Wednesday, September 29, 2010
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MOURNING SONGS AMONG THE NGONI
By Margaret Read
Sources: Songs of the Ngoni People
There are no real mourning songs of the Ngoni as singing and dancing were not part of the burial rites except at the death of a chief, though at subsequent funeral rites, some months later, it is customary to dance ingoma. The first one is sung to the igubu and is obviously a woman's mourning for her husband. The second I heard a woman sing at tl:e burial of her grandmother, and she said her grandmother had taught it to her. Many other igubu songs are in reality mourning songs.
(1) Ngoni :
Ngagolozela lashon' umyeni (repeat)
Bathi ngitshengis' isizib' esinengwenya
Ngizilahle
Ngingokwenzan' elele na ? (repeat)
English :
I have stared at the setting (death) of my husband.
They say, show me the pool that has a crocodile.
Let me throw myself away.
What can I do ? Alas !
(2) Ngoni :
Namuhla ngiyakuloya
Nang' umthakathi
Wena wafa njani ?
Muyanihleka, hlekani, ngingodingayo mina.
Ngithum' ubani ?
Mwena muyatuma 'bantwana
Ngindinda nginje ngithum' endlini
Niyandinda nelidolo ngihamb' ematsheni
Ngingedwa ngithath' izigodo ngingedwa
Ha ! niyakhalel' umtakomama.
Waza wangishiya phalubalala
Ngihlalela yena. Nizothini?
English :
Today I shall bewitch1
Here is the witch.
You, how did you die ?
You are laughing at me, laugh. I am poor, I.
Whom can I send ?
You folk you are sending children.
I wander about by myself. I send to the house.
I wander about on my knees. I go on the stones2
Alone I carry branches, I alone.
Ha ! I am crying for your child, mother.
She has gone. She has left me in a lonely place.3
I stayed for her. What shall I say ?
FOOTNOTE
1.The grandmother actually died in alarming circumstances and there was talk of witchcraft for weeks afterwards.
2.The stones at the women's washing place.
3.That is reading ebaleni for phalubalala.
Sources: Songs of the Ngoni People
There are no real mourning songs of the Ngoni as singing and dancing were not part of the burial rites except at the death of a chief, though at subsequent funeral rites, some months later, it is customary to dance ingoma. The first one is sung to the igubu and is obviously a woman's mourning for her husband. The second I heard a woman sing at tl:e burial of her grandmother, and she said her grandmother had taught it to her. Many other igubu songs are in reality mourning songs.
(1) Ngoni :
Ngagolozela lashon' umyeni (repeat)
Bathi ngitshengis' isizib' esinengwenya
Ngizilahle
Ngingokwenzan' elele na ? (repeat)
English :
I have stared at the setting (death) of my husband.
They say, show me the pool that has a crocodile.
Let me throw myself away.
What can I do ? Alas !
(2) Ngoni :
Namuhla ngiyakuloya
Nang' umthakathi
Wena wafa njani ?
Muyanihleka, hlekani, ngingodingayo mina.
Ngithum' ubani ?
Mwena muyatuma 'bantwana
Ngindinda nginje ngithum' endlini
Niyandinda nelidolo ngihamb' ematsheni
Ngingedwa ngithath' izigodo ngingedwa
Ha ! niyakhalel' umtakomama.
Waza wangishiya phalubalala
Ngihlalela yena. Nizothini?
English :
Today I shall bewitch1
Here is the witch.
You, how did you die ?
You are laughing at me, laugh. I am poor, I.
Whom can I send ?
You folk you are sending children.
I wander about by myself. I send to the house.
I wander about on my knees. I go on the stones2
Alone I carry branches, I alone.
Ha ! I am crying for your child, mother.
She has gone. She has left me in a lonely place.3
I stayed for her. What shall I say ?
FOOTNOTE
1.The grandmother actually died in alarming circumstances and there was talk of witchcraft for weeks afterwards.
2.The stones at the women's washing place.
3.That is reading ebaleni for phalubalala.
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