As I work through my translations of Dadié’s poems, here are some questions I need those with more intimate knowledge of Côte d’Ivoire to answer.
In Retour, p. 11-13, who are the believers/faithful –les fidèles?
In Mon Coeur, p. 16, Zephyr: cotton gingham cloth or wind?
Enèle? I am struggling with an appropriate English translation for this.
p. 30—the phrase “la toison de feu” –what is that a metaphor for?
p. 28—In “Nous sommes de ceux”—the line “Et parmi nous, pour fleurir la troupe, aucune gamine.” Is the sense that the troop is a kind of “we,” like a unified group, and that kids indicate a closing of the circle, a formalizing of the group, which in this case is called a ‘troop.’ And why a ‘troop’? To indicate a shared necessary mission?