Communiversity

The prayer for Tano from the below CD has some variation to it but is basically the same.

TRANSCRIPTION and TRANSLATION: “Talking Drum” text from Rhythms of Life, Songs of Wisdom: Akan music from Ghana, West Kmt CD insert. Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings.1996.
Transcribed and translated by Dr. Daniel Agyei Dwarko from the University of Cape Coast.
Transcription corrected by Dr. Ọbádélé Kambon from the University of Ghana

Segue to Poetry Honoring the River Tanɔ
Asuo twa ɔkwan, ɔkwan twa asuo, ɔpanin ne hwan?
The river crosses the path, the path crosses the river, who is the elder?

Asuo twa ɔkwan, ɔkwan twa asuo, ɔpanin ne hwan?
The river crosses the path, the path crosses the river, who is the elder?

Yebɔɔ kwan no kɔtoo asuo no,
The path was cut to meet the river,

Asuo no firi tete
the river is of old,

Asuo no firi Ɔdomankoma a ɔbɔɔ adeɛ
the river comes from “Ɔdomankoma” the Creator

Konkon Tanɔ,
Konkon Tano,

Birefia Tanɔ,
Birefia Tano

Asuo birekete
Asuo birekete

Agya Kwaa Ata ei!
Father Kwaa Ata ei!

Asu berempɔn
The great river

Asuo twa asuo
River that passes/crosses a river

Takasi berempɔn
Takasi the Great

Woama Bosompra adi afaseɛ
You have caused Bosompra to eat the water yam

Menam, menam, menam, masi Ta kɔ mu
I have wandered, and wandered, and wandered, I have stepped into the deep floods of Ta

Takasi berempɔn
Takasi the Great

Firampɔn damirifa
Firampɔn, condolences,

Dammirifua,
Condolences,

Dammirifua,
Condolences,

Dammirifua due,
Deepest condolences,

Dammirifua due,
Deepest condolence,

Takasi berempɔn
Takasi the Great

Firampɔn dammirifua
Frampon, condolence,

Asu berempɔn
Great river

Firampɔn dammirifua

Firampɔn, condolences

Actual Drum Language Glorifying The King of Denkyira
Adawu, Adawu, Dankyira mene sono.
Adawu, Adawu, Dankyira the devourer of the elephant

Adawu, Adawu, Denkyira pentemprem, Ɔmene sono, ma wo homene so
Adawu, Adawu, Denkyira the quicksand, devourer of the elephant, come forth in thy light, exert yourself

Pentenprem, ma wo homene so,
Quicksand, come forth in thy light,

Ma wo homene so
Exert yourself, in glory

Kronkron, kronkron, kronkron
Your holiness, holiness, holiness

Ampɔnsɛm Koyirifa, ma wo homene so
Amposem Koyirifa, come forth in thy light, in glory

Ako nana ma wo homene so
Grandson of the Parrot, come forth in thy light

Akoo nana a ho a ne mframa mene boɔ, ma wo homene so
Grandson of the Parrot whose winds sweep and devour even the stones, come forth in thy light

Wo a wofiri dodoɔ mu
You who came from many,

Wo a wotu a ewiemu dinn sɛ asamando, ma wo homene so
You who fly and the skies become still like the ancestral realm, come forth in thy light

Ampɔnsɛm nana a “ɔdi sika tɔ,” atɔmprada, ma wo homene so
Amponsem’s grandson who “eats mashed gold dust,” and uses only freshly mined gold in his daily transactions, come forth in thy light

Agona adehyekan nana
First grandson of the Agona line,

Wo a wode ɔseadeɔyɔ
You promise and you fulfill it

De nkoden akyekyere Dankyiraman, de apɛ no sibere, ma wo homene so
Having fought hard to establish the Denkyira state, and having found it a place among the nations, come forth in thy light

Ayekra Adebo nana
Grandson of Ayekra Adebo [first ruler, fetish priestess of Denkyira]

Ahihi Ahaha nana
Grandson of Ahihi Ahaha

Wirempi Ampem nana a ɔwɔ ntam na yɛnka, ma wo homene so
Grandson of Wirempi Ampem whose oath is not to be sworn, come forth in thy light

Otibu Kwadwo nana
Grandson of great King Kwadwo Otibu,

Wo a wode Dankyiraman firii Abankɛseɛso baa Dwukwaa, ma wo homene so
Who led the Denkyira people in their great migration from Abankesieso to settle in Jukwa, come forth in thy light

Ɔdeefoɔ, ma wo homene so
Benefactor, come forth in thy light

Ma wo homene so Agona,
The Agona clan,

Dankyiraman da wo ase,
The Denkyira state thanks you,

Yɛda wo ase a ɛnsa,
Expresses its endless

Esie ne kagya nni aseda
There is no thanks between the termite mound and the kagya plant