ARTICLE
Francisco Langa aka Tanguene (Mozambique)
At Bus Stops better we bring our chairs, you’ll bring your stools. Women bring your mukumi ni vemba sisters, come with capulanas mother, bring your mat ‘ cause you’ll need it to stretch it down to sit on with the children. For centuries it takes while we are waiting, waiting, waiting for a chapa to come!
Teachers Writers Poets Editors Note: 'At bus stops' was a winner in the ELT e-reading group competition. We would welcome contributions to this page, especially from teachers from Portuguese speaking countries and who are writing in English as their second language. Poetry or prose are equally welcome, and we would appreciate pieces in which you bring a little of your country to share with us all. Send your contribution to IED@wordpowered.org
Glossary:
Nothing Was There It was an empty place One empty chair Somewhere in a sort of a palace There sat a gentleman in an armchair Who loudly sang:
Chapa - taxi for the people (min-busies, pickus). It carries workers, students and the general public from suburban areas to cities (& vice-verse). It originally appeared as individual initiatives to help people and fill the gap left by the lack of public transport to satisfy the demand on transport and then it became a business. This form of transport appears to be operated chaotically, but it is ultimately very useful!
Leaves of tea Leaves of tea Leaves of tea
Capulana - a big cloth; part of African women traditional dressing, it is folded round the waist and it rolls down till nearly reach the feet.
You turn and see the empty chair And the busy armchair and he loudly sang: Leaves of tea Leaves of tea Leaves of tea
Mukumi is a big capulana made of 4 capulanas (vembas) and women use the two of them for different occasions. Young women (sisters) are expected to put on capulana (vemba) for any special occasion (marriage, party, traditional ceremonies…) but women that are traditional are expected to show respect and culture (mothers etc.) by using Mukumi for traditional ceremonies. It is important to note that Mukumi ni Vemba are sold in one piece of cloth (5 capulanas) and, they go to a tailor and separate one for vemba and 4 are put together to make mukumi.
Leaves of tea Leaves of tea Leaves of tea.
Ni (Ronga) – is the same as 'and' in English