Ondjaki: Granma Nineteen and the Soviet's Secret

Bilhardov feel miss for Bishop beach and all Komrades, especially Dona Nhéte.

Forgive if explozhun in Muzzleum make problem, but Dona Nhéte family get time and they must start verk again. Bilhardov cover dinamite with sea salt for booteful effect in Luanda sky. The kildren like? One day kildren can rite tell how was Bishop beach after fireverk. Bilhardov no stay see and tell in far-away.

Best vishes, with sadness and respekt, always gud wish for family. Bilhardov no forget conversation with your sister Catarina very funny her mysterious secret only appear when want.

Best vishes to all in Bishop beach.

Bilhardov

Luanda, Bishop beach

Dona Nhéte: pleeze no forget tell your grandsun body of Komrad President Agostinho Neto is gud, away from explozhun. Tell also that alligator in house of Sea Foam is really real. Is Bilhardov who bring food to alligator every thursday. But be careful: alligator grow big…

“Is that what tales from before were like a long time ago?”

“Yes, son.”

“So before is a time, Granma?”

“Before is a place.”

“A place really far away?”

“A place really deep inside.”

Spanish Expressions

abuela: grandmother

adiós: goodbye

bailamos: we dance

bailar: dance (verb)

baile: dance (noun)

bienvenido: welcome

buena suerte: good luck

buenas tardes: good afternoon

bueno: good; but also, well

cabrón: bastard

¿cómo?: how? (literal); what? (colloquial)

¿cómo está(s)/ cómo están?: How are you? (singular and plural)

comprendo: I understand

del barco del Chanquete, no nos moverán: (“They won’t make us leave old Chanquete’s boat”): refrain from a popular song from Blue Summer (see below).

desaparecer: disappear

¿dónde está?: Where is?

encantado: Pleased to meet you

errores: errors, mistakes

flores: flowers

hasta mañana: until tomorrow

¿Hay alguien aquí?: Is there anybody here?

hijo de puta: son of a whore

La lluvia no perdona a los que se ponen por debajo de ella: The rain does not forgive those who stand beneath it.

la luna: the moon

La vida es como es: Life is as it is.

mañana: tomorrow

más: more

me gusta: I like

muchacho: boy

muy bien: very good

nada: nothing

el poder: power

planes: plans

poeta: poet

por completo: completely

por favor: please

que te parió: who gave you birth. Understood as part of the insult, “The whore who gave you birth.”

sí: yes

todo: all, everything

trabajo: work

tranquilo / tranquila: calm

Yo hablo: I speak

Yo lo sé: I know it

Blue Summer: An influential Spanish television series of the early 1980s, it was widely broadcast in socialist countries. The story revolves around the freewheeling lifestyle of children and adolescents living on a beach.

FAPLA: People’s Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola. The national army of post-independence Angola.

Gabriela: A Brazilian soap opera, popular throughout the Portuguese-speaking world; it is based on the novel Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado.

japie: Derogatory term for a white South African.

Kianda: The Goddess of the Sea in Angolan mythology; she has mermaid-like features.

Kimbundu: One of the three major African languages of Angola; spoken in the area around Luanda.

kitaba: A paste made from toasted peanuts.

kizomba: A popular Angolan dance.

Marginal: Broad, scenic waterfront avenue that follows the curve of the bay in front of downtown Luanda.

Odorico Paraguaçu: Comic character on Brazilian television; he is the mayor of a remote town called Sucupira.

ngonguenha: Mixture of cassava root flour with water and sugar.

nyet: No. (Russian)

Pioneers: Socialist organization for children, similar to the Boy Scouts.

quiteta: A type of edible shellfish.

Roque Santeiro: Outlaw character in a famous Brazilian soap opera of the same name; Luanda’s largest market was named after this fictitious character.

Sinhozinho Malta: All-powerful landowner in the Brazilian soap opera Roque Santeiro.

Sucupira: See Odorico Paraguaça above.

Trinità: Star of Italian spaghetti Westerns.

tuga: Derogatory term for someone from Portugal.

The translator thanks David Brookshaw and Ondjaki for their help in finalizing the translation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ONDJAKIwas born in Luanda, Angola in 1977. He is the author of five novels, three short story collections and various books of poems and stories for children. He has also made a documentary film, May Cherries Grow , about his native city. His books have been translated into eight languages and have earned him important literary prizes in Angola, Portugal and Brazil. In 2008 Ondjaki was awarded the Grinzane for Africa Prize in the category of Best Young Writer. In 2012, The Guardian named him one of its “Top Five African Writers.” In 2013, he was awarded the José Saramago Prize for his novel Os Transparentes.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

STEPHEN HENIGHAN’s previous translations include Ondjaki’s Good Morning Comrades . He is the author of a dozen books of fiction, reportage and criticism, including the short story collection A Grave in the Air and the essay A Green Reef: The Impact of Climate Change . He teaches at the University of Guelph, Ontario.