zanj nan dlo,
Ya dosou miwa, yawe yawe,
M pral nan Vil O Kan, e!
Kreyol mande chanjman.
Announce the angel in the water,
Ya dosou miwa, yawe yawe,
Announce the angel in the water,
Ya dosou miwa, yawe yawe,
I am going to Ville au Camps, eh!
Creoles (people born on this side of the Big Water) want change.
Nou tout se zanj O,
Tan la bare mwen,
Nou tout se zanj O,
Tan la bare mwen,
Dambala Wedo, Ayida Wedo,
Nou tout se zanj O,
Tan la bare mwen.
We all are angels oh,
The bad weather held me back,
We all are angels oh,
The bad weather held me back,
Dambala Wedo, Ayida Wedo,
We all are angels oh,
The bad weather held me back.
I know this is late and all but those translations are wrong, Madam, I'm shocked because you should know better than this.
I think you are the one who should know better than this. Most songs have alternative lines, for instance:
Se Ibo, evida, se Ibo evida dayigwe
is often sung as
Se Ibo, evida, se Ibo evida nayide
Do you want to join the "nayide" team and be shocked at "dayigwe" or do you want to join the "dayigwe" team and be shocked at "nayide"?
There is no "Oba Koso" or "Kosou" reference in that song, I have never heard it sung that way anywhere in Haiti, not the Artibonite, not Cap Haitien, not Jacmel. "Obo Koso" is from Orisha service, it's a reference to Shango, the King is hung/not hung, remember that story? Now, if you have heard the song sung that way, I would love to know where you attended that Vodou service, and when, and who was the Houngan or Mambo in charge, because I would like to visit them. Sometimes literate Houngans from higher social classes in Haiti do this, they put in references to Olorun and all that stuff, and the average Vodouisant really doesn't use it.
Some "ethnologues" used to torture the text, and try to show off their erudition by attempting to offer Greek roots for langaj words, for Heaven's sake. Books are not the best source.
Go to Jacmel and you will hear "Tan la bare mwen" and also "Dan la barase mwen". In Leogane you will hear not "Zanj anba-a se mwen" but "Zanj la barase mwen" short for "anbarase mwen".
Even the Priere Guinen goes through contortions in the very first verse! "L'ange du Seigneur dit a Marie" is pretty clear in French, but you wouldn't believe the phrases I've heard in some peristyles, it's like "hoc est corpus" becoming "hocus pocus"! That's why Charlemagne reformed the education of priests, and that's why in Vodou it's very important to give what you get, otherwise it's just like playing telephone and everything soon becomes meaningless.
I hope you enjoy my corrections to your assertions. When I say, Peace and love, unlike you, I don't "smirk", I mean it.
I think you are the one who should know better than this. Most songs have alternative lines, for instance:
Sometimes literate Houngans from higher social classes in Haiti do this, they put in references to Olorun and all that stuff, and the average Vodouisant really doesn't use it.
It is where you heard it. And I'm asking you again, where was the ceremony you attended where you heard it like that? I'd love to visit them. It might not be the "original" lyrics. Given that I haven't heard it that way - although I have heard "lewe lewe" at the end of that line - anywhere from Port-au-Prince to Jacmel to the Artibonite to Cap Haitian, I am guessing if that were the "original" lyric I would have heard it before now. But you and I both can only guess. We weren't there, everywhere, way back then.
