Matye rupanga (Fear of the knife)
- Authors: Manyika Highlanders (group of singers at St. Augustine's Mission, Penhalonga) , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1951
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Shona (African people) , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Zimbabwe , Africa Zimbabwe Mutasa f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180718 , vital:43606 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR170-14
- Description: The 'diatonic progression' (the two similar phrases sung one after the other) is typical of a great number of Shona songs. Installation of a Chief, with rattle and clapping (-12.03-).
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1951
Madumbu nemanyere
- Authors: Teachers Training College, Penhalonga , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1949
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Shona (African people) , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Zimbabwe , Africa Zimbabwe Mangwende f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180592 , vital:43408 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR170-01
- Description: One of the many variations of the story of the "Lion on the path." The woman is held up by lions on the wrong path she has taken and is rescued by her relatives village where they enjoy beer and dancing. In the dance song he admonishes her not to argue about his instructions but always take the road that he tells her to take, or one day she will be eaten by lions. Story song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1949
Shangara pa chikaranga
- Authors: Stephen R. Gumbo , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Karanga (African people) , Folk songs, Shona , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Fort Victoria, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Shona, Karanga
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/154132 , vital:39612 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR080-03
- Description: The player has taken a Nyasa instrument instead of the local Njari. He explained he found the smaller instrument easier to play inspite of the fact that it had only half the number of notes. He claimed he had tuned it the same as the Njari but in point of fact his scale was one note short appearing to be hexatonic whereas his tribe is known to be heptatonic. The missing note is clearly situated between 212 and 260 vs and might have been approximately 234 to 238 vibrations per second. Humorous song with Mbira.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Mbiriwiri
- Authors: Chabarwa Musunda Moyo , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1948
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Nedgiwe f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181511 , vital:43741 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR175-09
- Description: This famous piece of music, here played brilliantly by Chabarwa Musunda Moyo was first recorded by me in 1933 when played by a musician called Chigogo. It is a progressive story of various experiences of a wandering player who meets different people along the path to each of whom he does a service and in turn they all give him a present with which he is able to benefit his next acquaintance. For many years I have attempted to locate the player in order to re-record his music on tape instead of on disc as this one, but so far in vain. No one knows where or how he is. Traditional airs on Njari dza maNjanjae
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1948
Hama dza warumi (The husband's relatives)
- Authors: Esteri Shumba and a group of Karanga men and women , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Karanga (African people) , Folk songs, Shona , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Takawarasha, Chibi District, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Shona, Karanga
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/154586 , vital:39751 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR082-11
- Description: A certain woman was very fond of her own relatives and preferred them to those of her husband. The story describes how when her in-laws visited her she said she was feeling ill with pains in her back, legs, stomach, head, everywhere. But when her own people came to see her she prepared sadza porridge and all sorts of good things. She behaved like this because she was jealous of her husband's other wives and in this way paid him out. Story with song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Magonde
- Authors: Chabarwa Musunda Moyo , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1948
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Nedgiwe f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181529 , vital:43743 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR175-11
- Description: An old traditional tune of the Njanja. Inspite of the poor quality of this disc recording, the item is included in this selection as it is a folk classic with at least 400 years of tradition behind it. Traditional airs on Njari dza maNjanjae
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1948
Rungano rgwe rombe (The story of the minstrel)
- Authors: Robin Magiriri , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Karanga (African people) , Folk songs, Shona , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Takawarasha, Chibi District, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Shona, Karanga
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/154658 , vital:39760 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR082-19
- Description: The story teller is a nephew of the chief Takawarasha. One day when a hungry minstrel waswalking through the country he found a woman spreading her mealie meal in the sun and asked her for some of it. She said "I cannot do so or I will be beaten tonight", "Who will beat you?" he asked. She said "My mother", So he sang what had happened so that she would be persuaded to change her mind and give him some.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Shumba (The liar)
- Authors: James Gwezhe Soko , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1951
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Shona (African people) , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Zimbabwe , Africa Zimbabwe Goromonze f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180619 , vital:43593 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR170-04
- Description: Said to be an old hunting song, sung by the people left at home when the men were out hunting. The muscians remained behind playing this music quietly to bring luck to the hunters. The singer is singing to himself in self-delectative style without an audience. Hunting song with "Mbira Huru".
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1951
Zimbige 1
- Authors: Tawagaza Sibanda , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Karanga (African people) , Folk songs, Shona , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Chibi District, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Shona, Karanga
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/154494 , vital:39739 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR082-01
- Description: The player was playing with the thumb of the left hand, the thumb and first finger of the right hand. The Njari is the traditional instrument of the district having originated from the Buhera district further north over two centuries ago, when it began to displace an older variety called the Mbira-dza-Midgimu. Self delecatative song with Njari (Mbira).
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Ziriya yapasharo
- Authors: Manyoni Zhou and Simoni Mashoko Shawa , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1949
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Chilimanzi f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181444 , vital:43734 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR175-04
- Description: It is usual for semi-professional entertainers of this kind to keep up running patter of amusing remarks and scandal to the traditional airs played on the Njari in the background. Like many other players of this instrument Manyoni Zhou calls himself "The player of Mbira". The two musicians come from neighbouring districts, Zhou from Chilimanzi and Mashoko from Buhera, the district in which the Njari originated about 1760 A.D. Topical song with two Njari Mbira, one with 33 notes and one with 31 notes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1949
Twaliwananga na Joni Meka (We met with Joni Meka)
- Authors: Group of 7 Luvale women and 12 men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Luvale (African people) , Folk music , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Africa Zimbabwe Chavuma f-rh
- Language: Luvale/Chokwe
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137265 , vital:37504 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR036-12
- Description: "Joni Meka promised to marry Mary-and married her." The bottle rhythm so common in south central Africa opens this song set off against a cross rhythm on the piece of metal. The organum singing of the chorus, in antiphony with the leader is unmistakeably Luvale in structure and tone. It is not a kind of music which tribes other than Luvale either appreciate or imitates. Gachacha dance song with struck bottle, 2 pieces of metal and 1 small bell. (bicycle).
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Waramba ukuma (He refused the relationship)
- Authors: Murira, Madzikuminga, Muzengedza and Madera , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Sena (African people) , Tonga (Zambezi people) , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Mkota, Mtoko, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Tonga/Sena
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179072 , vital:39867 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR085-09
- Description: "You refused friendship, Machinda. You refused friendship, it is worn out." Machinda was the title given to the sons of the Monomotapa and may well have come down from those days in the sixteenth century when the Monomotapa held sway over this part of what is now Southern Rhodesia. Party song with three Matebe dza Mondoro (Mbira and Murumbi drum).
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Ndiripo
- Authors: Muchaenda Sigauke and Ndau men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1951
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Melsetter f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181717 , vital:43761 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR176-04
- Description: If i am there you speak nicely, if I am away you slander me." Drinking song, with clapping and stamping.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1951
Samukonga lunga lyambala lya Meli (Samukonga is the husband of Mary)
- Authors: Group of 7 Luvale women and 12 men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Luvale (African people) , Folk music , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Africa Zimbabwe Chavuma f-rh
- Language: Luvale/Chokwe
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137239 , vital:37503 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR036-11
- Description: This song with long opening recitative by the leader and the repeated use of the word "Mama", make it an unmistakable example of Luvale singing. The percussive accompaniment is interesting for its complexity and the fact that it seems to bear small direct relationship to the melody produced by the voices but appears to act as a rhythmic and complex background for the singers. Gachacha dance song with struck bottle, 2 pieces of metal and 1 small bell. (bicycle).
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Rungano rgwe mwana we imbgwa (The story of the child of the dog)
- Authors: Rufashas and friend , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Karanga (African people) , Folk songs, Shona , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Takawarasha, Chibi District, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Shona, Karanga
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/154567 , vital:39748 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR082-09
- Description: Once upon a time there was a Chief who had a dog that was about to have some puppies. But instead of puppies it bore a child, a girl. He was very disobedient and insisted upon finding and eating bones. Now when she was fully grown, she was about to marry a chief's son. On the day she was going to marry there was a big party. People were warned not to throw the bones on the floor because people might walk on them. But in fact the chief was afraid his daughter would pick them up and revert into being a dog. But the people did not pay attention. Then the girl began to pick up the bones and they all called out "child of a dog, child of a dog". So you see, there is nothing you can hide in the long run. Story.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Musengu
- Authors: Murira, Madzikununga, Muzengedza and Madero , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Sena (African people) , Tonga (Zambezi people) , Folk music , Africa Zimbabwe Mtoko, Southern Rhodesia f-rh
- Language: Tonga/Sena
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/155127 , vital:39857 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR085-01
- Description: The leader starts the tune the second part coming in at 15 seconds, and the third at 27 seconds. Yodelling of this nature is typical of many South Rhodesian folk tunes. The drum comes in at 1m. 27s. and the drummer hits the body of the drum as well as the membrane. Mondoro song for ancestral rites with 3 Matebe dza Mondoro (Mbira) and a drum.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Madanga ende kujero
- Authors: Shengwe Mashowa , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Maceques f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181750 , vital:43764 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR176-07
- Description: The player was about 300 miles from his home district working on the construction of the Kariba dam on the Zambezi river. "Scoop up water for your mother for she is very thirsty. It is your mother who asks." The Ndau Mbira has three manuals but this example has only two, tuned from right to left in descending order. Self delectative song with Mbira dza WaNdau, tin resonator and 26 notes
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Ndoerera
- Authors: Simon Sitole , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1948
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Mt. Selinda f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181769 , vital:43766 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR176-09
- Description: Simon Sitole from Mt. Selinda was working in a native carpenter's shop in Sophiatown, Johannesburg. "Ndoerera, the girl who disappointed me, saying, wash before I accept you. Johannesburg the place that worries me. Joni, Joni, the place I have come to. I was nearly dead when I left it. My father died while I was still young." Topical song with Mbira dza WaNdau
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1948
Chakacha pamutengeni we mbira
- Authors: Jeke Shoko with Duma men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1949
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Shona (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Zimbabwe Bikita f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181423 , vital:43732 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR175-02
- Description: "Walk, walk under the rock rabbit's fruit tree." Three story for a story
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1949
Ndera wandera
- Authors: Duma women and men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1949
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Shona (African people) , Folk music--Zimbabwe , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Zimbabwe , Africa Zimbabwe Salisbury f-rh
- Language: Shona
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180583 , vital:43405 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR173-17
- Description: The response by the audience is "Sarangano, sarangano. A certain woman who was very found of meat went to fetch water at the stream and saw a crocodile which put its head out of the water and sneezed. "Ah" she said "Bless you! What do you want?" The crocodile said he would like some beer. So they made an arrangement between them ... six fish for siz pots of beer. Story song
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1949