Written piece
The Threads She Wove
Adedoyin Ayandele
Nigeria
About this piece
The poem explores threads through Yoruba weaving traditions, where garments and the art of making them are passed down from a mother to her daughter.How these threads carry tradition and rituals from my ancestors, and have now become a medium to include people from other cultures
Àwọn okùn tí ó hun kò parí
Wọ́n ṣi ń dàgbà, bí igi inú igbó
Látí ọdọ rẹ
sí ọmọ rẹ
àti ọmọ ọmọ rẹ
àti ọmọ ọmọ ọmọ rẹ
Àwọn ènìyàn tí kò mọ ara wọn rí
ṣùgbọ́n wọ́n ṣi ń so pọ̀
Aṣọ tí ó hun kò rẹwà dín
Wọ́n ń tàn ṣíṣẹ́, bí ohun tuntun tí a ṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀ rà
Látí ìbí
sí ìgbéyàwó
àti ọdún tí ń kọjá
àti ìpẹ̀yà ìbànújẹ
Ní gbogbo ayẹyẹ
wọ́n ní ipò wọn
Ohun tí ó dá
kò fi wa sílẹ̀
wọ́n ń tọ́ wa lọ́na sí ilé
Látí ìdílé
sí àwọn aládùúgbò
àti àlejò
àti àwọn tí ó wà ní ilẹ̀ òkèèrè
Lọ́kan tí okùn bá kan ọ
a di ènìyàn kan
English translation
The threads she wove never ended
They grow still, like a tree in the forest
From her
to her daughter
and her daughter
and her daughter
People who never met
remain connected
The clothes she wove never faded
They shine still, like newly bought gems
From births
to weddings
and years added
and goodbyes
No matter the event
they belong
What she made never left us
they guide us still, like a path home
From family
to neighbours
and strangers
and people abroad
Once the thread touches you
we become one people