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Disizhan
Decision
Ursula Nafula
Vusi Malindi
Georgette McGlashen
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Fi mi vilij di av uoliip a prablem. Wi did afi mek wahn lang lain fi kech waata fram wan paip.
My village had many problems.
We made a long line to fetch water from one tap.
Wi did afi wiet pan frii fuud we ada piipl gi wi.
We waited for food donated by others.
Wi yuus tu lak op wi ous orli kaaz a tiif.
We locked our houses early because of thieves.
Uoliip a pikni jrap out a skuul.
Many children dropped out of school.
Yong gyal pikni yuus tu du elpa wok ina di ada vilij dem.
Young girls worked as maids in other villages.
Yong bwaai pikni aigl roun di vilij wail som a dem du wok pan ada piipl faam.
Young boys roamed around the village while others worked on people’s farms.
Wen di briiz bluo, gyaabij eng aaf a di chrii dem an fens dem.
When the wind blew, waste paper hung on trees and fences.
Piipl wuda get kot fram brok glaas we dash we kielis.
People were cut by broken glass that was thrown carelessly.
Den wan die, di paip jrai op an wi kantiena dem did emti.
Then one day, the tap dried up and our containers were empty.
Mi faada go fram yaad tu yaad an aks piipl fi kom a wahn vilij miitn.
My father walked from house to house asking people to attend a village meeting.
Piipl gyada tugeda anda wahn big chrii an lisn.
People gathered under a big tree and listened.
Mi faada git op an se, “wi afi wok tugeda fi fiks wi prablem dem.”
My father stood up and said, “We need to work together to solve our problems.”
Iet-iez-uol Juuma, siddong pan wahn stomp an baal out se, “Mi kyan elp fi kliin op.”
Eight-year-old Juma, sitting on a tree trunk shouted, “I can help with cleaning up.”
Wan uman se, “Di uman dem kyan kom tugeda wid mi fi plaant fuud.”
One woman said, “The women can join me to grow food.”
Wan neks man git op an se, “Di man dem wi dig wahn wel.”
Another man stood up and said, “The men will dig a well.”
Aal a wi baal out tugeda, “Wi afi chienj ou wi liv.” Fram dat die, wi wok tugeda fi fiks wi prablem dem.
We all shouted with one voice, “We must change our lives.”
From that day we worked together to solve our problems.
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Vusi Malindi
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 2
