Four Examples Of "Senzeni Na?"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases examples and lyrics of the anti-apartheid song "Senzeni Na?".

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT SENZENI NA
From 3Fhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senzeni_Na%3F
"“Senzeni Na?” (also spelled Senzenina, English: What Have We Done?)[1] is a South African anti‐apartheid folk song. The Xhosa/Zulu language song is commonly sung at funerals, demonstrations and in churches.[1][2] Activist Duma Ndlovu compared the influence of “Senzeni Na?” to that of the American protest song, “We Shall Overcome.”[3]

The song has been around at least since the 1950s, and it reached the height of its popularity during the 1980s.[1] The origins of the song are unclear. Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi claims to have written “Senzeni Na?” on the day that activist Chris Hani died.[4] However, Nyathi’s “Senzeni Na?” uses a different melody and altered lyrics. Either way, Hani was assassinated on April 10, 1993, by which time the song had already been sung for decades."

****
LYRICS: SENZENI NA?
"There doesn’t seem to be one universally agreed on set of lyrics"...

Xhosa/Zulu original
Senzeni na?
Sono sethu, ubumnyama?
Sono sethu yinyaniso?
Sibulawayo Mayibuye i Africa

English translation
What have we done?
Our sin is that we are black?
Our sin is the truth
They are killing us
Let Africa return
-snip-
Here's another set of lyrics/translations for this song from http://www.omniglot.com/songs/african/zulu.php

"This is a protest song from the days of Apartheid in South Africa."

Senzeni na?
What have we done?

Sono sethu, ubumyama?
Our sin is that we are black?

Sono sethu yinyaniso?
Our sin is the truth

Sibulawayo
They are killing us

Mayibuye i Africa
Let Africa return
-snip-
This page contains a link to a recording of this song which is "combined with the traditional Welsh hymn, Trig gyda mi, which has almost the same tune (Bangor Community Choir)"

Other lyrics for this song are given in comments to the videos found below.

****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in chronological order based on the date of their posting, with the oldest dated example given first.)

Example #1: Albert Nyathi - Senzeni Na?



ShayaFM, Uploaded on Nov 11, 2007
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread. The comment was written in response to the question "What is the complete English translation of the song? I want to know what she is crying about."

"Ndebele: Senzeni na? (What did we do?)

Ndebele: Soneni na? (What sin have we commited?)

Shona: Tatadzeyi ko? (What have we done wrong?)

Girl (Ndebele): Bang'thathel' ubaba wam' (They took my father from me)

Girl (Ndebele): Ngilahlekelwe mina (*this literally means* I've lost someone *meaning they died*

Watching this video as a child always made me cry cause it upset me to see other people cry --> now i kno the meaning behind it...I still want to cry :'(
-"Zee Zamar Mabuza, 2010

****
Example #2: Senzenina -South Africa



Brian Chimhepo, Uploaded on Aug 16, 2009

Apartheid is still live and well in Suid Afrika
-snip-
This video is made up of scenes from the movie "The Power Of One".
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_One_(film)
"The Power of One is a 1992 dramatic [American] film based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Bryce Courtenay. Set in South Africa during the '30s and '40s, the film centers on the life of Peter Philip 'Peekay or PK' Kenneth-Keith (Guy Witcher), a young English boy raised during the apartheid era, and his relationship with a German pianist, a black prisoner who is a boxing coach, and a romantic interest, who is of Afrikaner descent."

****
Example #3: "Senzenina" by Cape Town Youth Choir (formerly Pro Cantu Youth Choir) / soloist : Monde Mdingi



Guillaume Muller, Uploaded on Aug 14, 2010

Festival du Cap 2010

"Senzenina" by Cape Town Youth Choir (formerly Pro Cantu Youth Choir) / Cape Town / soloist : Monde Mdingi
Lyrics: " Senzenina /Sohlangana ezulwini"
Translation: "What have we done / we shall meet in heaven"
-snip-
Comment from this video's viewer comment thread:
[regarding the first two verses that are found above]

"This is not the lyrics sung in this video. Those lyrics are "Senzenina /Sohlangana ezulwini"

Translation: "What have we done / we shall meet in heaven " .
-Guillaume Muller, 2012

****
Example #4: The Power of One - Funeral Scene (Senzenina)



elyusai1,·Published on Mar 10, 2012

****
Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

Mafikizolo - Kwela (South Africa), video & comments

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part post on songs entitled "Kwela".

This post showcases the song "Kwela" by the South African group Mafikizolo. This post also included information about Makifizolo and their style of music as well as selected comments from this song's YouTube video viewer comment thread.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/harry-belafonte-kwela-listen-to-man.html for a post on Harry Belafonte-"Kwela" ("Listen To The Man"), lyrics & comments.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT MAFIKIZOLO
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafikizolo_(South_African_group)
"Mafikizolo is a popular in South African group that started small in the 90s. The members of this group are Theo Kgosinkwe, Nhlanhla Nciza, and Tebogo Madingoane. The genre of music this group makes is called kwaito, which is an African type of house music. Their music has fans dancing and singing along to the beat. The group has been in the industry for many years and where signed by Kalawa, a South African record company. The trio consisting of a female, Nhlanhla and two males Theo, and Tebogo have been a sensation; their unique music style attracts both young and old fans"...

INFORMATION ABOUT KWAITO MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwaito
"Kwaito is a music genre that emerged in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 1990s. It is a variant of house music featuring the use of African sounds and samples. Typically at a slower tempo range than other styles of house music, Kwaito often contains catchy melodic and percussive loop samples, deep bass lines, and vocals. Although bearing similarities to hip hop music, a distinctive feature of Kwaito is the manner in which the lyrics are sung, rapped and shouted. American producer Diplo has described Kwaito as "slowed-down garage music," most popular among the black youth of South Africa."

INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "KWELA"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwela
"Kwela is a pennywhistle-based, street music from southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, skiffle-like beat. It evolved from the marabi sound and brought South African music to international prominence in the 1950s...

South Africa has many meanings of words, but for this, it mainly and the most common is [sic]The word "kwela" is taken from the Zulu for "get up", though in township slang it also referred to the police vans, the "kwela-kwela". Thus, it could be an invitation to join the dance, as well as serving as a warning. It is said that the young men who played the pennywhistle on street corners also acted as lookouts to warn those enjoying themselves in the shebeens of the arrival of the police.[1]"
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_South_Africa
"The first major style of South African popular music to emerge was pennywhistle jive (later known as kwela). Black cattle-herders had long played a three-holed reed flute, adopting a six-holed flute when they moved to the cities. Willard Cele is usually credited with creating pennywhistle by placing the six-holed flute between his teeth at an angle. Cele spawned a legion of imitators and fans, especially after appearing in the 1951 film The Magic Garden.

Groups of flautists played on the streets of South African cities in the 1950s, many of them in white areas, where police would arrest them for creating a public disturbance. Some young whites were attracted to the music, and came to be known as ducktails"...



FEATURED VIDEO South Africa - Mafikizolo - Kwela



Seka Moke, Uploaded on Dec 18, 2008
AFRICA FROM A-Z: SOUTH AFRICA

SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S YOUTUBE VIEWER COMMENT THREAD
(These comments are presented in chronological order by the year of their posting, with the oldest comments given first.)

babybunnyberry, 2010
"It's about being arrested for breaking curfew in South Africa, during apartheid. Kwela is the name of the rhythm, but also refers to the kwela-kwela, the police vans."
**
TheLastYogurt, 2010
"Mafikizolo is the name of the band. Kwela is both the style of music and the name of the album (released in 2003). The name of the song is "Kwela Kwela", which is a pun (as babybunnyberry pointed) because of the double meaning of the word 'kwela'. :) Mafikizolo are in iTunes, but I don't think iTunes has this song.")
**
ProfRonanMC, 2012
"Mafikizolo beautifully recreate the sound of fifties South African music with the legendary Hugh Masekela making a star appearance. And, damn!, they're good at it!"
**
Grasswa Basson, 2012
"Their music is also influenced by kwaito and they have been credited with a genre called Kwela after their style of music. It has been described as kwaito-cum-marabi house music. Their music deals with pertinent social issues such as women and children abuse, poverty, the importance of education and the dangers of casual sex. They have performed all over Southern Africa and have a fan base all over the world."
**
njplr, 2012
"Well, I'm not South African or anything, but I THINK kwela is both a style of music (such as this song) with a rollicking rhythm, and ALSO it was people yell in the streets at the approach of the cops (like FIVE OH, or, in NY they yell "bajando") which kinda fits right into the video."
**
rakefarm, 2012
Kwela means 'get up'. The police were called the 'kwela kwela' meaning you had to get up as they were coming!
**
Sizwe Mahokoto, 2012
kwela means "get on" not get up... since it was usual that the police van was taking blacks for no reason they decide that whenever they see a police van, it was give that they will get on... the real original Xhosa word is "khwela"
**
AfrikaZW, 2013
"Definitely one of the best songs out there, but with a very heavy message

Nanka amapoyisa efika ebengena mama ngekwela kwelaa - here come the policemen, bhold kwelakwela

the other part is in Afrikaans, the police asking about the dompass

Hugh talks of disrespect shown by the guards, abusing the parents (our mothers) throwing them in jail for selling traditional beer (to support their kids)

Ask Nelson Mandela, ask Sizulu (Walter), and Tambo (Oliver) they all know about Kwela kwela..."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Mafikizolo and their special guest artist, Hugh Masekela. Thanks to the composer of this song, the producer of this video, the uploader of this video. Thanks also to those whose wrote information or comments that are quoted in this post.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome

Read More

Harry Belafonte- "Kwela" ("Listen To The Man"), lyrics & comments

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post is Part I in a two part series that showcase two songs that are entitled "Kwela".

Part I of this series showcases a video of, information about, and English lyrics for the song "Kwela" as performed by world renown singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte. That song's lyrics, and my comments about the meaning of several words in that song are also included in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/mafikizolo-kwela-south-africa-video.html for Part II of this series features the song "Kwela" as performed by the South African group Mafikizolo. The Mafikizolo video "Kwela" also features the legendary South African musician & vocalist Hugh Masekela.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

FEATURED VIDEO: Harry Belafonte - Kwela



henkrut, Published on Mar 30, 2012

Live On Dutch TV
-snip-
This video includes Dutch* subtitles.
*I think this language is Dutch.
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6_bYQOU3-Y for a video of a 1997 concert performance of Harry Belafonte singing "Kwela" ("Listen To The Man").

LYRICS: KWELA (LISTEN TO THE MAN)
Songwriters: JAKE HOLMES, S.M. NKABINDE

Here comes the doo doo, flying up the street
Running like the fire burning on his feet
Casting his eye left to the right
Looking for a place he can duck out of sight

Here come the goomba goomba, rumbling up the road
Looking for somebody to fill up the load
A big fat cat he had, get off the bag
Scooping up the striker, lest given him a whack

Come on boy, jump inside
Come on, boy, we gonna take you for a ride
It's an excursion, where you don't have to pay
At the end of the line you'll find a place to stay

(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(And we're shouting kwela-la, kwela-la)
Everybody jump in the van

Now, doo doo, he doin', doin' pretty well
He got a private room at the the Blue Hotel
Everyday he gets a complimentary meal
Maybe check out soon if can make a deal

He wanna play music out on the street
I'm sure you got your Nike's tight on your feet
Better make sure that you stay outta sight
For the Chakalas when he got a big appetite

Come on boy, jump inside
Come on, boy, we gotta take you for a ride
It's an excursion where you don't have to pay
At the end of the line you'll find a place to stay

(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
(Kwela, Kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(Keep on shouting kwela-la, kwela-la)
Everybody jump in the van

Come on boy, jump inside
Come on, boy, we gonna take you for a ride
It's an excursion where you don't have to pay
At the end of the line you'll find a place to stay

(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

I said, you better, you better
(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(Keep on shouting kwela-la, kwela-la)
Everybody, everybody, everybody jump in the van

I said, hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

I said, hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(Keep on shouting, kwela-la, kwela-la)
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
Everybody jump in the van

Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela
Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela
Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela
Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela

You gotta jump down, turn around, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay
You gotta jump and turn, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay

You gotta jump and turn, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay
You gotta jump and turn, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay

Pick it, I wanna lay
Pick it

Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
You better listen to the man
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
Everybody jump in the van

I said, you better, you better
(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
Everybody, everybody
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

I said, hey doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela)
You better listen to the man
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

Lyrics from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/harry_belafonte/kwela_listen_to_the_man.html
-snip-
Another online lyric site, http://www.elyrics.net/read/h/harry-belafonte-lyrics/kwela-(listen-to-the-man)-lyrics.html provides this information about Harry Belafonte's song "Kwela"
"Album: An Evening With Harry Belafonte & Friends / Original Release Date: 1997-08-26
Genre: Vocal / Label: 1997 The Island Def Jam Music Group".

****
Here's my interpretation of the colloquial words that are found in Harry Belafonte's "Kwela" ("Listen To The Man")
Kwela (Listen To The Man) is a danceable song (1) with a rather esoterically given commentary about the oppressive conditions under which Black people lived in apartheid South Africa. I use past tense because apartheid is said to have ended in 1994(2) while this song's date is given as 1997.

(1) This song may be an example of the South African rhythm called "Kwela", perhaps also with touch of Mento/Calypso-like Caribbean rhythm since this is Harry Belafonte singing. I'm not sure what genre of music this song fits into. If anyone knows, please share that information in the comment section.
-snip-
Notice that a musician is playing a "kwela" (pennywhistle) in the video of this song that is embedded in this post.
(2)Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid_in_South_Africa to read about apartheid.
**
In the context of this song, "kwela" and "kwela kwela" in the context of this song refer to the South African Apolice van, and/or the police.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwela
"Kwela is a pennywhistle-based, street music from southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, skiffle-like beat. It evolved from the marabi sound and brought South African music to international prominence in the 1950s...

South Africa has many meanings of words, but for this, it mainly and the most common is [sic]The word "kwela" is taken from the Zulu for "get up", though in township slang it also referred to the police vans, the "kwela-kwela". Thus, it could be an invitation to join the dance, as well as serving as a warning. It is said that the young men who played the pennywhistle on street corners also acted as lookouts to warn those enjoying themselves in the shebeens of the arrival of the police.[1]"
-snip-
Along with "kwela and "kwela kwela" "Goomba goomba", "jump in the van" also refer to police vans. I don't know the derivation of the double noun "goomba goomba" comes from, but the phrase "jump in the line" is a nod to one of Harry Belafonte's hit songs "Jump In The Line".
**
In this song, "The Man" means "The White man" (or "White men") who are (were) representative of the repression of apartheid South Africa. In this and in other usages, "the man" is a shortened form of "the man who is in charge."
**
In the context of this song, "doo doo" is a referent for a Black man (or "Black men"). "Doo doo" here is a shortened form of the doo doo bird. As such, in this song "doo doo" means "a foolish man who thinks that he can survive South Africa's system by engaging in illegal activities such as picking pockets.

Other meanings for "doo doo" or "dou dou" which are compltely unrelated to this song are given in this post's Addendum.
**
The lines "A big fat cat he had/ get off the bag/Scooping up the striker" refers to the police van grabbing up other people.
**
The word "Chakalas" in the lines "Better make sure that you stay outta sight/For the Chakalas when he got a big appetite" also refers to the police vans or the police. I don't know what the derivation is for the word "chakalas".
**
"The Blue Hotel" refers to prison. I'm not sure why that is.

ADDENDUM
Here are other meanings for the words "Doo Doo" and "Dou Dou"
Here some additional information about the word "doo doo", the nicknamee "Dou Dou", and the word "dou dou":

"Doo doo" - a Caribbean Creole [patois] for "my darling" (sweetheart). Click http://www.izatrini.com/trini_dictionary.html and http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080208082428AAvpblp

Also, from http://babyology.com.au/toys/doudou-french-for-a-beloved-snuggly.html "The most treasured item in a child’s life can be anything from a cute cuddly to a tatty old blanket (moi!) or a well-loved dolly. In France, this item is called a ‘doudou’ and it’s THE mission of parents to locate the perfect one before baby is born."

Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doudou" for a list of famous people with the nickname “Dou Dou”.

An example of a famous person with the nickname "Dou Dou" is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doudou_N'Diaye_Rose "Doudou Ndiaye Rose (28 July 1930), born Mamadou Ndiaye in Dakar, is Senegalese drummer composer and band leader, and is the recognized modern master of Senegal's traditional drum, the sabar"...

With regard to the word "doo doo", it's my position that the word "doo doo", meaning "sweetheart" is also found in several American shanty songs. I believe that one such song is "Yeller Gels Doodle Let Me Go". Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=49421#2585472 Lyr Req: Yeller Gals - Doodle or Do Not?Yeller Girl" to find one of my comments about the meaning of the word "doo doo" in that shanty.

Incidentally, it's indisputable that the term "yellow girls" in that above mentioned shanty, and in other 19th century Black American and & Caribbean songs means "a light skinned Black female, usually of mixed Black/non-Black ancestry".

Finally [with regard to this addendum], a comment in http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=21659 indicates that in France "Dou Dou" is sometimes a nickname for "Edouard".

RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/mafikizolo-kwela-south-africa-video.html Mafikizolo - Kwela (South Africa), video & comments

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Harry Belafonte and other vocalists & musicians in this post's featured video. Thanks to the composers of this song and the transcriber of that song. In addition, thanks to those whose wrote information or comments that are quoted in this post.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome

Read More