African Languages Guide

SONG/LYRICS

PRONUNCIATION

LITERAL TRANSLATION

CIRCLE OF LIFE WITH NANTS INGONYAMA (Xhosa)

Nants ingonyama, NANTS een-GON-yahnants = here comes;
bakithi, baba.
mah, bah-KEE-tee,
ingonyama = lion;
bah-BAH.
bakithi = my people;
baba = father
Sithi hu
SEE-tee WHOO GONsithi = we hail; hu = this;
ngonyama.
yah-mah.
ingonyama = lion.
Ngonyama
GON-yah-mah
ingonyama = lion;
nengwe bo!
NEN-gway boh.
ne = and; ngwe = leopard;
bo = (adds emphasis, awe)
Nants ingonyama, NANTS een-GON-yahnants = here comes;
bakithi babo.
mah, bah-KEE-tee
ingonyama = lion; bakithi =
bah-BOH.
my people; babo = dear
Sizo nqo!
SEE-zoh N<click> Oh
sizo = we will have
nqoba = victory
Ingonyama
een-gon-YAH-mah
ingonyama = lion;
nengwe
NEN-gweh
ne = and; ngwe = leopard;
namabala.
nah-mah-BAH-lah.
en = with; a = the; mabala =
spots
Ingonyama
een-gon-YAH-mah
ingonyama = lion; ne = and;
nengwe wema!
NEN-gweh WEH-mah!
ngwe = leopard; wema = oh
my
Balek ingonyami
BAH-lek
baleka = run;
ya gale!
een-gon-YAH-mee
ingonyama = lion; i = and;
YAH gah-LEH!
ya = will; galela = attack
GRASSLANDS CHANT (Zulu)
Zm zm zmm
Mama ye

mah-mah YEH

Woza, mfana.
Oh, woza!
Busa le lizwe bo!

WO-zah, mFAN-ah. Oh,

WO-zah.
BOO-sah leh LEEZ-weh
boh!

Busa lomhlaba!

BOO-sah LOM-hhlabah!
BOO-san GO TAN-doh
boh!

Busa ngo thando

bo!
He um hem,
ya oh ha.

mama = Mother Earth; ye =

wow
woza = come;
umfana = son
busa = rule; le = this;
lizwe = land;
bo = (adds emphasis)
busa = rule;
lomhlaba = earth
busa = rule; ngo = with;
thando = love;
bo = (adds emphasis)

MEANING
Here comes the lion,
my people, the father
(of our nation).
We hail this coming
of the lion.
The lion and the
leopard!
Here comes the lion,
my dear people.
We will have victory!
The lion wears the
leopard spots.
(connotes royalty)
The lion and the
leopard, oh what a
sight!
Run, the lion will
attack!

(sounds of wind in the

grass)
Mother Earth /
Wow
Come, son. Oh, come!
Rule this precious
land!
Rule this earth!
Rule with love!

(imitation of animal
sounds bull, donkey,
horse to connect
with animal spirits)

THE LIONESS HUNT (Zulu)

Ah ha hayi (ya)
We baba.
WEH bah-bah.
Zingela, siyo
zeen-GEH-lah, see-YO
zingela, baba.
zeen-GEH-lah, bah-bah.
Hi baba.
HAI bah-bah.
Sqhubekeni, siyo
S<click>OO-beh-KEH
zingela.
nee, see-YO
zeen-GEH-lah.
THEY LIVE IN YOU (Zulu)
Ingonyama
een-gon-YA-mah NENnengwe
gweh nah-mah-BA-lah.
namabala.
Oh oh iyo

we = oh; baba = father

zingela = hunt;
siyo = lets go; babo = father.
hi = oh; baba = father
siqhubekeni = lets proceed;
siyo = lets go; zingela = hunt

ingonyama = lion;
ne = and; ngwe = leopard;
ne = with; a= the;
mabala = spots

OH OH ee-YOH

Mamela!
MAH-meh-lah!
Hela, hem
HAY-lah HEM mahmamela!
MEH-lah!
(Setswana)
THE STAMPEDE (Zulu)
Yona yona yona
YOH-nah YOH-nah
YOH-nah

mamela = listen
hela = pay attention;
hem = (adds emphasis);
mamela = experience

Baba, wa mi baba!

baba = father; wa = oh;

mi = my

BAH-bah, WAH MEE

BAH-bah!

THE MOURNING
Hamela, hamela,
HAH-meh-lah
hamela.
HAKUNA MATATA (Swahili)
Hankuna matata.
hah-KOO-nah
mah-TAH-tah.
SHADOWLAND (Setswana, Zulu)
Fatshe leso
FAT-see LEH-soo LEE-ah
lea halalela.
HAH-lah-LEH-lah.
(Setswana)
Ngizo buyabo.
GEE-zoh BOO-yah-boh.
(Zulu)
Beso bo
BEH-soo boh
(Setswana)
TAMATISO (Zulu)
Tamatiso, a so a
tah-mah-tee-SOH,
helele ma.
ah SOH ah
HEH-leh-leh MAH.

yona = it

(roaring sounds)
Oh, father.
Hunt lets go hunt,
father.
Oh, father.
Lets proceed lets
go hunt.

The lion wears the

leopard spots.
(connotes royalty)
(ancestral echoes that
imply This is it!)
Listen!
Pay attention and
experience this!

(Here) it (comes)!
Also: Youve messed
up / Youve done
something wrong.
Father, oh my father!

(breathy expression of
grief)
hakuna = none;
matata = worry

No worries.

fatshe = land; leso = ours;

lea = is; halalela = holy

This land (of our

ancestors) is holy.

ngizo = I will;
buyabo = return
beso = people; bo = my

I will return.

tamatiso = tomato sauce

(urban slang); the rest is a
play on words/sounds

(popular South
African nursery
rhyme underscoring
childrens fondness
for ketchup/tomato
sauce)

My people

HE LIVES IN YOU (Zulu)

Igonyama nengwe een-gon-YA-mah
namabala.
NEN-gweh
nah-mah-BAH-lah.
Oh oh iyo

OH OH ee-YOH

Mamela!
Ubukhosi
bokhokho!
We ndodana ye
sizwe sonke!

MAH-meh-lah!
OO-boo-KHOH-see
boh-KHOH-khoh!
WEN doh-DAH-nah yeh
SEEZ-we SOHNK!

Hela, hem
mamela!

HEH-lah HEM
mah-MEH-lah!

FINALE (Zulu)
Busa le lizwe bo!

Busa ngo thando

bo!

BOO-sah leh LEEZ-weh

boh!
BOO-sah
LOM-hhlah-bah!
BOO-san GO TAN-do
boh!

Oh, busa Simba

iyo!

oh BOO-sah SEEM-bah
YOH!

Busa lomhlaba!

ingonyama = lion;
ne = and; ngwe = leopard;
en = with; a = the;
mabala = spots

The lion wears the

leopard spots.
(connotes royalty)

(ancestral echoes that

imply This is it!)
mamela = listen
Listen!
ubu = this; khosi = throne;
This is the throne of
bo = of; khookho = ancestors our ancestors!
we = oh; ndodana = son; ye
Oh, this son of our
= of; sizwe = nation; sonke
nation!
= our
hela = pay attention; hem =
Pay attention and
adds emphasis; mamela =
experience this!
experience
busa = rule; le = this; lizwe =
land; bo = (adds emphasis)
busa = rule;
lomhlaba = earth
busa = rule; ngo = with;
thando = love;
bo = (adds emphasis)
busa = rule;
iyo = (adds emphasis)

Rule this precious

land!
Rule this earth!
Rule with love!

Oh, rule, Simba!