Olakpa

“Olakpa” is a song from Ewe musical traditions that was originally in Yoruba. The lyrics roughly translate to “Any powerful person/thing does not get rejected at any place. If you’re powerful, everyone will/must accept you, either out of fear or love.” For us, we interpret this in terms of culture and tradition. There are certain cultural traditions (in our case musical traditions) that are so powerful that they are impossible to ignore, which is why so many of them have stayed prevalent for so long, even in today’s popular music. This song uses Kokosawa, the introduction for the Ewe drumming style called Gahu, as its background, to help make this point. This track also features spoken word in both Spanish and English. Each language could stand alone, but for those that can understand both, if they pay close enough attention they will see how the ideas play off each other. This music was adapted into its recorded form by percussionist and bandleader Michael McSweeney, who is also featured with original spoken word in English alongside Spanish spoken word by percussionist José María Piedra.

Lyrics & Spoken Word

Olakpa feadea
Magbe toade me
Ha tode mewa

Evi nye kutor
Woe nye tode kpele
Ame wo yia dza
Mayi kpor wo

Kpe gana
Kpe gana
Mado hungbe

Cada día que vivo es profecía de aquel que no sabía el impacto de su hacer
Del Poder de su legado que por un tiempo fue olvidado
Pero que siempre regresa pues árbol que nace torcido jamás su tronco endereza
Sin pereza el tiempo avanza con ritmo y sin pausa
Y lo que hicieron ayer se convirtió en causa de lo nuevo
Que es lo viejo pero con algo de rebelde

A nadie sorprende que sin azul no hay verde
Y así como un artista apunto de pintar el lienzo
Con alguna idea del comienzo y sin saber el final
Se inspira en el pasado, el amor o la ira
Y valora su cultura pues sabe que la vida es dura
Some day that twisted tree will tumble to the ground

And as generations of growth come crashing down
Our attention will be so tightly gripped by the sight of this suddenly gaping space
That we completely miss how the landscape has been transformed by the roots at its base

What is powerful cannot be ignored
Fear and excitement set ablaze the same fiery burst of adrenaline
So the question is: will we fight, will we fly, or will we search for something more?
When we pick up the brush to continue painting,
Will we try to change what is to what we think could be? Or,
Can the past present the future?

Dawoe mado heah
Dawoe mado heah
Dawoe mado heah
Alesu dawoe mado heah
Mayi kpor wo

Kpe gana
Kpe gana
Mado hungbe

Album art by Nora Guerrero

Personnel

Braden Astorga-Rollins Vocals
Michael McSweeney Ewe Drums and Percussion, English Spoken Word
José María Piedra Spanish Spoken Word