Isa Lei
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
“IX/TANY men who have served in Fiji during the last two years delight in singing ‘lsa Lei/ a song written in the vernacular by the bandmaster of the Fijian Band, some years ago, and now adopted as the national song of Fiji,” writes our Noumea correspondent. “I have taken these words of the song from ‘Kiwi News' newspaper of the New Zea land Expeditionary Force in the South Pacific, which states of the song: ‘lts infectious melody has led to requests for the words from men ivho are not “vet erans” of Fiji/”
Isa, Isa, you are my only treasure Must you leave me so lonely and forsaken?
As the roses will miss the sun at dawning Every moment my heart for you is yearning. i Chorus : Isa Lei, the purple shadows fall, Sad the morrow will dawn upon my sorrow, Oh, forget not when you’re far away.
Precious moments beside dear Suva Bay.
Isa, Isa, my heart was filled with pleasure From the moment I heard your tender
greeting;
’Mid the sunshine we spent the hours together, Now so swiftly those happy hours are fleeting. ( Chorus ) O’er the ocean your island home is calling; Happy country where roses bloom in splendour.
Oh, if I could but journey there with you, Then forever my heart would sing in rapture.
For those who wish to learn the song as it is sung in the native tongue here are the Fijian words for the first verse and chorus:— Isa, Isa, vulagi lasa dina Nomu lako au sana rarawa kina, Ava beka ko ya mai cakava Nomu lako au na sega ni lasa.
Chorus: Isa lei, nanoqu rarawa Miko sana vodo e na mataka Bau nonuma, na nodatau lasa Mai Suva, nonuma tikoga. (Pronunciation: “g” is pronounced “ng” as in long, “q” is “ng” as in longer, “d” is “nd,”
“b” is “mb,” and “c” is “th” as in the.)