Ashia/Ashia ya –Consolation meaning accept
my sympathy. It could also mean “accept my condolences” in case of death of a
loved one.
Bébé –Baby from French. It is used to
fondly address a lover like Neni does to Jonga.
Benskins –Commercial motor bikes.
Bo –Fun word for friend or brother.
Bobi –Breast
Bolo –Work or Job
Bushboy –Village peasant boy
Boucarou –A business centre at Down beach, Limbe
where fresh grilled fish, crabs, lobsters and drinks are sold.
Caraboat –A wooden house which is usually
old and dilapidated.
Chai –An exclamation used to express huge surprise
Chakara –Junk or broken down as used in the novel
Chang shoes –Locally produced rubber shoes
which are worn mostly during the wet seasons in Cameroon.
Chin chin –A crunchy deep fried snack consisting
of a mixture of flour, margarine, sugar, milk and water. It is mixed by hand until
a smooth dough is achieved and then put into cooking oil.
Commot for my front before I cam jambox ya mouth; ya mami ya, ya mami pima! – Get out of my sight before I get there and punch your mouth, your mother’s cunt!
Contry mimbo –Any local drink, normally sold in villages.
Derrière –Behind from French. It means buttocks
in the context of the novel.
Egusi stew –Melon seed stew, cooked with the
desiccated ground seeds of melons.
Ekwang–A popular dish from Cameroon’s South
West Region comprising thumb sized ground cocoyams wrapped in cocoyam leaves, smoked fish, palm oil, other spices and water.
Gongon leaf –Megaphrynium macrostachyum. A leaf
used to wrap various foods in many African countries. These leaves are believed
to impart a special taste to the food which is wrapped in them.
Helele –A word used to express something
which is wonderful or a little shocking.
Jaburu–A type of smoked fish which is sold
in local markets and used for cooking.
Kaba –A puffy gown usually made from local
fabric worn by women, especially during pregnancy
Kai –An exclamation showing excitement or
surprise
Kolo –One thousand Francs CFA
Kwacha –Locally brewed liquor
Kwacoco and banga soup –A traditional dish of
the Bakweri ethnic group, consisting of ground cocoyams which are wrapped and
steamed in banana leaves with palm nut soup.
Makandi –Buttocks
Makossa–A noted Cameroonian popular urban
musical style which uses strong electric bass rhythms and prominent brass. It had
a wave of mainstream success across Africa in the seventies. It was popularized
globally by Manu Dibango with his song, “Soul Makossa”. The chant from the
song, mamako, mamasa, maka makossa was
later used by Michael Jackson in the song “Wanna be startin’ somethin’”.
Mamami eh! –Literally, My mother! An
exclamation used to express surprise.
Manyaka ma lambo –A phrase in the Duala language meaning “wonderful thing”.
Masepo –A herb with the common name wild
Basil or mosquito plant. It is used as a food spice or sometimes crushed into a type of juice and given to sick people to drink.
Mbamba –Grandfather or grandmother. The word mbamba is gender neutral.
Mbutuku –A worthless person.
Mukuta school bag –Back pack fabricated
from a local brown cotton fibre.
Molongo –A whip cut from the Cane plant
which is used for corporal punishment.
Ndolé –Cameroon’s national dish. An
aromatic vegetable soup consisting of stewed nuts, bitter leaves indigenous to
West/Central Africa and fish/beef or
shrimp. It is traditionally eaten with plantain or Bobolo/Miondo.
Ngahs –Literally girls. It also refers to girlfriends
or wives in different instances in the novel.
Okrika –Used goods from abroad which are resold
at local Cameroonian markets.
Papa God –Almighty father
Papier –Literally “paper” from French. It
refers to immigration papers in the context of the novel.
Pays –Literally “country” from French. It
means Cameroon when used by Cameroonians in the diaspora when they are referring
to their home country. Imbolo uses it in the latter context in the novel.
Paysan –A Cameroonian. Used especially by Cameroonians
in the diaspora to refer to people in Cameroon.
Porku-porku –Cartoon
Portorportor coco –Porridge cocoyam
Poulet –Chicken from French
Puff Puff –Deep fried golf sized dough
balls
Sisa–To intimidate or bully
Soya –Grilled beef
Strong Kanda –A type of smoked fish with a
tough skin.
Telleh –Television set
Ten nkolo –Ten thousand Francs CFA
Wolowose –A prostitute or promiscuous girl.
Songs on page 31: E weni Lowa la manyaka, lowa la nginya. Na weta miceli, E weni Lowa la manyaka.
Both folk songs of praise and thanks to God. The first one in Bakweri can be translated to "We have a wonderful God," and the second one in Pidgin English is "God is amazing, there is no one like him."
There are a few other non English words
in “Behold the dreamers” like “Wahala”, “Attiéké” and “Moimoi” which I left out because they are well explained on many other sites and even
food blogs. I focused on the non English words which non Cameroonian “Behold the dreamers” readers won’t find easily on Google. If
there is any non English word in the novel which you didn’t find in this list or on Google then hit me up, I’ll edit, nkiachaatemnkeng@gmail.com.
