#zenzile

[shapethings]

[soulmusicsongs]

Zenzile - Jon Lucien (Rashida, 1973)

[linguisticcolonialism]

Qongqothwane is a traditional song of the Xhosa people, which is often sung at weddings. In the Xhosa language (as well as other languages of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, etc), there are sounds that don't exist in European languages, that linguists have named "click sounds". They are difficult to describe, but if you listen to the video, you'll understand what it's about. Miriam Makeba, South African singer and great figure of the fight against racism and against apartheid, who was nicknamed "Mama Africa", says in this video: “I often get angry, because this is not a noise, it’s my language. For example, people call me Miriam Makeba. But that is not really my name. My name is Zenzile kaMakeba kaQhwashu nguVama Yikhetile Ngxowa Bantwana Balomzi Xa Ufun’Uk’bajabulisa Ubathengele Ibotela Yotshwala. The colonizers of our land, in South Africa, call this song “Click Song” because they are not able to pronounce “Qongqothwane”.” (another transcription i found of her full name was Zenzile ka Makeba ka Qgwashu Nguvama Yiketheli Nxgowa Bantana Balomzi Xa Ufun Ubajabulisa Ubaphekcli Mbiza Yotshwala, i don’t know which one of the two is more correct)

[33frames]

Artist : Zenzile

Track : Bird

Album : Elements

[megwesnsick]

Throwback to when I was either 11 or 12 and my dad bought a CD with some of Miriam Makeba’s greatest hits and we had this old Packard Bell desktop and a small CD player in the living room, and we were living in an apartment building in Ngousso, Yaounde. ‘Table Mountain’ is the song that immediately grabbed my attention, on top of the more famous songs that most people with South African classic songs knowledge would know. It is recorded with The Skylarks, a vocal triplet, with whom she’d recorded a fair share of beautiful songs. 

Miriam Makeba is one of the African songstresses that I look up to the most, for her talent, her ability to live through the trials and tribulations that her country, her life, and her story brought about in her journey. The epitome of a strong woman with a golden voice, and I know she’s resting in perfect peace. Respect is an understatement.

Have a blessed Wednesday.

[anthologiealeatoire]

[nobellnostorm]

Zenzile - Bird (Official Video)

[visnelik]

kara cuma!