The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #99389   Message #1981268
Posted By: Azizi
27-Feb-07 - 06:58 PM
Thread Name: African Folk Songs
Subject: RE: African Folk Songs
Stu,

I found this website on the South African musical Gumboots:

http://gumboot.dancers.users.btopenworld.com/page0023.html


Unfortunately, there are no sound clips on the website or videos on the website. I was fortunate enough to see the show when it came to Pittsburgh about four years ago. It was the absolute best musical I have ever seen.

That website has this version of Asikhathali:

Thila thila thila la le (Thile thile li le la)
Thila thila thila la le (Thile thile li le la)
Thila thila thila la le (Thile thile li le la)
Thila thila thila la le (Thile thile li le la)

Sebenzani (hijo, madoda siyasebenza)
Sebenzani (hijo, madoda siyasebenza)
Sebenzani (we are working)
Sebenzani (we are working)

Ngiyabazwela abantu bathi
Hayi bo! Hiya! Hiya!
Ngiyabazwela lokhu bathi
We are sweating
repeat

Asikhathali thina (we are working for our children) (4x)

Sizojombha (sizojombha)
Jombha! (8x)

Translation:

Work (men, we are working)
Work (men, we are working)
work (we are working)
work (we are working)

I can hear people saying...
I can still hear them saying

We are sweating

We don't get tired (we are working for our children) x 4

We will jump (we will jump)
Jump!

-snip-

Stu, I'm wondering if this a different version of the song you postws as "ASIKATALI"? The words and the translation are quite different but they both refer to working...

???

**

Here's a list of other songs with translations from that musical:

Nelson Mandela

The Man who Stole the Sun

Jo'burg

Shosholoza

Egoli, City of Gold

Sibiziwe

Amazinyo Amhlophe

Singing through the Mountains

Mabele

Bump Jive

Omm Ohh Ho La La

Ukuvalwa Kwe Mine

Wait! Waitee!

Ma-Gumede