A NEW YEAR PRAYER.

Afi o afi, afi aya ni ebanina wɔ ekoŋŋ.

Okropɔŋ kɛ efiji akete ebii anɔ, he ni henyɛlɔ ko nine shɛŋ amɛnɔ.

Tɛtɛɛte kɛ klaŋ kɛ blikaŋ kɛ oshishibrishi kɛ kooloi awuyelɔi fɛɛ ahumishi aha bo.

Otswashiogbo helai fiaa kwa anaa sɛɛsɛɛ kɛji amɛkɛ o kpe.

Kɛji omu mle yɛ Tɛshi ŋshɔnaa lɛ, oyajekpo yɛ he ni yɔɔ fɛo.

Kɛji ona agblama lɛ efee ayilɔ.

Kunimyeli afee ogbɛfaŋ nɔ.

Wala e wala, wala sɛɛtsɛlɛ mibiɔ mihaa o kɛ weku tso muu fɛɛ.

Hii shi jogbaŋŋ yɛ Ofe lɛ hɔŋ lɛ shishi.

 

This prayer is reproduced here by the kind courtesy of Rev. Prof. Philip Laryea. We remain eternally grateful for his encouragement and support.

Courtesy of My Art Gallery

AN INTERPRETATION/ TRANSLATION BY NBA.

Disclaimer: I am almost certain that this is a feeble attempt to translate/interpret the magnificent language of the original GA prayer (recorded above) and its nuances and coloration into English.

 

Afi o afi, afi aya ni ebanina wɔ ekoŋŋ. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MANY MORE TO COME.

Okropɔŋ kɛ efiji akete ebii anɔ, he ni henyɛlɔ ko nine shɛŋ amɛnɔ. THE EAGLE SHOULD SPREAD HIS WINGS OVER US TO PROTECT US FROM OUR ENEMIES…….here a metaphor for GOD

Tɛtɛɛte kɛ klaŋ kɛ blikaŋ kɛ oshishibrishi kɛ kooloi awuyelɔi fɛɛ ahumishi aha bo. PREDATORS SUCH AS SCORPIONS, WOLVES, ROYAL PYTHON, BEARS SHOULD BOW BEFORE US.

GOLDILOCKS: Denzel Oduro, digital print. 2018.

Otswashiogbo helai fiaa kwa anaa sɛɛsɛɛ kɛji amɛkɛ o kpe. DISEASES THAT CAUSE SUDDEN DEATH SHOULD RETREAT FROM US.

Kɛji omu mle yɛ Tɛshi ŋshɔnaa lɛ, oyajekpo yɛ he ni yɔɔ fɛo. EVEN IF YOU DIE ON THE TESHIE BEACH, MAY YOU REAPPEAR AT AN EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL PLACE (PARADISE).

BLACK STAR SERIES (yg/acgh), 2010.

Kɛji ona agblama lɛ efee ayilɔ. MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS/HOPES TURN INTO VICTORY

Towit, may our perceptions (nobody ever gets to the horizon, meeting place of the sea and the sky) of victory turn into reality.

Ayilɔ is white clay which symbolises victory. As a sign that one has chalked a feat or has overcome a terrible situation, such as a dreadful illness, white clay is smeared on one’s body.

Talcum powder replaced white clay at some point in our colonial history and this, for example, explains why powder is poured on people who emerge victorious from the courts.

HOTEL DE WAWA: Anane Asare, acrylic on canvas, 1999.

Kunimyeli afee ogbɛfaŋ nɔ. RIGHTEOUSNESS SHOULD BE YOUR PATH

Wala e wala, wala sɛɛtsɛlɛ mibiɔ mihaa o kɛ weku tso muu fɛɛ. LIFE AND WELL-BEING; MAY THE LORD OF LIFE SHOWER THE BLESSINGS ON YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES.

Hii shi jogbaŋŋ yɛ Ofe lɛ hɔŋ lɛ shishi. LONG LIFE, LIVE WELL UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE MOST HIGH.

6 thoughts on “A NEW YEAR PRAYER.”

  1. Wonderful Ga prayer.
    Congratulations to the Rev Prof Laryea.
    Your translation/interpretation and caveats and disclaimers are mostly good 😛

  2. When I started reading I was surprised you could write impeccable Ga until I read the acknowledgement. Enjoy the best of the year my brother.

  3. Beautiful prayer, and educated poeple still think the white man who taught the African about God .SMH.

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