By Night the Mountain Burns

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All: Alewa!

The ‘toma suguewa’ part means ‘give it a pull’, but it also means ‘will you give it a pull’, or ‘will you all give it a pull’, even ‘will sir give it a pull’. Know why it can be any of these things? Because in the language the song is sung, my island’s language, there is no polite form of address like there is in Spanish. Nevertheless, the maestro treats everyone with respect, as if he’s addressing them as ‘sir’, and because he asks them so respectfully, they pull. He does it all singing, and it’s a song that brings back many memories and fills me with nostalgia. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the most beautiful song in the world.

Aaale, toma suguewa,

Alewa!

Aaaalee, toma suguewa,

Alewa!

No, there are no other words to the song, no more verses. That’s it. The song consists of what the maestro asks, sung in a beautiful voice, and what the people say in reply, as they answer his call: Alewa! Then all together, as one, they pull what they’ve been asked — with due respect — to pull.

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