Mlãnmlãn - Personal and Familial Praise Poetry According to the Ajã of Southern Benin Republic
𞤁𞤮𞥊 𞤀𞤶𞤢𞥇𞤩𞤫 𞤥𞤯 𞤦𞤽 𞤫𞤲𞤯 𞤺𞤵𞤣𞤮 𞤽⹁ 𞤫𞥊 𞤤𞤭𞤤𞤯 𞤣𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤘𞤤𞤯𞤧𞤭𞤲𞤺𞤫 𞤥𞤯
Ðò Ajãgbe mɛ bɔ enɛ gudo ɔ, è lilɛ dó Glɛnsigbe mɛ.
In Ajãgbe and then English translation
Mlãnmlãn wɛ nyí xógbe susu tɔn e è nɔ ɖɔ kpo nu kpo é, bɔ akɔta Ajã tɔn e ɖò Mãwùfɛ Gbadahweji tɔn é nɔ wlan. 𞤃𞤽𞤢𞥇𞤲 Mlãn wɛ nyi; "bo na do su". Mlãnmlãn sín tinmɛ wɛ nyí ɖɔ è ni ylɔ bo sɔ́ susu nú nǔ e ɖò 𞤩𞤫𞤼𞤽 gbetɔ, xwé 𞤿𞤱𞤫𞥊𞥅 alǒ akɔ 𞤢𞤳𞤽 mɛ é nugbǒ nugbǒ. Xókwín Mlãnmlãn ɔ nɔ vɛwǔ bɔ è na ylɔ hwenu e a ɖò xókwín enɛ ylɔ wɛ gbɔn m kpo l kpo xixo kplé gblamɛ é, bo ka kpó ɖò wekwín ɖokpo ɖokpo ylɔ wɛ vo. "ã" ɔ, "a" ɖe wɛ bo nɔ yi ji bo nɔ jɛ ji. Amɔ̌, "a" ɔ nɔ cí "a" e ɖò fAther mɛ é ɖɔhun hwebǐnu.
𞤗𞤤𞤢𞥇𞤲𞤥𞤤𞤢𞥇𞤲 Mlãnmlãn is the oral praise poetry of the indigenous Ajã communities of West Mãwùfɛ (Afrika). 𞤃𞤽𞤢𞥇𞤲 Mlãn means "to glorify". Mlãnmlãn means to truly invoke and glorify the essence of a 𞤩𞤫𞤼𞤽 gbetɔ (person), xwé 𞤿𞤱𞤫𞥊𞥅 (family) or akɔ 𞤢𞤳𞤽 (clan). The word Mlãnmlãn is tricky to pronounce as you are pronouncing this word by combining the m and the l, while yet still pronouncing each consonant separately. The "ã" is a rising-falling rising "a". But the "a" always sounds like the "a" in fAther.
È nɔ ɖè Mlãnmlãn lɛ xlɛ́ gbɔn hǔn mɛ, ɖò taji ɔ, hǔn e nɔ ɖɔ xó é, weɖuɖu bunɔ lɛ, hanjiji kpo hanjiji kpo ɖò Ajã-gbè mɛ. Ðò Mãwùfɛ sín aca mɛ ɔ, mɛ alɔkpa e mɛɖé nyí é nɔ cá kàn tawun xá xwédo kpo xá kpo. Bɔ tamɛ-núkplɔnmɛ enɛ cá kàn tawun xá mlãnmlãn sín xóta kpo nǔ taji kpo. Gbɔn nùnina Mlãnmlãn tɔn gblamɛ ɔ, mǐ nɔ ɖɔ xógbe susu tɔn e nɔ kpa susu nú mɛ ɖokpo ɖokpo kpo/hwɛndo ɔ kpo ɖò acɛ yetɔn mɛ é, bo nɔ lɛ́ ɖɔ mɛ e ɖò xá yetɔn mɛ é kpo kúnkan yetɔn kpo hwenu e mǐ ɖò nǔ e yeɖesunɔ wà lɛ é kpo tɔ́gbó yetɔn lɛ tɔn kpo ɖɔ wɛ é. Ðǒtó Mlãnmlãn towe nyí nǔ e nɔ hɛn mɛ lidǒ tawun bo nɔ lɛ́ hɛn lè wá é ɖé; mɛ e ɖó hlɔnhlɔn bo na fɔ́n hlɔnhlɔn kpo jiɖe kpo dó lanmɛ nú mɛ é. É nyí flínflín mɛ e mǐ nyí é tɔn wɛ nyí xógbe susu tɔn e è nɔ ɖɔ kpo nu kpo é ɖò akɔta Ajã tɔn e ɖò Mãwùfɛ Gbadahweji mɛ lɛ é mɛ.
Mlãnmlãn are expressed through drum, especially the talking drum, special dances, chants, and song in the Ajã language. In Afrikan culture, one’s identity is closely tied to the family and community. And this philosophy is closely tied to the core and essence of mlãnmlãn. Through the gift of Mlãnmlãn we speak celebratory words of praise in honor of the individual and/of family in their own right and also as a member of their community and lineage as we recount their personal exploits and that of their ancestors. Listening to your Mlãnmlãn is a deeply affirming and rewarding experience; one that has the power to evoke strength and confidence. It is a reminder of who we are is the oral praise poetry of the indigenous Ajã communities of West Măwùfɛ (Afrika).
È nɔ ɖè xlɛ́ gbɔn hǔn mɛ, ɖò taji ɔ, hǔn e nɔ ɖɔ xó é, kpo hanjiji kpo gblamɛ ɖò Ajã-gbè mɛ. Ðò Aflika sín aca mɛ ɔ, mɛ alɔkpa e mɛɖé nyí é nɔ cá kàn tawun xá xá ɔ. Bɔ tamɛ-núkplɔnmɛ enɛ cá kàn tawun xá xóta kpo xóta Mlãnmlãn tɔn kpo. Gbɔn nùnina Mlãnmlãn tɔn gblamɛ ɔ, mǐ nɔ ɖɔ xwèɖuɖu sín xógbe susu tɔn lɛ dó kpa susu nú mɛ ɖokpo ɖokpo ɖò acɛ yetɔn mɛ bo nɔ lɛ́ nyí hagbɛ̌ xá yetɔn kpo kúnkan yetɔn kpo tɔn hwenu e mǐ ɖò nǔ e yeɖesunɔ wà lɛ é kpo tɔ́gbó yetɔn lɛ tɔn kpo ɖɔ wɛ é. Ðǒtó Mlãnmlãn towe nyí nǔ e nɔ hɛn mɛ lidǒ tawun bo nɔ lɛ́ hɛn lè wá é ɖé; mɛ e ɖó hlɔnhlɔn bo na fɔ́n hlɔnhlɔn kpo jiɖe kpo dó lanmɛ nú mɛ é. É nɔ flín mɛ alɔkpa e mǐ nyí é.
It is expressed through drum, especially the talking drum, and chants in the Ajã language. In Afrikan culture, one’s identity is closely tied to the community. And this philosophy is closely tied to the core and the essence of Mlãnmlãn. Through the gift of Mlãnmlãn we speak celebratory words of praise in honor of the individual in their own right and also as a member of their community and lineage as we recount their personal exploits and that of their ancestors. Listening to your Mlãnmlãn is a deeply affirming and rewarding experience; one that has the power to evoke strength and confidence. It is a reminder of who we are.
Mlãnmlãn ɔ, xóɖiɖɔ kpo gbedómɛ kpo wɛ bo nɔ ɖɔ xó dó nǔ e a nyí é, tan towe kpo kancica e a ɖó xá nǔ ɖaxó ɖé é kpo jí. Ðɛxixo, nǔɖɔɖ’ayǐ, kpodo ylɔylɔ ɖaxó ɖé kpo wɛ bo nɔ bló bɔ xɛsi towe nɔ jɛji gbɔn mɛ e a nyí é kpo nǔ e wu a sixu wà nǔ ɖaxó ɖaxó lɛ bo na lɛ́ wà é kpo ɖiɖɔ nú we gblamɛ. Mlãnmlãn ɖò taji ɔ, é nɔ ɖɔ xó dó gbɛzán towe mɛ gbɔn xógbe Ajã tɔn e è xlɛ́ ali ganji bɔ ye nɔ ɖɔ nǔ e ko jɛ wá yì lɛ é, nǔ e a ko wà dìn lɛ é kpo nǔ e a ko wà ɖò sɔgudo lɛ é kpo gblamɛ.
Mlãnmlãn is an affirmation and a salute that speaks of your essence, your history, and your connection to something greater. It's a prayer, a prophecy, and a major invocation that increases your vibration by telling you who you are and why you can and will do great things. Mlãnmlãn essentially speak life into your being through carefully directed Ajã words that tell of your past, present, and future.
Hwɛhwɛ ɔ, è nɔ wlan Mlãnmlãn lɛ ɖò xógbe xógbe tɔn mɛ. È nɔ dó wusyɛn lanmɛ nú mɛɖé ɖɔ é ni wlan Mlãnmlãn éɖesunɔ tɔn kpo xwédo tɔn kpo. È nɔ lɛ́ bló Mlãnmlãn lɛ nú hɛnnumɔ kpo tɔ́gbó kpo e kú lɛ é. Enɛ na byɔ dobanúnǔ, nǔkplɔnkplɔn, xóɖiɖɔ xá hagbɛ̌ xwédo ɔ tɔn lɛ, suúluɖiɖo kpo hwenu kpo. Amɔ̌, nǔ lɛ bǐ xɔ akwɛ.
Nú mi jló ná mɔ̀ xó ɖé dó lě e è nɔ wlán Mlãnmlãn gbɔn é wú hǔn, mi ma ɖi xɛsi bo sɛ́ xó dó mǐ ɖò ekaabokilombo@gmail.com jí ó
Mlãnmlãn are usually composed in a poetic form. One is encouraged to write their own personal and family Mlãnmlãn. Mlãnmlãn are also created for deceased relatives and ancestors. This will take research, study, talking to family members, patience and time. But all is worth it.
For further information one how to compose a Mlãnmlãn, feel free to contact us at ekaabokilombo@gmail.com