Chumba (Barren)
- Authors: Denis Yolambo , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Nyanja , Songs, Chewa , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dowa, Nyasaland f-mw
- Language: Nyanja, Chewa, Chichewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153806 , vital:39524 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR078-05
- Description: "You have taken a barren woman and I am very tired of her barren, barren, but today I am tired of her. My friend will have children. Mother, mother, but today mother I want a child but today, I Davis, I am protesting, I came to this land (of his in-laws) with the money of my brother, brother, brother but today! You have just come for trouble, brother, but today I make it clear to you. Topical song with guitar.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Kalulu nkulu wa bwalo (The Rabbit is Chief of the Court)
- Authors: J. W. Gwengwe and boys , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
- Language: Nyanja/Chewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160188 , vital:40417 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-03
- Description: The dance is performed only at night by young men, the pricipal dancers themselves dancing naked, some with special masks called Nyau in the shape of an antelope, an elephant, and a lion, while some walk on stilts. The larger masks are usually carried by two men. Some observers have said that the dance is connected with fertility rites. Only males are permitted to participate and women can only observe from a distance. The dance, they say is usually performed on bright moonlight nights. The gist of the song appears to refer to a familiar story which is told and sung in the district. "Rabbit is the chief of the court (of animals) Hopping, hopping. The rabbit was elected to be the chief." Dance song for Nyau dance with rhythmic clapping and struck iron (-12.16-).
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Kolota ali kudwala (Kolota was sick)
- Authors: George Zongoloti and small girls , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Arts, Malawi , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Mpatsa, Port Herald f-rh
- Language: Nyanja/Mang'anja
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/155694 , vital:39906 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR087-03
- Description: The voice of the singer is strongly affected by the vibrations of the drum and its mirliton. He sings partly in Sena, partly Mang'anja. The singer, George Zongoloti is singing about his troubles. If he wants to go to Southern Rhodesia he has to come Chief Tingami for a pass. If he wants to fish, another pass. Even to make a canoe, he needs a pass. Now he is going back to Portuguese territory over the border because there you can do what you like without a single pass, just what you like! Topical song with Nthikwi drum.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Melo (Name of a man)
- Authors: Young girls and 4 drummers , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Arts, Malawi , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Chipwembwe, Fort Herald f-rh
- Language: Nyanja/Mang'anja
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/155811 , vital:39919 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR088-01
- Description: The drums are carved out of Mutondo wood (one of Sokosa wood) cut locally on the plain. The maker Bauleni made No. 5 as long ago as 1930. The others are more recent. The membranes are of ox hide. The dance is well performed by the young girls who stand in a row or semicircle near the drums and each comes out in turn to do a solo dance, a clever rhythmic routine ending with a sharp pelvic jerk. As one girl finishes another immediately takes her place. The drums are all played with curved wooden beaters except the 2 bass drums numbers 8 and 9 which are played with hands. Some of the girls held clappers and one a tin rattle. Likhuba dance with 9 drums.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Mkwaze (Can I give cattle)
- Authors: Gezani Mwale , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Nyanja , Songs, Chewa , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Kongwa Mission, Dowa, Central Nyasaland f-mw
- Language: Nyanja, Chewa, Chichewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153770 , vital:39520 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR078-01
- Description: "Can I give cattle to my wife as when I am dead I shall go together with her to the grave." It seems clear that the mode in which the players is singing is more complex that the pentatonic scale of the instrument. Topical song with Mbira.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Nga, nga, nga, nda reka (Lift and drop)
- Authors: Bauleni Zhuau , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Arts, Malawi , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Chipwembwe, Fort Herald f-rh
- Language: Nyanja/Mang'anja
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/155829 , vital:39921 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR088-03
- Description: The drum leader was not satisfied with the pitch of the drums and stopped playing to adjust the amount of wax on two of the drums and then started again while the girls continued to sing. The wax is made of caster oil beans pounded up, it sticks onto the drum heads in spite of the continual beating of sticks and hands. The addition of wax or paste lowers the note of the drum and the removal of quite a small amount of wax raises the note. Thus the drums can be tunned with reasonable accuracy. The players brought more paste on the drum heads than they needed, no doubt because a certain amount is lost in playing and then tuned by removing a certain amount on each head with a curved piece of tin shaped like a spoon. Note the stress upon the final syllable of Reka NdaReka. Likhuba dance with 9 tuned drums.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958