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
Meri wandinyenga
- Authors: Beti Kamanga , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1950
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk songs, Tonga (Nyasa) , Songs, Chewa , Chewa (African people) , Songs, Tumbuka , Tumbuka (African people) , Musical instruments , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Malawi Chinteche f-mw
- Language: Tumbuka , Chewa, Chichewa, Nyanja , Tonga (Nyasa)
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/184821 , vital:44275 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR187-02
- Description: "We long for our homes. We should call ours homes 'Towns'. Mary has deceived me." The attraction of the towns is decimating the male population of Tongaland. The singer makes a plea for the claim of their village homes in the face of foreign attractions. He is blind and he hoped Mary would have married him, but she could not bring herself to do so. Nostaligic song
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1950
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