Ala Khalai. Li ena set-an. So nom signifie « enn bon dimounn » dans so langaz, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai leve ek li koz ar pie zoranz. « Silteple pie zoranz, grandi ek donn nou boukou zoranz mir ».
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai marse pou al lekol. Lor semin, li koz ar lerb. « Silteple, vinn ankor pli ver ek pa sek ».
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai pas kot bann fler sovaz. « Silvouple bann fler, kontign fleri pou ki mo kapav met zot dan mo seve ».
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Dan lekol Khalai koz ar pie omilie karo. « Silteple pie. Fer bann gran brans pouse pou ki nou kapav lir dan to lonbraz ».
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Khalai koz ar fatak ki fer letour so lekol « Silteple pous avec pwisans ek anpes ban move dimounn rantre ».
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Kan Khalai retourn kot li apre lekol, li vizit pie zoranz. « Eski to bann zoranz ankor ver ? » Khalai demande.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
« Bann zoranz ankor ver », Khalai dekouraze. Li dir, « Mo pou trouv twa demin, pie zoranz ». « Koumsa, kitfwa to pou ena enn zoranz mir pou mwa ! »
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
Ursula Nafula
Jesse Pietersen
Shameem Oozeerally & MIE French Students
Mauritian Creole
Level 2
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