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A Nkundazuwa

  • Authors: Four elderly Chewa women , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160556 , vital:40474 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR098-03
  • Description: The Konsolo dance is said to have been performed in the 1930's. It is suggested that Nkundazuwa was very fond of playing with the baby and used to wake it up for this purpose. Nkundazuwa is a village headman, living about 10 miles from the village of Kachere. A pleasant little sidelight on family life. "A Nkundazuwa pinches his baby and wakes it up so that it does not go to sleep." Konsolo women's dance with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Akazi amachenjera (Women are clever)

  • Authors: Five Chewa men , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160233 , vital:40423 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-08
  • Description: An old song, now only sung by the older men and danced by the men at drinking parties. This wicked old song was much enjoyed by the singers and by their contemporaries and all the older people around. "Women are very clever, they have their own ways of having fun (with other men). M'kwenda dance with 5 Umkwenda friction sticks.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Alaina n'kuphika nkhwani (Alaina cooked vegetables)

  • Authors: Chewa girls , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160170 , vital:40415 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-01
  • Description: This kind of dance they say was first introduced into the district by Yao people about 15 years ago in 1940 when it was originally sung in the Yao language from the Fort Johnstone district. But the Chewa girls liked the dance and made up their own words for it. They reflect a young girls growing sense of responsibility towards her domestic duties. "Alaina cooked vegetables, what shall I do for vegetables myself? My mother cooked vegetables, what shall I do for vegetables myself?" Mjiri dance song. Girls evening dances with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Bi-i-i! a Bikoko cigamba (Dirt! Bikoko, rags!)

  • Authors: Five elderly Chewa women , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160605 , vital:40482 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR098-06
  • Description: A husband is scolding his wife in public. She replies that he should not scold her in public but at the house because he is in rags himself and she is not like him - he who wears short trousers all in tatters and patches. "Bi-i-i! A Bikoko, rags. Tatters, tatters, tatters! Don't you scold me in front of other people, I am not the same as you because you are all ragged and wear short trousers. Konsolo dance song with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Gunde (Gunde and the crocodile)

  • Authors: Kezia Chilumpha and girls , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160251 , vital:40426 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-10
  • Description: "Gunde, yes, who is the man brave enough to take the 'wife' of the crocodile. There was once a certain woman who killed her only child and buried her outside the hut. After a while only the skelton remained and the rain fell and washed away the earth, exposing a leg. A crocodile nearby dug up all the bones joined them together and made another child out of them. "Who has done this" the woman cried. Now the child grew up with the crocodile and became a beautiful girl. So the mother sang. "Who is brave enough to take my daughter from the crocodile." No one in the village was brave enough so the crocodile kept his girl from himself. The mother continually came to the lake to sing for her daughter. One day the daughter heard her mother and as the crocodile was away she came out and went with her to the village. But the crocodile came and begged for the girl as he himself had brought her up and given her life. The mother could not refuse him and so the daughter went back to the lake and married the crocodile. Nthano story song.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Inu A Nambewe, inu A Phiri (You Nambewa, you Phiri)

  • Authors: Five elderly Chewa men , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160242 , vital:40425 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-09
  • Description: After singing their song they tap their bamboo friction sticks and laugh and blow into the ends of the bamboos. A widow has to put string into her hair for two years after the husband dies, to mourn for him. The wicked old man is egging on the widow to be merry again. When this recording was played to some villagers in a nearby district, the Chief Njolomole was specially delighted to hear the blowing down the bamboo tubes at the end of the performance, an old drinking party custom, it appeared. "You Nambewa, you Phiri (two widows). Have you already taken off your mourning strings before you have finished mourning for your husband. You A Nabetha, and you A Naketha?" Drinking party dance song. Umkwenda with friction sticks.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Kalulu nkulu wa bwalo (The Rabbit is Chief of the Court)

  • Authors: J. W. Gwengwe and boys , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160188 , vital:40417 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-03
  • Description: The dance is performed only at night by young men, the pricipal dancers themselves dancing naked, some with special masks called Nyau in the shape of an antelope, an elephant, and a lion, while some walk on stilts. The larger masks are usually carried by two men. Some observers have said that the dance is connected with fertility rites. Only males are permitted to participate and women can only observe from a distance. The dance, they say is usually performed on bright moonlight nights. The gist of the song appears to refer to a familiar story which is told and sung in the district. "Rabbit is the chief of the court (of animals) Hopping, hopping. The rabbit was elected to be the chief." Dance song for Nyau dance with rhythmic clapping and struck iron (-12.16-).
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Kalulu nthawi ya cilala (Rabbit in the time of drought)

  • Authors: J. W. Gwengwe and Chewa boys , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160205 , vital:40419 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-05
  • Description: There was once a time of drought and all the animals gathered together to find water. They deceided that rabbit would be able to find water for them. The rabbit told them that water would be found under the Msendekere tree. So the animals all gathered there and were all digging together. Eventually they got down to the water. They were all delighted and in gratitude they said they should make Kalulu the Rabbit their chief. "A big chief like Kachere himself", a chief over a large district. So rabbit was made chief and all the animals joined in a song of praise, each one making his own kind of noise. The lion roared, the hyenas laughed, the snakes hissed, the cattle lowed, the crocodile grunted, the zebra brayed, the elephant trumpeted and the sheep bleated. They all joined together in a heavy voice of praise. Nthano story song with guitar.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Keke, keke garuyo 1 (Yap, yap, the dog barks)

  • Authors: Four elderly Chewa women , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160576 , vital:40478 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR098-04
  • Description: The Konsolo dance is said to have been performed in the 1930's. Two wives in next door huts call to each other. The one hears the dog bark and calls out the other, "why is the dog barking?" thinking her husband is with her. But the other replies: "No! he is not with me. He is out with that young beauty". (Ndege-aeroplane). A young good looking girl is called 'Ndege' (aeroplane) in the local slang. "Yap, yau, yap, why is the dog barking? Don't you hate beating me because you think our husband is in my house. He is not here because there is Ndege elsewhere." Konsolo women's dance with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Keke, keke garuyo 2 (Yap, yap, the dogs barks)

Lile, Lile makonokaya (Lile, Lile, what will happen this year)

  • Authors: Five Chewa men , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160224 , vital:40421 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-07
  • Description: This was said to have been sung when the Europeans first came to the country and the people did not know what was going to happen. The friction sticks are held in the left hand, the serated parts downwards and scraped with a small stick. The song was originally sung by Matengo people, a small tribe who were overrun and absorbed by the Ngoni people, it is said. If the explanation of the singers is correct, the song must be about 60-70 years old. Who Lile may have been, no one knew. M'kwenda dance with 5 Umkwenda friction sticks.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Luwanika

  • Authors: Young Chewa girls , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160537 , vital:40471 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR098-01
  • Description: Girls invite other girls of different villages to come and dance with them at the time of harvesting when they sing and dance the kasodo together. Luwanika, the name of the Northern Rhodesian Lozi paramount Chief is invoked, as a famous name but for no other specific reason, except that locally in Dedza, Luwanika has a ficitious reputation for making magic medicines according to these simple and distant people...a kind of wizard of oz - 'whiz of a wizzard!' "Luwanika, to dance you must have strong legs." Kasodo girls dance, with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Luya, luya kuwinda mwamuna (Luya, Luya, if you want to keep a husband)

  • Authors: Chewa girls , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160179 , vital:40416 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-02
  • Description: The Mjiri dance is performed by oung girls on moonlight nights after supper. This is a Chewa version of a universal truth. 'Feed the brute'. The medicines mentioned in the song were interpreted as love charms. "Luya, Luya. If you want to keep a husband you must cook. But when you cook do not put medicines into the food. Yes! I will do so! A Luya." Mjiri dance song. Girls evening dances with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

M'dankaka nawe

M'dankaka nawo (I should have come with you)

  • Authors: Five elderly Chewa women , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160625 , vital:40484 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR098-07
  • Description: The wife is singing to her husband. Lionde is the well-known ferry across the shire river, north of Blantyre on the main north road. It is above 100 miles from their village. The word Konsolo comes from the English word "Council" and was at the time in the 1930's considered a word of high praise for the most important people of the district. "I should have come with if only Lionde was near by. But because it is so far, I cannot come with you." Konsolo dance song with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Medina ne Alawo (The Chewa and the Yao)

  • Authors: J. W. Gwemgwe with Chewa lads , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160260 , vital:40428 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-11
  • Description: There were two men who were friends, one was a Yao and the other was a Chewa. The Chewa invited the Yao to his house and he found them at lunch where they had pork to eat. "We do not eat pork" the Yao said "so when you invite me you should not offer me pork". Now the Yao invited the Chewa, and to his surprise the Chewa found the Yao eating pork and dancing. The Yao told the Chewa to listen to the kind of music the Yao themselves sang in order to divert his friend's attention from the mean. But the Chewa said to the Yao, "You cannot deceive us any longer. We now know you do take this kind of meat, so do not refuse my pork in the future." The Yao came under the direct influence of the Arab traders and most of them are Mohammedans, hence the taboo on eating pork. Nthano story with clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Naba baNgoni bagwaza ngomkhonto (The Ngoni fight with spears)

  • Authors: Ngoni men , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Malawi , Songs, Zulu , Zulu (African people) , Folk music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Zulu
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160835 , vital:40551 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR099-09
  • Description: This item was recorded in the Eastern Transvaal where the performers had come to work on a citrus estate. In spite of over a century of osolation from the main Ngoni peoples, these Ngoni of Nyasaland still retain in their music, dancing and customs, the traits of their distant relatives in the South. Musically it is interesting to note that many Ngoni seem to be able to sing in either the pentatonic modes of the Zulu groups or adopt the heptatonic modes of their mother's people who have married into the Ngoni clans. Ngoma wedding song with stamping and hand clapping.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958

Nyimbo dzambalame ndinyama (Cries of birds and animals)

Owaha o Lomwe (When you come from Lomwe)

Sikusinja

  • Authors: J. W. Gwengwe and Chewa boys , Hugh Tracey
  • Date: 1958
  • Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Songs, Chewa , Songs, Nyanja , Nyanja (African people) , Chewa (African people) , Folk music , Africa Malawi Dedza f-mw
  • Language: Nyanja/Chewa
  • Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160197 , vital:40418 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR097-04
  • Description: Sikusinja was a rich man who was killed by his brother Gwenembe. A bird saw him do it and flew to the village to tell everyone what had happened. Through his singing the people understood what had happened. Gwenembe was a poor man who coveted his brothers belongings, and that is why he killed him. The bird when singing said, "Don't wonder, I saw Gwenembe killing Sikusinja and all the things he took." Eventually Gwenembe was taken to Kachere for Judgment and he was put to death. It is a story with a moral. 'Be sure your sins will find you out!' The bird witness is a constant African Image. "Sikusinja was a rich man. He was killed by his brother Gwenembe. The bird saw himdo it." The accompaniment of a guitar in this kind od story is unsual and a recent innovation only. Nthano story with guitar.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 1958
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