My Ancestors

My Baangota l is next to my heart.

The skulls of my father and fathers’ fathers of the ages, I bury them in my dear ancestral Baangota.

Every evening I anoint them with my sweetest oil.

In my sleep 1 speak and am happy with them.

But a word from a white missionary is spoken in my ears, “Root up the skulls of your baangota and throw them away!”

With a humble weak voice I say: “These are the skulls of my fathers.

They hurt no man. I love them.”

Why? Why? Why shall I root them up and throw them away?

Whose voice is more precious to me my fathers’ or the white man?

The voice of the white missionary is foolishness to me.

Baangota are my roots and my trunk. I die without them.

I beg you, leave me in peace alone with them.

But a strong tone bursts in my ears: “Your baangota must be destroyed tomorrow!”

For the last night, I wash the heads of my fathers with the last water of my eyes.

With the last oil I anoint them and hid them the last

For the last time, I recall all the intimate memories of relationship.

For the last time, I pray with all my heart for a thousand years of night.

In spite of my uttermost petition the dawn of disaster comes at last.

My beloved baangota is encircled by the white man and his followers.

Stamps, stamps, and he stamps with hatred on the heads of my fathers.

Crushes, crushes and he crushes the heads under his dancing feet.

Throws, throws and he throws the last bone away into the trees.

Laughs, laughs, and he laughs mockingly.

A hot air comes out of my mouth. I cry out What kind of God is this? Is he a God without love?

Why will he not let me love my fathers?

Is he a slave without ancestry?

Is he a God of wrath?

Does not Baangota represent ancient family love?

Ignorant! Ignorant! Ignorant!

Can’t the missionary see with his wicked Christian eye That he stamps, stamps, and stamps on my head?

That he squeezes, squeezes, and squeezes my heart tightly in his bloody white hand?

I hate, hate and I hate him!

I’ll crush, crush, and I’ll crush him! 1 A Gilbertese shrine for the skulls of the ancestors. 2 TT A KABO goodbye, farewell.