Limba

English

Mͻn mande

Hello mama

Ioyo nwali mamo papaŋ

Yes hello papa

Mamo nama kͻtͻ koŋ?

Hello how are you?

 Thiyɛ Masaala na mamo

 Thanks to God

 Nwali

Thank you

  Iyo

 Yes

Na yina ba tɛɛni woŋ dondo?

Are you the traditional healer here?

Ndo yama

Yes I am

Wun yehe yama ba yina si kͻthͻ

I am happy to meet you

Mbɛmu ni ba wͻ niyͻ ba tɛɛni?

What is required to become a traditional healer?

Wɛl bɛy bɛna yi ni. Wͻ na yi puy wundɛ pethͻ. So yi kothiyo ba dͻma na ba tɛɛni na yi. Wo mooma wo nda boho nthonan ki bɛna. Yi a sisiya ba nthonan wobɛna e yi si puya wͻn woŋ. Yi a kothiyo badͻma na ba tɛɛni na yi.

You have to do something. You have to cure someone and he gets well. Then you will be known as a traditional healer. If anybody becomes sick they will bring the sick person to you and you cure him. They will know that you are a traditional healer

So ka Baiburɛ vil do, e ba tɛɛniŋ bi hɛna bi kiŋ ndɛ?

So here in Baibureh village, are there any other traditional healers?

Ba tɛɛniŋ bi hɛna kahɛ ndɛ yo

yaŋ wuntheŋ yama ndɛ hintitɛ

Mɛnɛ kuhɛmͻn wunthe

wundɛ gbala ma gbali ma mͻriya

Kɛre bompa buŋ

yama yaŋ wuntheŋ hintiŋ yaŋ

Ami Kaba ka Baiburɛ vil do

There are no other traditional healers yet

I am alone for now

with one old man who writes in Arabic

But as for the leaves I am alone at the moment

I am Ami Kaba here in Baibureh village

 So nama biya beŋ siyuwe ba yi

ba na yi niyɛ bindɛ tɛɛni

Wu yehe bindɛ wumandiŋ?

 Wuyehe bindɛ

Bima ni bayͻhͻy in yiki ba bɛna

Wonͻndi woma dunkune mu yaŋ thͻŋ

thiika mu yaŋ pithi

Wuyeyehe nthͻn bindɛ

Ba na maporithiya maŋ thamͻy

Ya na wͻŋ wo bɛna siso

Na yaŋ thiye yͻnkͻ

Sɛmbɛ ba Masaala

wͻŋ kͻŋ kutu ku hita

Hita ba bɛna ndɛ kͻŋ bɛŋ kutu

 Nama yi kothiye na biya beŋ sekithe tɛɛni ba ma

yimbaya maŋ baŋ in tɛɛni ba ma porithiya maŋ baŋ?

 Wɛl ma tenaŋ tɛɛni ba mayimbaya maŋ ma in sɛmbɛ

Biya bi bͻyɛ hali ka ͻspitul

ka bindɛ dͻŋ ka misͻn ka

Na yi key kɛndɛ nthonaŋ ki nͻndi

na ka ka bi huŋuŋ bompa ka kɛndɛ

Lͻkͻ hɛ bindɛ bina ma thi

Ka 

na nde yaŋ ka wɛstɛn bindɛ bina yama thi

Bindɛ kͻŋ tͻŋͻti wͻ kiyaŋ ba mboma

Yaŋ ka puya wͻŋ

 Ka kakͻtͻkͻy

 Nɛna miŋ ka niye bɛy baŋ

Bindɛ bina ma thi na nthonaŋ kin kiŋ

na dethuwa ma yimbaya

So na bindɛ tepe wͻ woŋ

bindɛ kͻŋ ma thi hɛlɛŋ ka nͻmba niŋ woŋ

ba dͻma na Ami Kaba

wͻ kin ka gboŋa yo yi be niŋ si puy

Nͻŋ kenkeduma nanaŋ

wu minŋ dͻŋ wuŋ na kerehuku

Bindɛ na makuru

ɛn kerehuku wo kͻri mpati beŋ

Bindɛ nɛnɛ na makuru

Ba yi nthͻŋ kuta

ŋathondo ŋaŋ thanki potha in hothi haŋ na wuŋ

thͻyɛ nthͻŋ ka thukuma haŋ kake

hati woŋ wo tuku

So na wundɛ siso kɛntuŋ do

miŋ kɛndɛ kuta bompa buna miŋ huŋuŋ

Miŋ sͻkiya miŋ dunkune hatoŋ

ndɛ thiye ndɛ biye

Deeni biye wotaati woŋ hɛɛɛ

Wunthanki ndɛ pethͻy

Tuka haŋ thͻnkͻy

So wuna biyɛ wuŋ

ma porithiya maŋ gbeŋ kawukͻyɛ

wuŋ bindɛ sekithe mina wumandiŋ

Yu si

Ba nͻŋ na ya na wͻ wo

nͻndi ndɛ kuteta sɛnkɛ woŋ ba niya wali ba ka yɛrɛmɛ

Na yaŋ sisiyo niŋ sɛmbɛ ba ka Masaala

kͻŋ huŋuŋ tɛɛni

Nndɛ bͻha niya wali baŋ wu yͻhͻy ndɛ pethͻ

Wo nͻndi kͻŋ kutu mboma na blidiŋ

Nɛna dome bindɛ wuŋ na blidiŋ

Miŋ nɛnɛ na a biye nthↄŋ a biye nthↄŋ

Nɛna miŋ gbonkoy ka huyimba

Ka huporotho haŋ na blidiŋ

Wↄŋ kↄŋ ni ku tray haaŋ kama porithiya maŋ

Na ndɛ siso kiyando wo yaŋ puy ndɛ pethↄ

Yaŋ puy nda bi bↄyɛ

Yu si

Wonↄndi kↄŋ niyↄ ndɛ kayta ka yaadi

Ndɛ kato kamisↄn

Dat wu bindɛ dↄŋ wuŋ na ka ↄspitul

Na yaŋ se sↄkↄy tɛɛni baŋ yaŋ niŋ dunkune

De wunthe wo biye woŋ ndɛ bohe ka yaadi

Ndɛ bohe yↄhuwa

Nthonaŋ kiŋ thanki

Nama bindɛ kiŋ hine keŋ ka mayimbaya maŋ?

Na gbagba

na gbagba

Na woŋ baŋ a niyo ma wali gbagba

Wonↄndi ku gbagba kutɛ

Muthↄma mu nɛnↄy muna thankɛ

lↄŋa! kotho haŋ

So muthↄma mu nɛnↄy muŋ na muŋ thankɛ

lↄŋa! kotho haŋ

Ndɛ sa punku ba yↄhuwa

Wuŋ huŋ gbagba

Na miŋ se whn we  miŋ si huŋuna tɛɛni baŋ

kɛna miŋ kothiye badↄma na woŋ

wↄ kutɛ niyɛ niŋ muthↄma mu nɛnↄy muna

Woŋ wↄ na niyɛ niŋ nbɛ?

Na wundɛ yↄↄhi ndɛ ka yaadi

mutikiŋ muŋ muna miŋ dethi

 mutikiŋ muŋ

muna miŋ dethi mɛnɛ mayampeŋ maŋ

Kɛna miŋ kothiye ba dↄma na woŋ wↄ kutɛ niyɛ niŋ

woŋ wↄ na niyɛ niŋ

Nɛna miŋ niye wali

A bↄy nthↄŋ ba miŋ ni

Wo nↄndi kiŋ

na ndɛ sekithe hↄyɛ ba mpa haŋ wukahɛ

Na wundɛ key ka ↄspitul

na kotho haŋ ni ku diu ka ↄspitul

Di bɛlɛ dↄn dyu

Na ndo ba mpa haŋ

Ndɛ sa punku ba mpa

Tɛmu nama woŋ daŋande

So wↄ wo bɛna ndɛ kↄŋ se kiyando

Kↄŋ huŋuŋ tɛɛni

yaŋ pona in heeli hu thɛ tↄŋ hu ŋama

Na yaŋ dunkune niŋ ndɛ thiiye

yaŋ thuru bambaŋ a yeheni soro

Bɛna wundɛ siriŋ ka hirika haŋ

Ndɛ minuwa ba nↄndi

So de wobɛna na ndɛ daŋande

na kan woŋ puthↄy wↄŋ woŋ a mpu

ka thɛbina thukuma

So nɛna ma yimbaya niye wali

A yↄhↄ ba mɛŋ kↄthↄ

Mbɛ maseri ma in yi ba mpati bi kɛnda beŋ?

Bi bↄhɛ nↄŋ ba ka detha sumuy hahaŋ beŋ kayni?

Mbɛ maseri ma in yi ba bindɛ?

Wɛl wu yaŋ bindɛ tepe

ba bindɛ thana thiya thaya kamayimbaya manŋ

Mayimbaya a yↄhↄ 

ba bindɛ mɛŋ bↄha

tha yↄnkↄ thaaye

Ba na maporotho thamↄ

mayimbaya sa thamↄ

E yi kuteŋ

kɛrɛ na wuŋ Masaala na dunkune

wↄ tɛɛni ba mayimbaya

yaŋ a thono na nde yaŋ

Yaŋ kamandɛ kɛna sisiyo yaŋ tɛɛni niŋ baŋ

Yaŋ hɛ huŋa ba tɛɛni

So kɛrɛ yandi yaŋ kↄn bindɛ theteke

Ba bindɛ bↄha ma yimbaya maŋ thayↄnkↄ thaaye

Ba bindɛ bↄha ma yimbaya maŋ thayↄnkↄ thaaye

bompa bu bɛna

ba nthonaŋ ki kiŋ a bↄy ka wu kↄyɛ woŋ

Maporotho sa punku

yↄkↄn ma yimbaya

Hati yɛrɛmɛ woŋ bɛna hintiŋ yi wuŋ waniniyɛ

kↄn de sisi bi yaŋ puy beŋ

In bi bahɛ yaŋ thanki puya beŋ

yi be bindɛ ni ku vido

Kuwala konkoŋ ku thome koŋ

na kuŋ bohe wↄ

Ka ↄspitul bindɛ sa punku

Na yi key nthↄŋ na pen

na kol

na nthↄŋ wↄŋ ka lↄpo

masandeŋ maŋ nɛna nthonaŋ kiŋ ŋaiye

Miŋ nɛnɛ

bompa buna miŋ sↄkↄy

miŋ dahitha thukoy

miŋ hↄŋa

miŋ siriŋ

miŋ naaluwa tɛɛni baŋ

Na miŋ naaluwa tɛɛni baŋ

na tɛɛi baŋ thanki nthↄŋ thitha

de wo bɛna wↄŋ a nine

Na wundɛ nine nthↄŋ

na kan woŋ puthↄy

ndɛ sanda kutↄkↄ

Ya doŋe hintiŋ kɛnkɛ

kayeŋbaŋ

sɛnkɛni bi taati

yↄkↄŋ na huŋuŋ yaŋ ma yimbaya

Kↄthɛta mɛnɛ yi kↄŋ niŋ thii

wundɛ hɛlɛŋ ba si

dunkuŋ tɛstimoni

Mɛnɛ ka tↄti na tɛstimoni

 What do people think of you

when you are preparing these treatments for them?

Are they happy?

 They are very happy

They do good to me with great respect

Some will give me food

fabric clothes

They are just very happy

Because when western treatment fails

that is why they bring the person to me

When I get involved in his case

by God’s power

the person will improve

They will see improvement

 What is your experience about how people compare

traditional treatment with western treatment?

 Well right now traditional herbs have power

Many people even in the hospital

what they also call the Mission

When you go there for some illnesses

they will say go to traditional healers go there

Maybe they will call me themselves

At  when I was living

in the western area they called me

They will send someone to me for an illness

I will go and heal the person

 Go ahead

 This is how we do things

They will call me with this sickness

Find the Limba traditional herbs

Then they inform the person

They will also call me on my phone

and say Amie Kabba

there is someone coming for you to cure

Just like the sickness we call Kenkeduma

which we also call Kerehuku

Some call it a skin infection

And kerehuku kills children

Some say makuru

Because as soon as you see the

buttocks and mouth turning red

it will go to their stomach

Then the child will die

So when they bring such cases to us

when we observe it we will prepare herbs

We grind the herbs and give the child

he drinks he bathes

In two maybe three days

it's over he is healed

No death occurs

That is why

the western medical practitioner

also values our work very greatly

You see

As for me some people

didn’t have their menstruation for some months

when they bring them to me by God's power

I will make medicine

She will start to see her period and get well

Some people have bleeding

That is how they call it bleeding

But we we say bathing

That’s how we call it in Limba

In English they call it bleeding

The person will try English medicine many times

When they bring the person to me they will get well

I have cured many people now

You see

Some people couldn’t go to toilet

They will take the person to the Mission

That’s what they call hospital

I grind the herbs and give him

After one day maybe two he will start to toilet

He will start to urinate

The sickness is over

How do they call it in Limba?

Blockage

it's a blockage

They will say someone did it to him

Not everyone has blockage because of a curse

malnutrition led to the blockage

of the stomach

When bad food 

blocks the stomach

he will not be able to urinate

It becomes blocked

When we prepare the traditional herbs

then we know that this is not done

by an evil person it is malnutrition

Somebody did it to him why?

When he urinates he toilets

We will observe the faeces

that's what we will observe and the urine

Then we know it wasn't caused by anyone

Nobody caused it

That's how we work

We do a lot

There are some people

who have a difficult time delivering when pregnant

They go to hospital when they are due

The time has arrived to deliver

They are due to deliver

They say she should deliver now

She won't deliver

The pregnancy due date was reached

Such people come to me

I will find herbs

I boil them with a new egg laid by a hen

I give them to her she drinks

I will also roast some

and rub it on her waist

She will leak some

so when that day passes

The next day she will

deliver peacefully

So this is how Limba medicine works

It is good to know it

 What message do you have for your children?

Those who will watch this video in the future?

What message do you have?

 What I will tell them is

do not neglect the Limba traditional herbs

It's good for them to safeguard

traditional herbs

When western medicine fails

traditional herbs will not fail

So you see

that traditional healing

is a gift from God

As for me I was sick

It was during a nightmare I saw my medicine

I have become a traditional doctor today

So please I beg

protect the traditional medicine

Let them protect traditional medicine

these leaves

Because now there are many sicknesses

Western medicine will not work

only traditional herbs

There is one woman who can testify

I should have brought those that I'm treating

along with those not completely healed

For you to video them too

When the ribs on the right

when they attack someone

the hospital won't be able to help

When you go they will say it's pain cold

The more they inject you with needles

the more the sickness becomes urgent

But we

we grind leaves 

we chew kola nut

we spit

we rub them

we dab on the medicine

When we apply the medicine

then the medicine dries

The person will sleep that day

After they sleep the next morning

they will not feel anything

Look at her sitting over there

These days three days

Until I prepared traditional medicine for her

I don’t know if you would like to call her

Let her also come and give her testimony

In church we call it testimony

So nɛna

Awa a thi yina mamo nɛɛ

That's all

 Ok thank you very much

Iyo

Nwalii

Yes

 Thank you