Innodo- Course of Events [III]

Innodo - Course of Events [III]

Nothembi Mkhwebane [Queen of Ndebele Music, Edited]

Innodo - Course of Events [III] - If you were to visit an urban area and ask for Traditional Music from people you befriend I am certain that they will laugh at you. The same thing will happen in the rural areas. This is because nowadays many young people do not subscribe to Traditional Music but to other genres which of course is not a bad thing but a matter of taste. It is only a few that listens to Traditional Music and those I have met share good stories about the messages delivered by different Artists. Today I am sharing songs from Amatjathangubo [cf. Amatshathangubo], Gamtjhiriri Band & Sophie Boys and Insimbi ZikaNyabela.

Insimbi ZikaNyabela – I have to say that I first listened to their Album in 2014 and among the incredible songs I found this one entitled “Zika-Mphezulu” to be very deep in my understanding. The song is more of praise poetry and the depth of the Ndebele language is widely used. Mphezulu is one of the Ndebele Traditional Leaders or “IKosi” in the KwaDlawulale Region. 

Zika-Mphezulu

“Zangen' Insimbi zikaNayebela,

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,

eNndaweni 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 noTjhatjhatjha,

bafun' uneba bayokuberega ngan' imali.

Insimbi zikaNyabela zaphum'eRholweni,

zagadang' esidakeni kesikaMatjhis' isigodi,

angusoliy' abantu noMaplankana kwaMthimunye,

sagadang’ 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,

Inkurwana zona ungazibala ngeS’khuwa 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 besana.

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.”

Other incredible Artists are the Gamtjhiriri Band & Sophie Boys and is one of my Father’s favorites. Every time I play the Album He shares with me the life back then in South Africa during the apartheid days. The songs in my CD do not have titles but I think Track III is named,“Zumayelele” and the Artist expresses his concerns about the Witch Doctors who cause war between him and his parents, especially his mother. He questions the legitimacy of their profession since they work with a kind of consumable fruit known as “UNontupe” which is similar to another called “Umvilo”.

 Zumayelele

“Wo Zumayelele,

Wongelele Wom’ Wo zumayelele,

Wo Zumayelele, Wo zumayelele.

Ye ziNnyanga bani abosomthwadlana?

Ye qobe yiphutha,

Zathi nguMma loyo mna!

Ye ziNnyanga bani zabonoNtupe mna?,

Ye zingicabanisa nabazali bami.

Ye qobe yiphutha,

Zithi nguMma loyo mna!”

I close the article with a song by Amatjathangubo [cf. Amatshathangubo] entitled “Igobondela” from their early Album. They are one of my favorites from KwaNdebele region led by uBaba uMnguni. They are also available on Facebook.

Igobondela

“Yel’ Amadoda anamala,

Maye sel’ afuze Abefazi,

Uwathola nge-Nndevukazi,

Ahlezi ebandla akhuluma amala.

Batjho intombi yefiga…, [Inaudible]

Wathath’ uMgobha wawufaka ekhaya,

Awumazi umfazi lo,

Awuzazi nezenzo zakhe,

Wamthatha ngale kombundu,

Yela ngumakade ebona lo,

Kade agudla amawa,

Kade akhwelela amaTh’raga

Kade bamedana nge…, [Inaudible]….”