This poem was written by the founder of Sista magazine, Yasmine Bjornum. After experiencing an unplanned pregnancy with someone she was not in a serious relationship with, Yasmine experienced the stigma of being a single mother and how society places the shame and responsibility on the mother, rather than the (absent) father, to raise their child.
This experience propelled Yasmine to become an activist of women’s rights. She is now the proud mother of a lovely and cheeky two year old girl.
Mi wan gel
Wea me gat bel
Long wan man
Wea hemi no wantem save baby blong mifala
Hemi talem long mi se mi spoilem laef blong hem
Mo hemi talem long mi se mi spoilem laef blong mi tu
Taem baby blong mifala i bon
Hemi no wantem helpem mi
Taem mi stap cry mo worri big wan
Blong give kaikai mo nappy blong baby blong mi
Hemi talem long mi se hemi no problem blong hem
Taem mi wantem toktok wetem him
Hemi talem long mi se hemi no wantem save mi
Missus blong hem mo ol frens blong olgeta
Hemi talem long mi se
Mi toktok tumas
Mi makem fulap trouble
Mi angry tumas
Mi swea blong nating
Mi wan woman long devil
Mi spoilem man ia
Mi mas acceptem se hemi no wantem luk aot baby
Bae mi wantem save nomo
Fram wanem olgeta hemi
No tingting long saed blong baby blong mi?
Fram wanem olgeta hemi
No askem mi ‘Yu olraet sista? Mi save helpem yu wetem baby blong yu?’
Fram wanem olgeta hemi
Stap makem no gud fasin long mi?
Yu tink se mi kros blong nating?
Mi kros fram mi makem wan samting
Insaed long bodi blong mi
Afta daddi blong hem
Hemi tink se laef wea mi tufala i makem hemi nating
Sapos yu traem luk mi
Wetem heart blong yu
Instead of hate blong yu
Yu save se spirit blong mi hemi brok
Mo heart blong mi hemi harem no gud
Fram mi neva wantem
Daddi blong baby blong mi
Blong makem fasin olsem ia lo pikinini blong mifala
Mi talem long yu stret
Laef blong smol gel blong mi hemi important
Yu no kros taem mi sing aotem raets blong hem
Sapos yu no harem mi fes taem
Mi no fraet blong talem bak agen
Smol gel blong hemi gat raet long laef
Smol gel blong mi hemi gat raet blong respect
Smol gel blong mi hemi gat raet blong education mo helth
Smol gel blong mi hemi no ‘pikinini long rod’
Smol gel blong mi hemi wan pikinini blong God.
Yu talem long mi se mi toktok tumas?
Hemi fram yu no tingting nating.
Yu no tingting se laef blong smol gel
Blong mi hemi wan samting
Mo ol decision wea ol adult hemi makem
Hemi save affectem laef blong hem.
Usem tingting blong yu moa
Mo toktok blong yu less
Mifala evriwan hemi gat responsibility long evri pikinini long Vanuatu
Ol pikinini hemi future blong mifala
Sapos yu wantem liftem up country blong mifala
Mifala mas liftem up pikinini fes taem
By Yasmine Bjornum
Support for unplanned pregnancy
Sapos yu gat wan unplanned pregnancy or wantem save moa long saed blong sexual reproductive health, yu go toktok wetem ol health professionals. Olgeta hemi save helpem yu wetem situation blong yu.
Sapos yu wantem counseling, yu save luk:
Vanuatu Family Health Association (22140)
Mind Care Unit long Vila Central Hospital (22100 ext 110 VoIP 1972)
Kam Pusem Hed Clinic Wan Smol Bag (27119 or 25592)
Child maintenance
Sapos yu no stap wetem daddy blong pikinini blong yu, yu gat raet blong karem child maintenance. Child maintenance hemi mane we papa blong pikinini hemi pem iko long mama blong pikinini taem we tufala istap wanwan. Mane ia hemi blong helpem mama wetem ol kakae, klos, skul fis mo blong pem ol narafala samting we i blong pikinini long laef blong hem.
Plis go luk Vanuatu Women’s Centre or ringem olgeta lo 2400 or 25764 blong save stret rod blong karem child maintenance.
This article was originally published in the June edition of the Vanuatu Daily Post’s Life and Style magazine.
