About the Poem
In October 1944, a company which came to be called Arrozal was awarded (by the Rice Propaganda Division) the rice concession for the lower Zambesi valley in colonial Mozambique. This granted the concession-holder, a man called Ruy Pereira de Lima, the right to levy four sacks from every adult woman in the area, paying them one-third of the market value.
The following song two describes one of Ruy’s raids on the village of Pirira, on the north bank of the river, close to the delta. Oral testimony from the village narrates as follows:
When people used to see a boat coming, they would run away. People would say that because it was a boat, it must be Ruy. This would mean that the sepoys would be coming again like they did that other day. Everyone would run into the bush, taking no food or anything. If there was someone working in his garden, he would come to the village shouting ‘Run away! Run away! Ruy’s coming! Run Away!’ Then everyone would rush off into the grass. A small child would not cry out lest the sepoys hear it. So you had to press the child’s mouth to muffle it. People hid in the bush because of the suffering the women were enduring.
This poem was sung in chiSena by Fernando Nicolas with women of Piria village, Luabo, 5 August, 1975.
| ChiSena | English |
Apa Shitima ya Ruy A‑a-ay Tawani A‑a-ay Tawani Machambero! A‑a-ay Tawani machambero! Nda mutawe baba-ay Nda mutawe mama Nda mutawe baba-ay baba Nda mutawe baba-ay Nda mutawe mama Nda mutawe mudzi mo-ay-ay Abale mutawe mudzi mo A baba, mudzi mwafika chizimo Baba, mutawe mwene mo. A baba, abale, Shitima A baba, abale, Shitima A baba, abale, Shitima A‑ay Baba gopa Pirira A‑ay Baba gopa Pirira A‑ay Baba gopa Pirira Ay-mutawe mutawe Mutawire mutawe mutawire Ay-baba, ay mutawire, ay baba. Ay, mutawe mudzi mo Say-mutawe mudzi mo Mutaya nipa zanu zo Ay-abwera nsupai-ay Ay-abwera nsupai-ay Ay-abwera nsupai-ay Ay, munamangwa lero Ay, munamangwa lero Ay, munamangwa lero Ay-baba-ay Adapenga nipa lero Ay-mutawe baba-ay Mama-ay, ndisafamba-ay Munamangwa na ngume Mama-ay, mwamala Pirira lero Mama-ay, ndava mwapakiswa Mama-ay, ndava mwapakiswa Mama-ay, ndava mwapakiswa Ay-ay, pakira mwapakira Ay-ay, pakira mwapakira Mwapakiswa pa Shitima. Apa Shitima ya Ruy A‑a-ay Tawani A‑a-ay Tawani Machambero! A‑a-ay Tawani machambero!
Here comes Ruy’s steamer A‑a-ay Run away A‑a-ay Run away, gardeners! A‑a-ay Run away, gardeners! You must run, father You must run, mother You must run, mother, father You must run, father You must run, mother You must run from that village Brothers, you must run from that village Father, a devil has descended on the village Father, you must run from that place Fathers, brothers, the steamer Fathers, brothers, the steamer Fathers, brothers, the steamer Father, fear for Pirira Father, fear for Pirira Father, fear for Pirira You must run, you must run Run. You must run. Run. Father, you must run fast, father You must run from that village You must run from that village Get rid of that kachasu of yours (1) The cypaes have come (2) The cypaes have come The cypaes have come You’ll be tied up today You’ll be tied up today You’ll be tied up today Father You who are brewing kachasu today You must run away father Mother, I always have nightmares You’ll be tied up with rope Mother, you Pirira people are finished today Mother, I’ve heard you’ve been shipped away (3) Mother, I’ve heard you’ve been shipped away Mother, I’ve heard you’ve been shipped away Gone aboard, you’ve gone aboard Gone aboard, you’ve gone aboard You’ve been shipped away in the steamer. Here comes Ruy’s steamer A‑a-ay Run away A‑a-ay Run away, gardeners! A‑a-ay Run away, gardeners!
(1) Kachasu: a spirit distilled from the fruit of the cashew tree. It’s production was illegal.
(2) Cypaes, or Sepoys: the “native” (that is, African) police, employed by the local administrator.
(3 )i.e., taken under arrest in Rui’s steamer.
Listen to the poem in English
Sources
Here Comes Ruy’s Steamer. https://africanpoems.net/protest-satire/here-comes-ruys-steamer/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.