Mimi Ni Mimi I Am I

Mimi Ni Mimi

Waniita mkomunisti
Waniita mkapitalisti
Waniita mnashinalisti
Na mimi ni binadamu tu,
Kwani hilo halitoshi?
 
Nchi zinajiwakia
Mamama wakiomboleza, wakilia
Tumbi ya watoto wakiumia
na maneno yote tunayotumia
            kuuana na kuangamia
 
Ewe mto
Tumesimama pambizoni mwako
machozi yakitudondoka
            yakichanganyika moyoni mwako.
 

I Am I

They call me communist
They call me capitalist
They call me nationalist
But I am human -
Why is that not enough?
 
Countries set fire to themselves
While mothers grieve and weep
Children are suffering
from the words we use
          to kill and destroy
 
River -
We stand on your bank
tears falling on us
that stream into your heart
 

This was another, relatively simple, poem that we translated fairly quickly. We settled on the title ‘I Am I’ – rather than ‘I Am Me’ – because that’s what it says in the Swahili; and also because there’s a slight echo of that Rastafarian statement, ‘I and I’.

The syntax of the final lines took a while to unpack and find a way of making it sound effective in English. We were pleased when we lit on the verb ‘stream’ which has the idea of mingling and, of course, is perfect in this context.

I Am I

They call me communist
They call me capitalist
They call me nationalist
And I am just a human being,
Why is that not enough?
 
Countries set themselves on fire
(While) mothers (are) mourning, crying
many children being hurt/being in pain/suffering
with/and all the words that we use
            to kill each other and destroy
 
(Oh) you, river,
We are standing on your side/bank
tears dropping on us
            getting mixed in your heart.
 

Original Poem by

Alamin Mazrui

Translated by

Katriina Ranne with Katriina Ranne Language

Swahili

Country

Kenya