Innodo- Course of Events [I]

KwaDlawulale [Close To Grobersdal]

Innodo- Course of Events [I] - I have to mention that my love for Ndebele and other South African Traditional music began at an earlier stage. It was in a Village named Thabaleboto that I first started listening to Innodo. At first it was a matter of dancing to the beats and ignoring the messages in the songs and that changed when I left the Country to complete my studies elsewhere. It was abroad that I gave myself time to listen to the lyrics and came to understand to some extend the depth of the messages. In KwaDlawulale at that time the popular group was Saai Plaas Boys with the Album entitled “Inyakanyaka IsePitori” and among others the popular songs were;

Amasiko Wabo Bamkhulu

“Nama siko wabo Bamkhulu ngek’ aphelel’ emoyeni sikhona thina,

Akhe nilise izinto zabantu nilise ukuhlukumez’ abantu, sinizwile thina,

Siyayilalela iKwekwezi, siyilalela kanqane sinizwile thina…”

Amazinywami

                                              “Amazinywami ngiyawafuna amazinywami,

Yel’ amazinywami ngiyafuna amazinywami,

Wom-wom Wom-wom Wom-wom,

Wom-wom ngilahlekwelwe mazinywami,

Bengijwayele ukuhlihlitheka…”

IIntombi ZamaDuba

“Yel’ IIntombi zamaDuba zidlal’ amakwakwana woya woya,

Yel’ IIntombi zamaDuba zidlal’ amakwakwana woya woya,

Ye nokuphothela aziphotheli.

Gijima msan’ omnqane utjele uBab’ ekhaya…”

Inyakanyaka IsePitori

“Ye niyasibona sinje thina sitjhiy’ inyakanyaka isePitori ngelele eMamelodi,

Siyawabona’ Amadoda aphum’ ekhaya athwel’ iinjazi ngelele ayokulal’ emaweni,

Thina nje nasifik’ ekhaya siyokuthola baphi abafelokazi?”

Usonyana Uyahlaba

“Yengizom’khelelwa ngubani usonyana yel’ uyahlaba,

Yel’ uyahlaba mna! Yel’ uyahlaba mna!...” 

The whole Album is composed of songs as shown below,

Album: Inyakanyaka IsePitori

Track List

1. Inyakanyaka IsePitori
2. Isomiso Sibhokile
3. Amasiko WaboBamkhulu
4. Nibambelele Bantwana
5. UMangope Ubalekile
6. Amazinywami
7. IIntombi ZamaDuba
8. UBaba Bamenzani
9. IImbilinga Zihlasele
10. Usonyana Uyahlaba

In those days the most popular storage for playing songs was a Cassette and our Uncles use to buy them from Pretoria to be played in the Villages during the holidays and festive seasons.  Apart from Saai Plaas Boys there were other famous Innodo singers such as Joriyo NePhororo with songs such as; 

Intandane

“Unyakozako ingoma iyaya siyokuwela kwaNyabela Baba,

Ningangibona nanginje mina ngikhule ngiyintandane Baba,

Nebakwethu balele kanti solo bayako Baba,

Sekwaduma izulu ekuseni labulala bakwethu Baba.”

 Umlambo Uthwele IIngodo

“Simatjhatjha asibalekeni nak’ umlambo uthwel’ iingodo,

Nak’ umlambo uthwel’ iingodo…,

Ungangizonda ungizondelani wangizondel’ int’ okungeyami.”

 Nas’ Intwenye

“NaMadoda hloniphani, naMadoda hloniphani, hloniphan’ utjwala,

NaMadoda nas’ intwenye iyangitjhutjhumeza ngemva kwami,

Ngibathe ngiyayithintitha solo ayifuni ukusuka ngemva kwami,

Mina ngikhambe ngayokulala nangivukako sol’ ila.”

Patantshwane

"Whoa...! Ke nna se tupe sa maina amantjhi.

Ke Tsatsaapane ya ga bo monna,

'Monna ge a tlile ke rata tintane marole' [Inaudible]

Ke ngwana wa le tlakala la BoPedi,

Tsoga o tle o bone ngwana o tlaba wa se bo laya Kgosi.

Whoa...! Namelang dithaba Bakone.

Yonna nkeseng ka geso kaPatantshwane,

Yonna re bana ba maPedi maPerekwana,

Yonna Rite sa nkube ga wo rata go mpolaya.

Yo nna Rite ga se mo ke Tafelkop,

Yo nna ro tjhentjha diwatjhe ka Sontaga,

Yo nna tsatsi re le bone ka Sontaga,

Yo nna lona ga le hlaba le hlaba pula.

Ke se hlabana ke hlabile ka Monyamane Ntsho Matshwifana.

Ke thaka Madipekele re di garafo re feta re lebelela menyako.

Yo! Ke Tsoriyo! Gote gote Bakone.

Ke Tonki Mathinthinyane ntlhabe ke mokgosi koa fateng tsa Magomosha.

Ga ele Mafokosane ona ke go tswa ka gare ga difate.

Ga ele maru ke go pipa dithaba.

Gote gote namelang dithaba Bakone.

Ga reyeng ga reyeng ga reyeng! Bakgakga."

In fact the late Joriyo is from Tafelkop Village and not so far from my home. I have to mention that other Artists such as Maphophotha, Nopeni NePakama, Koernag NamaDlanga, Two Gunmen & Ndebele Queens are very old but their songs live forever.

The incredible Nopeni NePakama came with hits such as “Sibari Sami” and “Storomela”.

Sibari Sami

"Zibambe Mngani,

Zibambe Zibambe,

Zibambe sikhambe.

Awuyibambe Mnganami iBhey’si leyo ungathukwa,

Ungathuswa yilize.

Yizinto ezinqane lezo Mnganami,

Mathathanyana!

NgesiNdebele sithi,

Zintw’ ezinqani.

Kutlhaga okunqane lokho.

Qinisa Nopeni, Phiri-phiri mrubhudlh’ akoNugu.

Drayere ivuthele iFley’dakho leyo, ivuthele Mfan’ asekhaya.

Nayirhona ukudabuka idabuke.

Bafana nibambe Innodo nathi siphele sibethe iPempe iFengwana,

Sigcwalise isiNdebele soke phakathi naphakathi."

Storomela

“Jamani khenginitjele Bafana Bakithi.

Nginitjele ngento esize ngayo lapha Bafana Bakithi.

Maye mna! uNopeni ubambe is’nara besidabuke,

uqinise Mfan’eWaterval.

Mfan’ omnqani mfan’ akosoTshoro,

Khubethe iPempe leyo kheng’ ngide mfana…”