Innodo – Course of
Events [XI]: Poetry within Traditional Music
Ndebele Men & Son, Extracted from Nothembi Mkhwebane's Video and Edited
I
am certain that many of us are aware of the poetry among the South African
people and the whole African Continent, from the ZULU, XHOSA, SWATI, NDEBELE,
PEDI, SOTHO, TSWANA, VENDA, TSONGA and other ethnics, a lot has been
said on African poetry and this time I thought perhaps it will be a good thing
to do to share some poetry from various Singers within Traditional Music. The
interesting thing about this is what is termed IDENTITY or IDENTIFICATION,
many as they recite their praise poems in their songs they tell us about
themselves and their life experiences. We know well that a person is given
praises for who they are or what they have achieved in their lifetime. That
ends up becoming an identity or recognition for that particular individual. I
am going to begin with the most famous Artist from the Maskandi Genre and then
go to the Innodo Genre and Diakgela Genre. It should be noted that
I am not good with the SOTHO language but will try my best
to write what I understand when it comes to the Diakgela Genre.
In
the Maskandi Genre it is always best to begin with the Father of the Zulu
people’s music. Let me begin with PHUZUSHUKELA in his song entitiled “Impi
KaBhambatha” [War of Bhambatha]. According to my understanding
Phuzushukela sings about the War of Bhambatha saying that they (the Zulu
people) do not care about this war because they are the “Izitha” or enemies. That is what the song is about but since our
interest is in his poetry, let us listen to what He says,
“Eueee..! Uyiziwile na? Zibambe Phuzushukela mud’ uMlungu, mud’
uBhungane [Inadiable] demede! Kade ngangisho Madoda. Bagoxe Mfo kaMajezi
omnyama. Noma bangithini, noma ngingafa nje mina kuyosala igama lami ngaphezulu
akekho oyokufika kilesi sami isandla. Yimi ngedwa engiphethe lesisandla la
KwaZulu eNkandla. Eeee…! Phansi kweGolodo intaba yami enengi eyakhe leyo
umfula engiwuphuzayo yiNsundu. Zibambe nsenseni Mfazan’ omnyama lokhanda
…ebuhlungiwini [Inaduble]. Zibambe uwubhuwubhu kaBhejane, awu Madoda sashintsha
isandla sikaMajezi Madoda!”
Deep
and profound Phuzushukela here says, did you hear
it? Hold on to it Phuzushukela, a White man is so tall and so is Bhungane damn! It’s
been long I said it to you men. Fold them Brother of Black Majezi. No matter
what they can say even though I will die my name will remain above theirs. None
will be above this hand of mine. It is I alone holding this hand here in
KwaZulu at Nkandla. Eeee…! Below at Golokodo my Mountain and many theirs, the
river I drink from is Nsundu. Hold on to it Nsenseni Black woman who makes…, in
pain [Inaudible]. Hold on to it ‘uwubhuwubhu’ of a Rhinoceros, hey men, Majezi’s
hand changes you men!
Even
though in some sentences it is hard to hear what He says but the rest tells us
a story. He brags a bit and says He is
the only one in this Genre and in my opinion He is so right. He remains the
best to this day. All his songs are very deep and all I can say about him is
that He was and still remains the Father of Maskandi and an extra-ordinarily
Legend.
Even
so there are many Artists who are the best and, the next one in my opinion
is UDOKOTELA
SHANGE NAMAJAHA in their song, “Amathole Amnyama” In all of his songs you will hear the taste of
Zulu language, He speaks deep Zulu in a tasty way. For instance after reciting
his poem He talks to another man which I am going to refer to as ‘The other man’
and they exchange words in the following manner;
The other man: Awu, ya Sweetie
Dokotela Shange: Yebo
The other man: Awu konje uMfo kabani wena?
Dokotela Shange: NginguMfo kaShange, uMfo kaMkhize khona eMzinto
eMthwalofu
The other man: Awu…!
Dokotela Shange: Konje wena uMfo kabani?
The other man: Awu nginguMfo ka…, [Inaudible]
Dokotela Shange: Laphi nendawo?
The other man: Khona eMthwalofu impela eMzondweni
Dokotela Shange: Yebo…!
The other man: Ungasutshele abantu Wethu ukuthi yini eyenzeke la
ekhaya namhlanje?
Dokotela Shange: Sibamb’ iQhude namhlanje
As
for the poem in the song it is so deep and He speaks about a Giraffe and mentions something being
poured and flashed about his Father. It seems to me that Dokotela Shange is a
very tall man and identifies himself as a Giraffe. His poem is clearer in the
song entitled “Awungilobolele” where
He sings about Lobolo which is the
Bride’s Wealth. Since this requires a very good listener I will just extract
one sentence from the poem which is about the Giraffe. He says;
“…, zibambe
Ndlulamithi esukamakhanda”
The
sentence says, Hold on to it Giraffe
whose head/s is/are removed. What does that mean? Honestly I do not know
but it seems like this Giraffe fights a lot with its long neck and small head.
Another
great Artist from the Maskandi Genre is PHILEMON ZULU in his song entitled “Jesu
Wami” I have to mention that this man’s voice is bold and He is very
strong. This song’s title says Jesus My
Father and He says, My Father please
have mercy on me. You are the One who gives me the power and I love you. You
are the One who holds the stars. Have mercy on me my God. I walk with you my
Father, my God. After that He recites his poem and says,
“Wayibamba sithombe sikaTokoloshi Mkhovu oshaya amaphiko enhla
komuzi kaBhekeni ntombi zimthanda ebusuku emini ziyambalekela. Khuluma nazo miqondo kaMisi khisi uMademu weno’ ophuza ngesiyo
sayo emhlangeni mbazo enganamphini… [Inaudible] ntombi eyimthanda kaNene…
Uyayizwa intambo Maskandi, yengathi awuzwa nje kahle? Yizoke iyikhukhula lezi Ubhasobhe ungaweli ngezansi. Wayihlaba intambo uMfo kaZulu Madoda wayihlaba waphuma phansi umBhishop wagcoka ijazi lakhe
elimhlophe elineyiphambano ezihlaza emhlane! Wasithatha isikhali sakhe wasichela ngesiwasho uyobheka
iyikhukhula ziyoceda abantu zabathatha zabaphonsa phansi elwandle”
Man! Do you hear
Philemon Zulu? This man is very deep! He is very deep, very deep! Just listen
to the track and you will hear what He says. This is very much interesting. In
his poem He says;
You held it picture of ‘Tokoloshi,
Mkhovu’ (An ugly Mythical African Creature believed to be used by the
Witches) who flaps the wings on top of the house of Bhekeni, girls love him at
night but during daylight they ran away from him. Speak to them legs of a White
Madam who kisses her, you who drinks with its ‘siyo’ at Mhlangeni (Reed Dance).
An axe which does not have a shaft… [Inaudble]
girl who loves Nene… [Inaudible] Do
you hear the thread/string Maskandi, it is as if you do not hear it good? These are floods, be aware not to fall below. Men! Brother of
Zulu is stabbing the thread/string! He stabs the thread/string until the Bishop
got out of his way and worn his white jacket with green crosses on its
shoulders! He took his weapon and poured the magic water to
look for the floods when they were flooding people and flushed them in the
ocean.
Even
though it is quite difficult for me to translate the exact words but I am
certain any person with an understanding will grasp what I am trying to say.
Here Zulu pictures himself as someone who looks ugly like the scary creature He
mentioned. I have to say He is the best, a genius to be precise. This song can
be found in his Album entitled “How Long”/ Kuyoze Kube Nini.
Up
to this far I have mentioned Artists from the old times. Now I will move
forward and talk about the recent Maskandi Artists. In so doing I will begin
with BHEKUMUZI
LUTHULI. In his song entitled “Uzoyidela Inkani” which is about
his cry for people who are trying to destroy him He says,
“Thula...! Wabadudula phela uphutha liyenzeka umhlaba ukujikela
uwuphethe Madoda awuzwa phela ukukhuluma kwalezizinsizwa kuyangidina ngoba
ziyavumelana zonke zithi mncane uMfo kaMolo aMab'luku akamlingani bathi aze
agcokwa wuNina umaMhlongo Wethu. Kusenzansi Baba kwaMaphumulo la engiphuma
khona izinkomo zakithi ziphuza phansi eMaphisi. Wena kudala ngisalele phansi
namhlanje ngime ngezinyawo zombili phezulu kwesikamBhishop ucobo lwakhe Abanye
bathi iyakhukhumala lendoda kodwa mina ngithi ayakhala aMathambo iSikelethoni,
khala Mathambo! Lagcoma ishumi phezu kwelinye uMgcibelo neSonto, uyazizwa
izindaba, ubalekelani wena? Mana! Wawukhuluma kanjani wena?”
The
most famous line here is “…uphutha
liyenzeka umhlaba ukujikela uwuphethe…” We can see that the Artist is
identifying himself as a person who knows from his experience that in life
things will not always go smooth, challenges will be there and so on and hence
He says mistakes do happen and the world will turn against you while you have
it in your own hands. In other songs you hear him identifying himself as,
“I-crrent yakoMolo eyabonwa zintombi zamomotheka kancane kwehlabeka
bonke oLova”
The
latter when translated He says that He is
an electrical current seen by ladies and they blushed while guys had pain in
their hearts.
Another
Artist is IKHANSELA NOJBC known famously for his jokes in almost all his
songs. In a song entitled “Phepha Lami” He says,
“Khuluma nazo Hlala bemzonda abafazi baMadoda bethi uyofa nini
Mfo kaMkhize?”
It
seems to me here that Khansela identifies himself as that person who is being
hated by other men’s wives who are asking when is He going to die. This is quite
deep, it may mean a lot of things for many people but directed to the one who
is always loved and hated by married women and so on. There are indeed many
Artists in all Genres who speak beautiful poems and stories within their music.
Allow me now go to the Innodo Genre. I will begin with the
Father of Ndebele music UMAPHOPHOTHA in his song “Kortman” which means Short Man in Afrikaans
language. This is not about poetry so to speak but what He is saying. He is
known as the Father of Ingadla which is a typical Ndebele
Traditional Dance. Listen to him;
“Ailililililili…! Mlilinghwana, uMaphophotha wenzani manje? Uyabona nawuzibiza nje ungikhumbuza
eKhethemkhulu phasi eSidakeni. Zibanjwa ngubani nazingabanjwa ngumswa wako
Ntsibizwi. Kortman, yeyi mara Mfana wafuza eKhenemkhulu Mfana kwaMahlangu. Phasi
eMkobola eRosenekal S’tiki, yeyi Buti newungakwazi ukugida utjhide mani,
uvulele IIngwenya! Yedlu’ iNgwenya Kortman. Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah ! Aaaah! Aaaah!
Kwadlul’ iNgwenya kwahlengezla amaQhegu, eSidakeni. Sibawa uzok’bona phasi
eMthambothini kwaMabusa. Bababe! Maye mna! Ekhethu newujabulileko kwakunje…!
Bubuhle bekhethu lobu! Awuzwa! Awuzwa! Awuzwa Awuzwa! Ohoooooo! uDade
uyalotjolwa Buti sizokudla Amatjhatjhatjha! Kade singanakudla. Buti. Awuzwa!
Awuzwa! Awuzwa! Uyazi ama…Yeyi, ngiliRhasa Buti, kade ngizibamba man’
ngizibamba namaDhugu aboNstwibizi. Stiki..! Stiki...! Stiki…! Bethani amaRhasa,
nawiselwa ngithi Bafana maDhugu noma ningenzani. Siyalazi ikwipiri Mfana
besisagwaba! Stiki..! Maye! Maye! Maye! Maye! AmaTlawu ayaziwela nedi nangim’calako
uMntazana. Ye bathi ngiluphele musi mina, ubani? Fak’ iDzeredzere Mntwanami. Tse..!
Tse..! Tse..! Tse..! Hehe! Ye mara Mngani uyangitlhuwisa mani. Uyabona ngifuna
isimanje ilanga liphuma nje, siya ngemva-kwedina siy’ eP’lasini siyokusenga
kwanje. J’rarhey’di, ungasengi ikomo ungakayibophi isipantewu mani. Uzakuhlekwa
babantu bathi ubuya eD’robheni.
It
goes on and on just like that though some words are hard to catch. He was and
still remains the Best isiNdebele Traditional Music Artist, the Father of
Ndebele music to be precise. The song is about the joy during the Ndebele ceremony
and He mentions everything even making some jokes in between. Listen to Two
Gunman & Ndebele Queens you will also hear him mentioning words such as KwaMabusa, J’rarhey’di and AmaTlawu.
Mabusa was the King of AmaNdebele and known as Mabusa Mabhoko II. Such songs
will take you back to the times and hence we refer to them as the Pride of The
Ndebele Nation.
Since
poetry is tastier with a beautiful language, I want to share a very long
Ndebele praise poem from a group called INSIMBI ZIKANYABELA in their song
entitled “ZikaMphezulu” They are also very deep in using the Ndebele
language. I won’t be able to translate everything to English but will extract
that which I believe is meaningful and educative in learning the Ndebele
language. I have to mention that these guys are excellent in playing a Guitar
the Ndebele way. Listen to this;
“Zangen' Insimbi zikaNyabela
NgezikaMphezulu, ngezikaNyabel' ongehlulwako.
NgezikaGijamphezeni kaMabhoko
Mabhoko sindeni umhlab' unethuli
mhlana kunganathuli kumhlana kuyokuliwa.
NgezikaSobabuthene lezo, ngezikaMphezulu
uMphezulu lisinya likaMaphepha
NgelikaMaphepha ngotjani,
baphepha ngomlilo baphepha
ngamanzi baphepha ngomoya
eendaweni ezib'disi eB'dlakadlani
NgusoBabuthene loyo, wabuth' uManala
wabuth' uNdzundza babakelo,
wabuth' isitjhaba sika-Sekhukhune nesikaMampuru ‘I yoo na yo’.
Wathi yenibaleke niyokubhaqa KwaDlawulale
nap' abomehlwal'hlaza aboNdlebe Zikhany' ilanga
bagega neNdubazi, bagega neBhalule bagega neTjhatjhatjha
bafun' uneba bayokuberega ngan' imali.
Insimbi ZikaNyabela zaphum'eRholweni
zagadang' eSidakeni kesiMatjhis' isigodi
angusoliy' abantu noMap’lankana kwaMthimunye
zagadang’ eGagadwini kesikaJostay' Mahlangu isigodi,
zagadang’ eMhlabaneni kesikaSomdiyelwa isigodi,
ngusiNghalela uMorozi Mahlangu.
Zenyuka kwaTomu, zatjhing' eMawulaneni
zathi ziseMawulaneni bazitjhugulula
baziqalis’ ePitori kwesika De Clerk isigodi
sagcina sithethwe nguMadiba uNelson Mandela.
Insimbi zikaNyabela madoda, madoda eyamako
ayisibo abesegwabo.
Bantazana, bentazana abadlulisako
ayisibo amatjhuburu.
Besana bami labo ngebemalamuleni
amanengi khulu
Ngebemabhutateni, ngebenkurwaneni eenengi khulu
iinkurwana zona ungazibala ngeSkhuwa ngeze waziqeda
ungazibala ngesiNdebele ungaziqeda.
Ungazibala ngesiNdebele uthi;
Ngutsetserwana
Nguzirwayana,
Nguphakatjhana,
Ngukhombabantu,
Nguthubhakghuru,
Zithandathu,
Zikhomba,
Zibunane,
Ziyathoba,
Lisumi
Besana bami labo ngabalunywa zinkalakala
batjhuguluka yaba bentazana
balunywa zinkalakala batjhuguluka yaba esana
Bentazana bami labo balunywa zinkalakala
batjhuguluka yababentazana balunywa zinkalala
Besana bami labo ngababumba iinkomo zomdaka
bayazibumba bayaziqeda bazithatha bayakulobola ngazo
Balobola abentazana abahlakaniphileko abangavunuli amab’rugu
abavunul’amarhabi
abavunul’ imphephethu bavunul’ iinthimba
bakar’ inarha yoke bakara ngitjho namaKhuwa amaKhuwa abalingisa.”
Very deep! This is
very deep if you understand it but I want to compare something, the way in
which the Ndebele people count. Generally they count numbers in the following
manner;
1 - One
- Kunye
2 - Two
- Kubili
3 - Three
- Kuthathu
4 - Four
- Kune
5 - Five
- Kuhlanu
6 - Six
- Sithandathu
7 - Seven
- Likhomba
8 - Eight
- Bunane
9 - Nine
- Lithoba
10 - Ten
- Litjhumi
Now,
let us go back to the song from Insimbi ZikaNyabela and see how they count;
1 – One
- Ngutsetserwana
2 – Two
- Nguzirwayana
3 –
Three - Nguphakatjhana
4 –
Four - Ngukhombabantu
5 –
Five - Nguthubhakghuru
6 – Six
- Zithandathu
7 –
Seven - Zikhomba
8 –
Eight - Zibunane
9 –
Nine - Ziyathoba
10 –
Ten - Lisumi
Now
do you notice the difference? This is the same but in different ways. Indeed
for someone like me who never learnt my Ndebele language at school I will at first
find it difficult to understand what they are talking about. In the latter they
are counting ‘IInkurwana’. The rest
of the song is just praise poetry describing their journey in different villages
of the KwaDlawulale region.
Now
let me share something very interesting, this time from the Queen of Ndebele
Music, NOTHEMBI MKHWEBANE. In her song entitled “Zitjhideleni Zibulalane” Indeed
it will be wrong of me not to mention her, She is the Best! In her praise poem
she says,
“Ngiphuma kwaGogo unaMgwezane iRhotjha elimnyama amanye
ayakhanya Kwamfazi ogayela umhlalanyoni, kwanalithi kamehlo kwamqamula
umlomo Watjho uGogo unaMngwezane wathi, Mntwanomntwami nakuyingoma uyithathe ngezwane, Nakuyindaba uyithathe ngendlebe, Nawulwa ubaleke! Watjho uGogo unaMgwezane wathi, Mntwanomntwanami kwatjhatjh’ akuliwa!”
Very
deep and informative, here Nothembi Mkhwebane is reciting advice from her
Grandmother, naMgwezane who told her that in musical war She must take it easy
as in with a finger tip. If people talk bad about her She must take it easy as
well as in with an ear but if there is any physical fight She must run away
because where there are such who fear war, there is no crying or death. Even the title of songs says it very well, it
means stay away so that they kill each other.
Now
my last discussion will be from the Diakgela Genre, the music of the SOTHO
people. There are know very well for their bass beats and deep poems. I will
immediately recite some poetry from Legends. Though I started to listen to
their music few years ago I have to mention that this ethnic group is blessed
in music among other things. The Son’s of King Moshoeshoe.
Let
me begin with the Legend, LETSEMA MATSELA in his song entitled
“Waka
Waka”. Just as I started with the Innodo Genre, the song is
straightforward with a repetition of a sentence but it speaks about something
very painful. Listen to this,
“Oh waka waka, banna bjwale Mma waloya…!”
This
song is about someone crying about his Mother who is practising witchcraft. So,
the painful thing here is a fact of knowing that your Mother is doing such
especially if you have the knowledge about how bad it is. He mentions so many
things even saying that He does not have anything at all from his Mother and
cannot go home because of her actions. He says, Oh waka waka, men now my Mother is a witch…!
A
very deep Artist in this Genre especially about poems is APOLLO NTABANYANE. There
is a song among others entitled “Ea Khaola”
“Tswibibibibibibibi…! [Whistling]
Motswale ngoanaka Apollo Eee…! Welewele meleko! Motswale ngoanaka Moshanyana ke boa ka
pelo ye bohloko Ga ke rate … [Inaudible]”
Basically
from my understanding the Artist is talking about someone who has been through
a lot of challenges but managed to escape. He mentions something that they shot
him and that their mothers are practicing witchcraft very painfully.
Another
great Artist among others is FAMOLE, in his song entitled “Le
Ntekane” There is a line where He talks about his Grandfather who tried
to kill him. He asked this Grandfather as to why He is trying to kill him and
the Grandfather responded by saying that the root of witchcraft is for one to
kill that whom He/She loves the most. Famole’s songs are too deep, even these messages
may mean something else and not literal as we might think.
Last
but not least I have to mention another Legend, TAU EA MATSEKHA in his
song entitled “Hata Fela” In this song they are saying press on Manyetse in
the world even though it is difficult. In another song entitled “Lefo
Leholo” they mention deep proverbs such as “Lefu leholo ke ditsheho” which means something that is so painful and
not laughable. Also, there is another one entitled “Lirosari” and here they
speak of something very deep. They are talking about people who are pretentious
in their believes and so on and so fourth and staff like that.
I
can write and write until my fingers are stretched like guitar strings but this
is where I will stop for now. Artists and poets are very deep in their music.
Let us listen to them and learn at the same time. S’thokoze! [Thank You!]
