Kgaka e tswher we ke mutloane Mamonope! (The guinea fowl has been caught by a small dog, Mamonope!)
- Authors: About 20 men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Tswana , Tswana (African people) , Kwena (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Botswana Molepolole f-bs
- Language: Tswana/Kwena
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/162844 , vital:40989 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0109-12
- Description: Reference to the guinea fowl is common in Tswana songs often in connection with male initiation songs. Party dance song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Baroka rifeng-rifeng (Rainmaker-give us, give us)
- Authors: About 40 women , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Tswana , Tswana (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa South Africa Ramoutsa f-sa
- Language: Tswana/Lete
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165489 , vital:41249 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0112-10
- Description: "Rainmaker, give us, give us. We come from the river of water." This rain song is sung from October to December and in times of drought, but also sung on festive or ceremonial occassions. Sung by both men and women. This song has a particularly long melolic line. Rain song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Morulantshoana (Something that makes your heart happy)
- Authors: Abraham Mudukanele and 18 Hurutshe men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Tswana , Tswana (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa South Africa Gopane f-sa
- Language: Tswana/Hurutshe
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165778 , vital:41280 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0115-01
- Description: The allusion in the title is to the approaching rite of circumcision and is the first song sung on going up to the hills. Three boys initiation song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Yelakomo kigoala file (Give me a cow because I have cured you)
- Authors: Abraham Mudukanele and 18 Hurutshe men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Tswana , Tswana (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa South Africa Gopane f-sa
- Language: Tswana/Hurutshe
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165714 , vital:41274 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0114-10
- Description: Initiation song sung on returning from the hills
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Motee (Name)
- Authors: Abraham Mudukanele and 18 Hurutshe men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Tswana , Tswana (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa South Africa Gopane f-sa
- Language: Tswana/Hurutshe
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165705 , vital:41273 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0114-09
- Description: Male initiation song sung on going up into the hills for the period of seclusion during the initiation school.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Pula (Rain)
- Authors: Abraham Sidumedi and group of 6 men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Tswana , Tswana (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa South Africa Gopane f-sa
- Language: Tswana/Hurutshe
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165647 , vital:41267 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0114-03
- Description: Sidumedi, the leader, sang with great intensity of felling, living the words and accompanying them with gesture and poise. Another variation of this song was also recorded at Wilkeigat. Song for rain.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959
Losunga Bakali
- Authors: Abugu Kisukwe and Bamba men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1950
- Subjects: Music--Uganda , Nyoro (African people) , Nyankole (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Uganda Bundibugyo f-ug
- Language: Nyoro , Nyankole
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/170405 , vital:41918 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0136-05
- Description: "A man who continually changes his women is not good. There are men who feel they must marry every pretty girl they find." The name Likembe persists for the Mbira instrument all the way across Africa from Angola in the west to the Ruwenzori. Topical song with 3 Likembe x11 notes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1950
Mauwa (Flowers)
- Authors: Abugu Kisukwe and Bamba men , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1950
- Subjects: Music--Uganda , Nyoro (African people) , Nyankole (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Uganda Bundibugyo f-ug
- Language: Nyoro , Nyankole
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/170400 , vital:41917 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0136-04
- Description: "There was a girl I loved dearly. But someone else went and married her." The three Likembe Mbira called Ntoyo and Namurito were of three sizes. The resonating boxes being of remarkable length, 15 inches long by 5 inches broad. The singers were all convicts from the local gaol let out for the occasion. Topical song with 3 Likembe x11 notes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1950
Bantamba fituka (The magician)
- Authors: Adamsoni Kabamba , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk songs, Ambo (Zambia) , Instrumental music , Mbira music , Africa Zambia Serenje f-za
- Language: Lala
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/134666 , vital:37188 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0021-05
- Description: A certain wizard, so the story goes, once caught a secretary bird and brought it into his house alive in order to use it for magical purposes and for killing other people. Now, this man soon died and left this secretary birf behind. So he sings this song to mock who use magic because they will surely die, just the same. :There are foolish men who leave their families unprovided for while they go off with prostitutes." "There is sadness which envelopes a child when its parents die, and a sadness also which envelopes a parent when its child dies." Self-delectative song with Kankowele fan-shaped mbira, mbira with external resonator.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Ba Mari' tukasambe (Mary let us go to wash ourselves)
- Authors: Adamsoni Kabamba , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk songs, Ambo (Zambia) , Instrumental music , Mbira music , Africa Zambia Serenje f-za
- Language: Lala
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/134675 , vital:37190 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0021-06
- Description: "Mary let us go to wash ourselves at the river. On earth we live but to die. Mary join in the singing because we both know we live but to die. There are some beautiful peple on earth; so Mary sing with me this song." Self-delectative song with Kankowele mbira, fan-shaped, with external resonator.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Ukutema nakubalile kubwaice (I began felling trees in my youth)
- Authors: Adamsoni Kabamba , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk songs, Ambo (Zambia) , Instrumental music , Mbira music , Africa Zambia Serenje f-za
- Language: Lala
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/134700 , vital:37192 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0021-07
- Description: The Lala often take the work of tree-felling for others, as they are specially good at it. "I began felling trees in my youth, and did not have a son-in-law to help me (i.e. he had no daughter to be married). So I took my axe and did the work alone. People belonging to the "Sand" clan (totem) are clever, because they choose a specially large tree and worship there, considering it to be a great work of God." "There are women who despise those men who stay at home in the country, so let me go to the town to marry a wiser man." The tribe being matrilineal inherits through the female side. A son-in-law has to assist his wife's family-hence the reference to "no son-in-law to help him." Self-delectative song with Kankowele mbira, fan-shaped, with external resonator
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Ba Serenje balokulila bawishibo (Serenje is weeping over his father)
- Authors: Adamsoni Kabamba , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Folk songs, Ambo (Zambia) , Instrumental music , Mbira music , Africa Zambia Serenje f-za
- Language: Lala
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/134640 , vital:37186 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0021-04
- Description: "When Serenje's father died, he mourned for a long time. "Toranchi" has taught me how to shoot on the rifle range, so, now I have learnt to shoot, I may be going to the war, and do not know if I will ever come back." This is a piece of fantasy, for in fact, Mr. Torrence has not taught him to shoot, but it is an oblique form of flattery and praise. He is fond of Mr. Torrence who is assistant African personnel manager, and that is why he sings about him in this way. The fact that Mr. Torrence was an officer in the King's African Rifles during the war may have contributed to the singer's hero worship of him. Self-delectative song with Kankowele fan-shaped mbira with external resonator.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Muyaga (Parts 1-4)
- Authors: Addalla Feza Ibraim , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1950
- Subjects: Music--Uganda , Haya (African people) , Nyoro (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Tanzania / Uganda Bukoba f-tz / f-ug
- Language: Nyoro , Haya
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172491 , vital:42209 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR146-02
- Description: The lake in this legend is Nyanja, Lake Victoria, the great central African lake. The Haya people live on the south western shore of the lake in the Bukoba district of Tanganyika and are well known as fishermen plying their calling in sewn plank canoes. "There was once a Chief's young wife, Mirembe who did not love the man to whom she had married by her father and she fell in love with the handsome son of another chief, whose name was Kitungi. She called to Kitungi to come to her like the wind over the lake. A recitative Legend, with Nanga trough zither, 7 notes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1950
Meri, Meri (Mary Mary)
- Authors: Adija Nyamkhomo and Chewa women and children , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Nyanja , Songs, Chewa , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Kota Kota, Lake Nyasa, Nyasaland f-mw
- Language: Nyanja, Chewa, Chichewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153699 , vital:39501 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR077-18
- Description: The statement is usually sung by 2 women together with the others joining in the chorus. The words of the song are mixed being sung both in Chewa and Tonga (Ny.). Topical song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Charo Charo (The country, country)
- Authors: Adija Nyamkhomo and Chewa women and children , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Nyanja , Songs, Chewa , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Kota Kota, Lake Nyasa, Nyasaland f-mw
- Language: Nyanja, Chewa, Chichewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153694 , vital:39500 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR077-17
- Description: "Come and see how Mr. Gower is mending the roads in the country." Mr. Gower is a member of the Agricultural Department and has been responsible for making in the Kota Kota district near the lake. Topical song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Yai lero (Not today)
- Authors: Adija Nyankhomo and G. Coffee , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Nyanja , Songs, Chewa , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Kotakota District, Lake Nyasa, Nyasaland f-mw
- Language: Nyanja, Chewa, Chichewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153913 , vital:39537 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR078-12
- Description: There was once a husband and wife and the and the man went out to drink beer and come back late at night. He left his young child at home, sleeping in bed. Now a wife with a very young child must not ne touched. But when he came back he started to touch her until the child woke up. So in the morning the wife went and told her friends about the shocking behaviour of her husband. Then they all came over to her home, stood outside and sang this song, mocking the husband for forgetting his good manners. "Natikhorowa n'ndiwo Yai yai yai, lelo, Yai lero ai mwanileka ndikale, Mwana akadagona, tsopano wanka ndipu m kuti taleka, Yai lero Yai lero ai." "Sweet potatoe leaves! Forbidden fruit at some of the time. You left me a long time a ago when the Child was still asleep and now he is awake and you say, "let me" No, no, no, not today." Story song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Mkhwangwa yatena (The axe has cut him)
- Authors: Adija Nyankhomo and G. Coffee , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Nyanja , Songs, Chewa , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Kotakota District, Lake Nyasa, Nyasaland f-mw
- Language: Nyanja, Chewa, Chichewa
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153933 , vital:39538 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR078-13
- Description: A husband and wife went to hoe in their garden and the man had his axe with him. When they were there he started to play a game with her, forgetting he had his axe over his shoulder which fell off and cut him. So the woman when she got home quickly began to say that her husband had been cut by his axe in order to avoid people thinking that they had been playing in the garden. So she sang this song:- A! e! a! e!e! Nkhwangwa yatera Nkhwangwangwa letena mwendo." "A-eee. The axe has cut my husband, my husband, the axe has cut him in the leg." Story song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Goaras gera a Labi gisa
- Authors: Adile Ayasis , Tracey, Hugh
- Date: 1965
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Ovambo (African people) , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Namibia Okombahe f-sx
- Language: Herero
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/195849 , vital:45611 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR218-01
- Description: Lullaby
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1965
Ulushimi lwa mukashana ne nsupa ya mfumu (The story of the girl and the chief's calabash)
- Authors: Agnes Bwenpe and group of small girls , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1957
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Music--Zambia , Field recordings , Folk songs, Bemba , Bemba (African people) , Africa Zambia Bancroft Mine f-za
- Language: Bemba
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/151806 , vital:39173 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR065-16
- Description: There was once a Chief who had a favourite wife to whom he gave a calabash. Now this Chief disappeared. One day she with the calabash, she found herself sailing down the river in it, and as she sang: "Ulushimi lwa mukashana ne nsupa ya mfunu." She sailed amongst the fish, some of which wanted to eat her. But she sang to them and they let her go. Afterwards she fell amongst crocodiles. But they too let her go when she sang to them and eventually she found herself in a village and gave it to the chief and put her in a hut where she was badly bitten by insects. However she did not kill any of them, as she was a kind and gentle woman. Then the chief sent word that she must come and undergo a test. Which was to pick out her own calabash from amongst many others. As she went one of the insects said to her: "Choose that calabash you see a fly settle on." So, when she swa all the calabashes spread out before her, she waited for a fly to settle on one. It settled on the smallest and she picked it up and said: "This is mine." Whereon the chief came out of his hut and to her amazement it was her own husband who said: "Now I know this is my own wife, because she recogonizes the calabash I once gave her." Isimi story with song.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1957
Ei, ei, ei, ngoana oa l-la (Ei, ei, ei, the child cries)
- Authors: Agnes Lekhoti and Nuku Lesoetsa , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1959
- Subjects: Folk songs, Sotho , Sotho (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Lesotho Berea f-lo
- Language: Sotho
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160957 , vital:40573 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR0101-01
- Description: "Ei, Ei, Ei, the child cries and stops. I went to Mpharane and found my friends child ill. I went out and prayed, then I took a pick and went up the mountain." "The Monakaladi plant of Thabana Morena. If you eat it, you will have cracked feet." Lullaby.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1959