Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa

Subject: Lyr Add: N'Kosi Sikele Africa
From: Genie
Date: 05 Dec 08 - 12:33 AM

Here is a link to Miriam ("Mama Africa") Makeba and others, including Hugh Masakela and Paul Simon, singing the South African national album God Bless Africa (Nkosi Sikeleli Africa)- Children of Africa"

I couldn't find this in the DT or in other threads. Sorry if I missed one and this is a duplicate.

It's a beautiful anthem, and I love hearing Miriam sing it, along with others.

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'Kosi Sikele Africa
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Dec 08 - 03:01 PM

The South African Anthem, since 1997, is a hybrid of two songs:
"Nkosi Sikelel' l'Afrika," new English lyrics, and "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (The Call of South Africa).
Five languages are employed in the lyrics, Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'Kosi Sikele Africa
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Dec 08 - 01:30 PM

I copied these lyrics from the Wikipedia article National anthem of South Africa, which uses the spelling Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika:

1. (Xhosa) Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
(Zulu) Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.

2. (Southern Sotho) Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, Setjhaba sa.

3. (English) South Africa, South Africa!

4. (Afrikaans) Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,

5. (English) Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.

TRANSLATION:

1. God bless Africa
May her glory be lifted high
Hear our petitions
God bless us, Your children

2. God we ask You to protect our nation
Intervene and end all conflicts
Protect us, protect our nation, our nation

4. From the blue of our heaven,
From the depths of our sea,
Over our eternal mountain ranges,
Where the cliffs give answer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'Kosi Sikele Africa
From: Genie
Date: 07 Dec 08 - 09:04 PM

Thanks for posting the lyrics, Jim.

As for the omission of the final "e" and the substitution of the apostrophe, I've noticed that the Seattle Labor Choir, when they sing "Siyahamba," pronounce several "i"-ending words without voicing the final consonant (e.g., they pronounce "kukanyeni" as "kukanyen'"). Italians frequently do that, as do speakers of Spanish, and, apparently, some Romanians, so it would not surprise me if some South Africans say (sing) "Sikelel'" instead of "Sikelele."   But when I've heard Miriam Makeba and others sing it, I've heard that final vowel pronounced.

BTW, if Joe or a clone is reading this, please correct my spelling in the thread title. I left out a whole "le."    It should read "N'kosi Sikelele Africa."

Genie

---

Done. -Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Dec 08 - 09:52 PM

My hymnal's lyrics for "Siyahamba" have it kukanyen' - I've never noticed the final "e" pronounced.

I have the same problem with Spanish lyrics - if there ain't a note for it, I can't pronounce it. Those Spanish slurs are killers for me.
I can't quite get those interesting African harmonies, either.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: GUEST,Sao9
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 02:11 PM

Please the french lyrics

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Azizi
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 03:17 PM

I asked a French member of this group to help you.

I hope you will have these lyrics in French soon.

-Azizi

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Monique
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 04:06 PM

Ok, I got Azizi's message. There's a French translation on Wiki:

*****
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (Dieu sauve l'Afrique)
Xhosa
Que Dieu bénisse l'Afrique,
Puisse sa corne s'élever vers les cieux,

Zoulou
Que Dieu entende nos prières
Et nous bénisse, nous ses enfants d'Afrique.

Sotho
Que Dieu bénisse notre nation,
Et qu'il supprime toute guerre et toute souffrance,
Préservez, préservez notre nation,
Préservez notre nation sud-africaine, l'Afrique du Sud.

Die Stem (L'Appel de l'Afrique du Sud)
Afrikaans
Résonnant depuis nos cieux d'azur,
Et nos mers profondes,
Au-delà de nos monts éternels
Où rebondit l'écho.

Anglais
Retentit l'appel à l'unité,
Et c'est unis que nous serons,
Vivons et luttons pour que la liberté triomphe
En Afrique du Sud, notre nation.
******

As I said to Azizi, what I find weird is that the English translation says "May her glory be lifted high" while the Fr. translation says "May her horn be lifted to the heavens" there must be a misunderstanding somewhere!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Azizi
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 04:43 PM

Thanks, Monique.

Wow! That was fast.

I hope GUEST,Sao9 10 Sep 09 - 02:11 PM comes back to read this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: bradfordian
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 05:27 PM

Always strikes me that translation is a rather black art and very open to interpretation. That aside, here's a version my Choir sing:-

NKOSI SIKELEL'
Ma kube njalo!
Ma kube njalo!
Kude kube ngunaphakade,
Kude kube ngunaphakade!

Ma kube njalo!
Ma kube njalo!
Kude kube ngunaphakade,
Kude kube ngunaphakade!

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo
Yizwa imathandazo yethu
Nkosi Sikelela
Nkosi Sikelela

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo
Yizwa imathandazo yethu
Nkosi Sikelela
Nkosi Sikelela

Woza Moya,
Woza, woza, woza
Woza Moya,
Woza, woza, woza
Wozaa Moya, oh yi nkwele
Nkosi sikelele
Thina lusapho lwayo.

Woza Moya,
Woza, woza, woza
Woza Moya,
Woza, woza, woza
Wozaa Moya, oh yi nkwele
Nkosi sikelele
Thina lusapho lwayo.

Morena boloka sechaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
Morena boloka sechaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho.
O se boloke morena
O se boloke,
O se boloke morena
O se boloke,
Sechaba sa heso
Sechaba sa Africa!

This version is quite popular with some UK socialist and community choirs -- tho I think some of them are a little apprehensive once they are exposed to the english translation references to God!

Brad

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Azizi
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 05:35 PM

Greetings, bradfordian.

It strikes me that using the phrase "Black art" can be interpreted more than one way when speaking about the African song "N'kosi Sikelele Africa" or any other African/African Diaspora song.

LOL!

PS: I know what you mean. I'm just joshing.

Best wishes,

Azizi,
who "happens to be" African American

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: bradfordian
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 05:42 PM

Well, I have to smile; how long before I can't even call the color of the ink in my printer bl%*k!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Azizi
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 07:48 PM

Hmm.

bradfordian, I was trying to be witty in a "let's play with words just for fun" way.

I'm sorry if my sense of humor isn't the in the same ballpark as yours.

Best wishes.

Azizi

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: bradfordian
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 12:50 PM

My choir on youtube singing N'kosi Sikeleli

brad

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: N'kosi Sikelele Africa
From: Genie
Date: 02 Nov 11 - 03:23 AM

Crowhugger sent me this updated link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFW7845XO3g&feature=related