5. INDIGENOUS POEMS, STORIES & PRAYERS  

Nama poem

Aboxan gowa                          Language of the Gods
//gûxan gowa                         Language of our forefathers
Ais gowatse                            my mother tongue
Ti gowatse                              my language

!gôa//nâhe,                                      Being underestimated

sorahe,                                               Being disrespected

 /nîn xa /uxu e,                                 Denied by some

!naes ana /uxuhe                            denied their Birth

Khoen xuna !gôa!gâ                       Value other peoples things

 //în dina !gôa//nâ,                         devalue their own

 khoekgoegowa ti !guri,                 Khoekhoelanguage my stem

 Khoekhoegowa ti /omi                 Khoekhoelanguage my heritage

Ata /hao tsi omkhâi tsi                    lets unite and develop you

Samsa xu da daisi tsi                        Lets breast feed you

Sa ai!gûs sida !om//aehâ               your development is in our hands

 xuige ne !khams !nâ ta da sâ.       So let’s not rest in this fight

Namanin ta //gâi#ûi tsi,                  oppressed by the Europeans

Khoen gowagu di !guri!gaotse     The stem of the people’s languages

Hoara !gau hâ tse                            The only remaining one

Khoekhoe  gowatse                                   Khoekhoelanguage

Aboxan gowa                                  Language of the godest

//gûxan gowa                                 Language of the fore fathers

Ais gowa                                           my mother tongue

Hoan!nâ-ai ti gowa                         In all, my language