{"id":12261,"date":"2018-03-19T10:45:21","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T06:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=12261"},"modified":"2018-03-20T09:43:34","modified_gmt":"2018-03-20T05:43:34","slug":"a-hymn-for-mauritius","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/a-hymn-for-mauritius\/","title":{"rendered":"A Hymn for Mauritius"},"content":{"rendered":"
Every nation deserves to have, or should have, an official national anthem and an unofficial one usually in the form of a Hymn<\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n

<\/p>\n

Every nation deserves to have, or should have, an official national anthem and an unofficial one usually in the form of a Hymn. Extolling the virtues \u2014 real or perceived \u2014 of the motherland the national anthem is normally sung at ceremonial functions whilst we salute the paramount, sacred symbol of nationhood \u2014 the Flag. A national hymn, which can be sung in groups or even individually at anytime, captures the essence of the country and is no less potent than the national anthem.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWhilst national anthems can be impersonal, the national hymn is a personal, intimate melody that even the little man can hum to himself in his quietude. Thus Australia has \u201cAustralians all let us rejoice\/Waltzing Matilda,\u201d the UK has \u201cGod save the Queen\/Jerusalem\u201d and India has \u201cJana Gana Mana\/Sare Jahan se Accha.\u201d Whilst Mauritius already has a beautiful national anthem in \u201cGlory to Thee,\u201d she is still in search of a much-needed national hymn\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n
\n

Whilst national anthems can be impersonal, the national hymn is a personal, intimate melody that even the little man can hum to himself in his quietude. Thus Australia has \u201cAustralians all let us rejoice\/Waltzing Matilda,\u201d the UK has \u201cGod save the Queen\/Jerusalem\u201d and India has \u201cJana Gana Mana\/Sare Jahan se Accha.\u201d Whilst Mauritius already has a beautiful national anthem in \u201cGlory to Thee,\u201d she is still in search of a much-needed national hymn.<\/p>\n

1965 Riots<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

All throughout the week leading to the 50th anniversary of Independence, the MBC broadcast a version of the Gowry brother\u2019s 1960s song. \u201cDone to lamain, prend mo lamain DTLPML)\u201d reverberated with I don\u2019t know how many \u201cgawayas\u201d with unsynchronized voices each pulling in its own direction. It is a fact that rehashes, however brilliant, rarely work. This rehash seemed at best a very rancid copy, and at worse a total cacophony. I wonder whose bright idea this was and, bearing in mind the astronomical sums some \u201cartists\u201d were demanding in the run-up to the Day, how much it costs the taxpayer. Anyway I just hope there is no agenda to turn it into our national hymn.<\/p>\n

The original song was in fact composed and broadcast in the wake of intercommunal riots between Hindus and Creoles in 1965. I know because, together with my late friend PR, I was an eye witness from a vantage point at the junction leading to Grand-Gaube, one of the various hotspots in the Island. In fact we eventually ended up directing the lorries carrying the riot police to Grand-Gaube. In those days there was respect for law-enforcers, and none more so than the no-nonsense la police baton.<\/em><\/p>\n

Violence<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

From all accounts there was not much violence that took place in Grand-Gaube that Sunday except when a Chinese shopkeeper \u2014 probably thinking that his shop was about to be looted \u2014 let go his shotgun. Several people got hit by the buck-shots, including my late friend GR.<\/p>\n

And so it happens that DTLPML was written in response to widespread violence. It is a song of those terrible time and circumstance when we needed to soothe the badly bruised national psyche. However 52 years later, the tune sounds jaded and bland and the words are just far removed from the essence that galvanizes a nation, to become a national hymn. As a matter of fact it will always remind us of the violent, divisive background against which it was composed.<\/p>\n

National Hymn<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

As it happens we already have a song whose words and melody fits the bill to a T. Sung by young children, it is full of hope for the country. And the winner is\u2026 Abaim\u2019s Rouz Ble Zonn Ver.<\/em> We could not have succeeded to do better if we had set out to write an apt national hymn for Mauritius.<\/p>\n

I am reproducing it with Jerusalem and, as you will see, the effects are a cannily similar. Could we do better? I really do not think so! So thank you ABAIM.<\/p>\n

Rouz Ble Zonn Ver<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Rouz Ble Zonn Ver
\nPavyon nou pei 4 kouler
\nLor later lor lamer dan lezer
\nSak foi to regar fer moi fyer<\/p>\n

Rouz kouler dife
\nDan pavyon nou pei kan flote
\nMop pli kontan twa dan aswar
\nLer to amen soley al kouse<\/p>\n

Ble kolorye lamer
\nLeve diboute nou avanse
\nMo regar tous lorizon
\nLa mo get bato pe valse<\/p>\n

Rouz Ble Zonn Ver
\nPavyon nou pei 4 kouler
\nLao lao mo pou lev twa
\nMo pe nom sa lor mo loner<\/p>\n

Zonn dorir disab
\nOrn lou leker ar saler
\nMo pou ekrir to nom 1000 fwa
\nMem vag vini efas li<\/p>\n

Ver bote lanatir
\nFer kares divan frisonn nou
\nDan lete kouma dan liver
\nMo va protez toi pou touzour<\/p>\n

Rouz Ble Zonn Ver
\nPavyon nou pei 4 kouler
\nSenser ki mo pou senser
\nSa lamour pou amen laboner<\/p>\n

Jerusalem
\n<\/u><\/strong><\/span>And did those feet in ancient time
\nWalk upon England’s mountain green?
\nAnd was the holy Lamb of God
\nOn England’s pleasant pastures seen?
\nAnd did the countenance divine
\nShine forth upon our clouded hills?
\nAnd was Jerusalem builded here
\nAmong those dark satanic mills?<\/p>\n

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
\nBring me my arrows of desire!
\nBring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
\nBring me my chariot of fire!
\nI will not cease from mental fight,
\nNor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
\nTill we have built Jerusalem
\nIn England’s green and pleasant land<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* Published in print edition on 16 March 2018<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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