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Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai
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Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai |
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Subject: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: rich-joy Date: 07 Jun 06 - 08:06 PM Considering the VERY sad daily news regarding the fighting in Timor-Leste, I thought I would submit this Timorese song. I was reminded that I had the words, by hearing it used in the moving drama currently being shown on ABC-TV here in Australia, starring David Wenham and called "Answered By Fire" (set in 1999 at the time The UN was assisting the East Timorese to be able to safely vote for Independance from Indonesia ... or not ...) See also this 1999 Mudcat thread : "Waltzing East Timor" : thread.cfm?threadid=13612#112761 I'm not sure if I have transcribed it correctly from the handwritten score - perhaps Callie, or another 'catter who has sung this song with a Union or Peace Choir, can advise ... Cheers, R-J KO LE LE MAI Words : Francisco Borja da costa (d. 07.12.1975) Music : traditional East Timorese folk tune (Maubere) Ko-le le-le mai Ra-de ko-ko de le-le ko le-le mai 1. Sa sa ha nalo o batar la sulin 2. Sa sa ha nalo o hare la burit 3. Se se ha nalo o kabun la bosu 4. Se se ha nalo o kosar la maran 5. Balu dehan o barak balu katak o beik 6. Balu ra ak o baruk balu katak o tiak 7. Sa sa ha nalo se se los se 8. Sa sa sa maka se se los se " Thanks to Lola Reis for the translation: "Ko le le mai" is an untranslatable expression which is used to get the listener's attention. Lola says that the Timorese consider it extremely indelicate to say things bluntly and that is why the song may seem vague to European ears. To Borja da Costa's audience however, there would have been no doubt that Portuguese colonialism was being implicitly denounced. " English translation : What's the reason for your corn not growing? Why doesn't your rice sprout well? Who is the cause of your empty stomachs? Who is the cause of your never-ending sweat? Some say (it's because) you're lazy and stupid. Some say (it's because) you're lazy and poor. What's the cause of it? Who is responsible? (Given to me in Darwin in early 1992) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: JennyO Date: 08 Jun 06 - 12:25 AM Hi rich-joy. I've sung this many times with the Solidarity Choir. The words you have are mostly the same as the ones we use, but there are a few small differences. Our English translation is basically the same, so I won't worry about posting that again. We usually sing it as a medley with another song, Foho Ramelau, written by the same author, but for the sake of clarity I will only post the information relevant to Kolelemai and the words, as they appear on our website here: Solidarity Choir Kolelemai Words: Francisco Borja da Costa, 1970s Music: Traditional Maubere / Abilio de Araujo This song comes from the independence struggle of East Timor. The lyrics were written by Francisco Borja da Costa, a leader of the Fretilin forces resisting Portugal's colonisation of East Timor who was killed in 1975 on the day his independent country fell to a new enemy, Indonesia. Kolelemai is an obliquely framed but nevertheless firm condemnation of the impoverishment brought by foreign rule. Sa sa ha' a nalo o batar la fulin, kolele mai. Sa sa ha' a nalo o hare la burit, kolele mai. Se se ha' a nalo o kabun la bosu, kolele mai. Se se ha' a nalo o kosar la maran, kolele mai. Kole lele mai rade kokodele, kolele mai. Kole lele mai rade kokodele, Kole hele laloi kolele mai. Balu dehan o baruk, balu katak o beik, kolele mai. Balu raak o baruk, balu katak o tiak, kolele mai. Sa sa sa maka halo, se se se los se, kolele mai. Sa sa sa maka halo, se se se los se, kolele mai. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: rich-joy Date: 08 Jun 06 - 01:37 AM Thanks for that, JennyO!!! Do you by chance know anything about the main song that was used in the mini-series "Answered By Fire" (and particularly the TV advertising)??? This was also a joint Australian-Canadian film - has it been shown in Canada yet, I wonder ... Cheers! R-J PS some info about the film being made in Queensland last year : http://thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19154887-5003422,00.html |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: rich-joy Date: 08 Jun 06 - 09:43 PM hmmmm ... the thought just came to me that, if "Ko Le Le Mai" is an expression used to get attention, then MAYbe, those are the words that are being sung throughout the "Answered By Fire" film - just to a different riff/tune than the usual De Costa/folktune song, which is sung with the credits ... Mind you, I'm just rambling here, could be NOTHING the same!!! Anyone?! Cheers! R-J |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: JennyO Date: 10 Jun 06 - 05:18 AM Thanks for bringing up this subject, rich-joy. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have noticed that part 2 of "Answered By Fire" is going to be repeated tonight on Channel 2 at 10.20pm - in a little over 3 hours. Unfortunately I missed part 1 totally. Having Foxtel seems to make me forget to look what is on the free-to-air channels a lot of the time. I'll watch it and see if I recognise any of the music. In fact, I've got it on already so I don't forget - I'll keep an ear out for any advertising as well. Jenny |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: rich-joy Date: 13 Jun 06 - 05:44 AM Just back from the fabulous "Dreaming Festival" (2nd of the International Indigenous Festivals at Woodford) - a tad chilly at times for some of us Queenslanders, but still wonderful!!! Shame you missed Part 1 of "Answered by Fire", JennyO - I was more moved to tears by Part 1 :~) - but it's probably available on DVD too. Cheers! R-J |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: rich-joy Date: 13 Jun 06 - 05:58 AM Here is a link to a recent interesting article on "The Courier Mail" website, regarding the making of the Australian-Canadian miniseries "Answered by Fire" - last year on Qld's Gold Coast!! It's by Trent Dalton and appeared on May 17th, 2006, and is entitled "Stars Answer Worthy Call" ... http://thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19154887-7642,00.html There are others too, of course, via Google ... Cheers! R-J |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: rich-joy Date: 13 Jun 06 - 06:01 AM DUH!!!! All that cold and music has addled me brain (can't have been the Guinness!) - I just realised that I already gave that link, in June 8th's post ... sorry :~))) Cheers! R-J |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: GUEST Date: 15 Jun 06 - 02:49 AM Does anyone know where I can get this song in an MP3 or similar format? It's beautiful, even more when you read what the words actually mean. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Timorese song : Ko Le Le Mai From: GUEST,Roy Sinaga Date: 18 Jun 10 - 08:27 AM Do you have any link to download this song or any of you have link to download the OST of Balibo movie? |
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