Ouendé, ouendé, macaya;
Mo pas, ’barassé, macaya!
Ouendé, ouendé, macaya;
Mo bois bon divin, macaya!
Ouendé, ouendé, macaya;
Mo mangé bon poulé, macaya!
Ouendé, ouendé, macaya;..etc.
This is one of the very few songs with a purely African refrain still sung in New Orleans. The theme seems to be that, the master and mistress of a house being absent, some slave is encouraging a slave-friend to eat excessively, to “stuff himself” with wine, chicken, etc. “They are gone, friend: eat, fill yourself; I’m not a bit ashamed; stuff yourself!—I’m drinking good wine; stuff yourself!—I’m eating good chicken; gorge yourself,” etc. Here ouendé seems to mean “they are out; they are gone away,”—therefore there is no danger.
There is another Creole song with the same kind of double refrain, but the meaning of the African words I have not been able to discover.
Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas, ou dindin;
Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas marché ouaminon:
Quand li marché
Ouarasi, ouarasa!
Quand li marché
Ouarasi, ouarasa!
[“Nicholas, etc., you are a turkey-cock! Nicholas walks ouaminon: when he walks, it is ouarasi, ouarasa.”] The idea is obvious enough; viz.: that Nicholas struts like a turkey-cock; but the precise signification of the three italicised words I have failed to learn.
338. Yon doègt pas sa pouend pice. (Un seul doigt ne peut pas attraper des puces.)
“One finger can’t catch fleas.”—[Martinique.]
339. * Yon lanmain douè lavé laute. (Une main doit laver l’autre.)
“One hand must wash the other.”—You must not depend upon others to get you out of trouble.—[Martinique.]
340. Yon mauvais paòle ka blessé plis qu’coupd’roche. (Une mauvaise parole blesse plus qu’un coup-de-pierre.)