Magossa

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a rhythmic chant, "Djama, djama, djama," establishing a communal or ritualistic atmosphere. The subsequent lines pose a question about a shared experience or state, "A tè dêmê ni ko la wa?" (Are you going to do this thing?), met with a response that suggests a singular, perhaps difficult, undertaking: "A yé dêmê ni ko la, né kélé têssé" (I am going to do this thing, I am alone). The core of the narrative appears to be a profound act of separation or departure. The repeated phrase "A mi sara... la" (He/She/It has gone to...) lists various familial and societal connections – father, mother, elders, women, children, and even future generations ("sigui yongonw la"). This exhaustive enumeration emphasizes the completeness of the separation, suggesting a leaving behind of all ties. The lyrics introduce a powerful, almost overwhelming, concept: "Ni ko kêrê magossa yé." While the exact translation of "magossa" is unclear from the text alone, its context implies a significant, perhaps burdensome or final, state. This is followed by a description of negative actions or consequences: "A yé diagi djougou kê, a yé djourou djougou ta" (He/She/It has done bad things, he/she/it has taken bad paths). This suggests the departure is linked to past transgressions or a difficult fate. The repetition of "Djama, djama, djama" and the concluding lines, "Ni ko kêra maloya yé" (This thing has become sorrow/grief) and "Ni kô kêra mogossa yé" (This thing has become magossa), underscore the emotional weight of the situation. The lyrics effectively convey a sense of irreversible departure and the resulting sorrow, leaving the listener with the lingering feeling of a profound and solitary loss.