Translations of Songs and Chants in The Patient Art: Weaving the Tampa Tapestries
Translations of Songs and Chants in The Patient Art: Weaving the Tampa Tapestries
During the long hours of tedious work, the weavers frequently sang songs to relieve their boredom and entertain themselves. The first four songs in The Patient Art were recorded as they worked in their studio. Songs five through eight were performed for an audience at the Cranwell International Center at Virginia Tech before they returned to Swaziland (now called Eswatini), and give a sample of the traditional songs, chants, and dances that the weavers presented on their musical tours.
To ensure accurate translations, the lyrics were first transliterated from the video to print sound by sound by translator Dr. N. P. Dlamini at the University of Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, through a contract with the international translation service, Tomedes, Inc. Dr. Dlamini then translated the transliterations into SiSwati and English. She is particularly skilled in transliterating and translating songs and texts and maintaining their artistic qualities.
Almost all of the seven songs and one chant in The Patient Art, like most African songs and chants, have an antiphonal, call and response structure between a song leader and a chorus. I use the words “Leader” to identify the lines voiced by one person and the word “All” to identify the group response or lines said in unison. I checked the transliterations and translations by comparing the audio of the songs to the transliterations, consulting a SiSwati dictionary, and worked with the translator to resolve any issues.
The English translation of each song or chant appears first, followed by the SiSwati version. I have titled the songs according to their first lines.
Elizabeth C. Fine, Professor Emeriti of Humanities, Virginia Tech
Song 1: Bantfu bangakanani? (How Many People Are There?)
How Many People Are There?
All: Like the hair of a cow that we stuck on the side and there was dust.
Leader: How many people are there?
All: They are many as grass.
Leader: How many people are there?
All: They are like the hair of a cow that we stuck on the side and there was dust.
Leader: Help us Chief,
All: Mine is here
Leader: Help us Chief
All: He is still kindling the fire
Leader: Help us Chief
All: You can see the armies are getting ready for a war, and the darkness is shining.
Leader: My father is the Chief
All: Mine is here
Leader: My father is the Chief
All: He is still kindling the fire
Leader: My father is the Chief.
All: The armies are getting ready for a war, and the darkness is shining.
Leader: How many people are there?
All: They are many as grass.
Leader: How many people are there?
All: They are like the hair of a cow that we stuck on the side and there was dust.
Leader: How many people are there?
All: They are many as grass.
Leader: How many people are there?
All: They are like the hair of a cow that we stuck on the side and there was dust.
Leader: Help us Chief,
All: Mine is here
Leader: Help us Chief
All: He is still kindling the fire
SiSwati language:
Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Ngeboya benkhomo lesayigwaz’ eceleni kwesuka tintfuli.
Leader: Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Bangangotjani
Leader: Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Bangangoboya benkhomo lesayigwaz’ eceleni kwesuka tintfuli.
Leader: Lamula yiNdvuna
All: Esami sikhona,
Leader: Lamula yiNdvuna
All: Usavutsa umlilo,
Leader: Lamula yiNdvuna
All: Uyawabona emabutfo ahloma kancane, umnyama uyakhanya.
Leader: Babe yiNdvuna
All: Esami sikhona
Leader: Babe yiNdvuna
All: Usavutsa umlilo
Leader: Babe yiNdvuna
All: Uyawabona emabutfo ahloma kancane umnyama uyakhanya.
Leader: Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Bangangotjani
Leader: Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Bangangoboya benkhomo lesayigwaz’ eceleni kwesuka tintfuli.
Leader: Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Bangangotjani
Leader: Bantfu bangakanani?
All: Bangangoboya benkhomo lesayigwaz’ eceleni kwesuka tintfuli.
Leader: Lamula yiNdvuna
All: Esami sikhona,
Leader: Lamula yiNdvuna
All: Usavutsa umlilo,
Song 2: Khumbula, khumbula (Remember, Remember)
Remember, Remember
Leader: Remember, remember
All: Remember, remember
Leader: Remember,
All: Remember, remember
Leader: Remember,
All: Remember your maker
SiSwati language:
Khumbula, khumbula
Leader: Khumbula, khumbula
All: Khumbula, khumbula
Leader: Khumbula
All: Khumbula, khumbula
Leader: Khumbula
All: Khumbul’ umenzi wakho
SONG 3: Kulamahlatsi (In These Forests)
In These Forests
Leader: In these forests,
All: In these forests that are gone, you can't hide anymore.
Leader: In these forests,
All: In these forests that are gone, you can't hide anymore.
Leader: Welcome me
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back, welcome me.
Leader: Welcome me
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back, welcome me.
Leader: In these forests,
All: In these forests that are gone, you can't hide anymore.
Leader: In these forests,
All: In these forests that are gone, you can't hide anymore.
Leader: In these forests,
All: In these forests that are gone, you can't hide anymore.
Leader: In these forests,
All: In these forests that are gone, you can't hide anymore.
Leader: Welcome me
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back, welcome me.
Leader: Welcome me
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back, welcome me.
Leader: Please make me
All: Please make me
Leader: A…
All: A worker in your house.
Leader: Please make me
All: Please make me
Leader: A…
All: A worker in your house.
Leader: Welcome me
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back, welcome me.
Leader: Welcome me
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back
Leader: Come back
All: Come back, welcome me.
SiSwati language:
Kulamahlatsi
Leader: Kulamahlatsi
All: Kulamahlatsi asaphelile, ang’senakucasha.
Leader: Kulamahlatsi
All: Kulamahlatsi asaphelile, ang’senakucasha.
Leader: Ungamukele
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya, ungamukele.
Leader: Ungamukele
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya, ungamukele.
Leader: Kulamahlatsi
All: Kulamahlatsi asaphelile, ang’senakucasha.
Leader: Kulamahlatsi
All: Kulamahlatsi asaphelile, ang’senakucasha.
Leader: Kulamahlatsi
All: Kulamahlatsi asaphelile, ang’senakucasha.
Leader: Kulamahlatsi
All: Kulamahlatsi asaphelile, ang’senakucasha.
Leader: Ungamukele
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya, ungamukele.
Leader: Ungamukele
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya, ungamukele.
Leader: Sengicel’ ungenze
All: Sengicela ungenze
Leader: I…
All: Isisebenzi sasendlini yakho.
Leader: Sengicel’ ungenze
All: Sengicela ungenze
Leader: I…
All: Isisebenzi sasendlini yakho.
Leader: Ungamukele
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya, ungamukele.
Leader: Ungamukele
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya
Leader: Buya
All: Buya, ungamukele.
SONG 4: Wes’dudla sami (My Curvaceous Woman)
My Curvaceous Woman
Leader: My curvaceous woman,
All: Please hold me my curvaceous woman, please hold me my curvaceous woman.
Leader: My curvaceous woman,
All: Please hold me my curvaceous woman, please hold me my curvaceous woman.
Leader: My curvaceous woman
All: Please hold me my curvaceous woman, please hold me, my curvaceous woman.
Leader: My curvaceous woman
All: Please hold me my curvaceous woman, please hold me, my curvaceous woman.
SiSwati language:
Wes’dudla sami
Leader: Wes’dudla sami
All: Awungibambe s’dudla, ng’bambe s’dudla.
Leader: Wes’dudla sami
All: Awungibambe s’dudla, ng’bambe s’dudla
Leader: Wes’dudla sami
All: Awungibambe s’dudla, ng’bambe s’dudla
Leader: Wes’dudla sami
All: Awungibambe s’dudla, ng’bambe s’dudla
Song 5: Namhlanje ntombi yezulu (Today Rain Lady)
(Whistle blowing, drum beating and hand clapping throughout the song, accompanied by two dancers with whistles and sticks.)
Today Rain Lady
Leader: Today rain lady
All: Hey, hey, hey, today
Leader: Today rain lady
All: Hey, hey, hey, today
(After a short pause)
Leader: Today rain lady
All: Hey, hey, hey, today
Leader: Today rain lady
All: Hey, hey, hey, today
Leader: Today
SiSwati language:
Namhlanje ntombi yezulu
Leader: Namhlanje ntombi yezulu
All: Hhe hhe hhe, namhlanje
Leader: Namhlanje ntombi yezulu
All: Hhe hhe hhe, namhlanje
(After a short pause)
Leader: Namhlanje ntombi yezulu
All: Hhe hhe hhe, namhlanje
Leader: Namhlanje ntombi yezulu
All: Hhe hhe hhe, namhlanje
Leader: Namhlanje
Chant 6: Two Sheleni (Two Shillings)
(This three-word chant is accompanied by drum beating, hand clapping, and dancing by one weaver. The words alternate between “Two sheleni” or “Ye two sheleni” (“Two shillings” or “Hey two shillings”). Note that this chant is a mixture of the English word “two” and the SiSwati word for shillings, “sheleni”, reflecting the pidgin language used during the earlier period of English colonization of Swaziland, now called Eswatini.) The two word SiSwati lines, “Two sheleni”, are performed in varying rhythmic patterns formed by either saying the whole word, “sheleni,” or only the first syllable (“She--”) or the first and second syllables of sheleni (“Shele--”), followed by the full word on the last line of a stanza (“Sheleni”). The texts below show one example of each of these four varying rhythmic stanzas.)
Two Shillings
All: Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
Two shillings
Hey two shillings
(Two word variation)
All: Two shillings
Two shillings
Two shillings
Two shillings
(Variation in rhythm by withholding the last two syllables until final line of the stanza. In order to replicate the SiSwati variation in rhythm of withholding last two syllables of sheleni until the final line of the stanza, I have broken the two-syllable English word “shillings” into three parts: “sh,” “ill” and “ings”.)
All: Two sh--
Two sh--
Two sh--
Two sh--
Two sh--
Two sh-ill-ings
(Variation in rhythm by withholding the last syllable until final line of the stanza )
All: Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-
Two sh-ill-ings
SiSwati language:
Two Sheleni
All: Two sheleni
Ye Two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye Two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye two sheleni
Two sheleni
Ye Two sheleni
(Two word variation)
All: Two sheleni
Two sheleni
Two sheleni
Two sheleni
(Variation in rhythm by withholding the last two syllables until the final line of the stanza)
All: Two she--
Two she--
Two she--
Two she--
Two she--
Two she-le-ni
(Variation in rhythm by withholding the last syllable until the final line of the stanza )
All: Two shele-
Two shele-
Two shele-
Two shele-
Two shele-
Two shele-
Two shele-
Two shele-ni
Song 7: Hhayi abelung’ abamhlophe (Oh! The White People)
(The leader of this song faces the singers, and conducts them as if leading a choir. The singers use gestures to mime talking on a telephone.)
Oh! The White People
Leader: Oh! The white people
They speak, speak,
Through the telephone, telephone
There is a person speaking inside.
Leader: It’s true Father
All: Oh! The white people
Leader: It’s true Father
All: Oh! The white people
Leader: They speak
All: We hear news, we hear news
Through the telephone, telephone
There is a person speaking inside.
SiSwati language:
Hhayi abelung’ abamhlophe
Leader: Hhayi abelung’ abamhlophe,
Izindaba, izindaba,
Ziza ngothelefoni, ngothelefoni
Kukhulum’ umuntu phakathi.
Leader: Hawu Baba
All: Hhayi abelung’ abamhlophe
Leader: Hawu Baba
All: Hhayi abelung’ abamhlophe
Leader: Izindaba
All: Sizw’ indaba, sizw’ indaba
Ziza ngothelefoni, ngothelefoni
Kukhulum’ umuntu ngaphakathi
Song 8: Uyahlany’ uSolomoni (Solomon Is Crazy)
(All of the weavers dance in two rows, moving side to side, as one weaver blows a whistle. At the end of the lines, “When you come back, look at this,” the weavers jut out one hip and slap it. When I asked one of the weavers what she thought that this gesture meant, she said that it signified Sheba summoning Solomon to her bed.)
Solomon Is Crazy
Leader: Solomon is crazy
All: Hey you people,
Hey you people
Count the tomatoes
Leader: Solomon is crazy
All: Hey you people,
Hey you people
Count the tomatoes
Leader: Solomon is crazy
All: Hey you people,
Hey you people
Count the tomatoes
Leader: Solomon is crazy
All: Hey you people,
Hey you people
Count the tomatoes
Leader: When you come back look at this
All: Hey you people,
Hey you people
Count the tomatoes
Leader: When you come back look at this
All: Hey you people,
Hey you people
Count the tomatoes
Leader: When you come back look at this
All: Hey you people
SiSwati language:
Uyahlany’ uSolomoni
Leader: Uyahlany’ uSolomoni
All: Hhelele sibani bani,
Hhelele sibani bani
Bal’ amatamati
Leader: Uyahlany’ uSolomoni
All: Hhelele sibani bani,
Hhelele sibani bani
Bal’ amatamati
Leader: Uyahlany’ uSolomoni
All: Hhelele sibani bani,
Hhelele sibani bani
Bal’ amatamati
Leader: Uyahlany’ uSolomoni
All: Hhelele sibani bani,
Hhelele sibani bani
Bal’ amatamati
Leader: Uma usubuya ubheke amahamba hamba
All: Hhelele sibani bani,
Hhelele sibani bani
Bal’ amatamati
Leader: Uma usubuya ubheke amahamba hamba
All: Hhelele sibani bani,
Hhelele sibani bani
Bal’ amatamati
Leader: Uma usubuya ubheke amahamba hamba
All: Hhelele sibani bani
