Five Songs By Saida Karoli (Tanzania, East Africa)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases five songs by Tanzanian singer Saida Karoli. Information about the Haya ethnic group from which Saida Karoli comes, selected comments from these videos' YouTube comment threads, and a few editorial comments are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with the owners.

FEATURED VIDEOS

Video #1: Tanzania Haya Traditional dance and Swahili Saida Karoli Mapenzi Kizunguzungu



Kemmi Kamugisha, Uploaded on Mar 2, 2011

A Tanzanian Traditional dance by a singer called Saida Karoli from Bukoba Tanzania.. :) check out the different costumes, face paintings, traditional music instruments and dance!
-snip-
Instead of the word "costumes", I'd use "clothing" or "attire" or "traditional clothing" (traditonal attire) since "customes" refer to clothing that is worn for a theatrical program or for special occasions such as the "Halloween" holiday.
-snip-
Selected Comments from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qQ0MCFttFc
sudanesgal, 2012
"what language is she speakinf? cs i know is not luganda or swahili"
**
kanewnew, 2012
it's kihaya, from the haya tribe, which is VERY similiar to luganda

I’d use the word “clothing” or "attire" or the phrases “traditional clothes” or "traditional attire" rather than "costumes", since costumes refers to clothes that are worn for a theatrical program or a special occasion such as Halloween.

****
Video #2: Saida Karoli - Ndombolo Ya Solo



jumz82,Uploaded on Feb 3, 2011

The Legendary Haya Goddess Saida Karoli & her dance group, what a wonderful voice this sister has.
-snip-
"Sister" here means a female of Black African descent.

****
Video #3: Tanzania - Swahili Bongo Flava - Saida Karoli (Maria Salome)



Seka Moke, Uploaded on Sep 17, 2007
FUN
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bongo_Flava
"Bongo flava is the nickname for Tanzanian hip hop music...
Today, bongo flava is the most popular musical style amongst the Tanzanian youth,[4] something that is also reflected in the vast number of TV and radio programs dedicated to this genre as well as the sales figures of bongo flava albums.[5] Outside of its historical home of Tanzania, Bongo Flava has become a resoundingly popular sound in neighboring, culturally related countries such as Kenya[6] and Uganda.Bongo flava has even found a home outside of the African continent; the most popular artists in the genre have recently begin to address Western markets[1] and the self-proclaimed "best internet station for Bongo Flava,"[7] Bongo Radio, happens to be based out of Chicago, Illinois...
-snip-
Comments from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fGtdnml4k4
pauliyai, 2007
"this piece is the one that made her famous in Africa, real music authentically African. Thanks for posting it"
**
kokwi, 2008
"Yes, Kihaya is similar to other dialects spoken in Uganda. The sond [song] is about Salome who gets killed by thugs in a taxi on her way from BK to Mwanza. The crime for het Kenyan kangas. It laments her passing and tells how the events have affected the story teller."

****
Video #4: Tanzania - Swahili Bongo Flava - Saida Karoli (Ntua Mayenje)



Seka Moke, Uploaded on Sep 17, 2007

FUN
-snip-
Comments from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McPJPoAs67U
chezanami, 2007
but she's one of the most selling musicians in eastern and central Africa doug. Saida keep it going homegirl, loveya.
**
twentyeighter, 2008
"Once in a while a rare thing happens, a person so well expresses and engages the kernel of brilliance and wisdom of a whole peoples. So many of us Tanzanians living abroad can only be proud and extremely home sick when we consider how painful it is to have a body in one land buy your heart in another.

Mungu ibariki Tanzania :)"
**
sucrosed, 2008
"you don't have 2 understand the words of the song 2 love it..the rhythm also matters.i don't understand a word she's sayin but iloooove ths song!"

**
kemetian09, 2009
"I agree with Sucrosed. It is not necessary to understand the words to enjoy the music. I get into the spirit and soul of the music. This is beautiful."
**
Azizip17, 2010
"Thanks for posting this video! I also like the song & wish I knew what it was about. What language is this, & what does the title mean? Also, I'm REALLY fascinated by the dancing. These dance movements look A LOT like the mid 1960s American R&B dance "The Twist".

Are these dancers doing traditional Tanzanian dances? If so, from what ethnic group? Or are these dancers copying off of The Twist or did Chubby Checker or whoever invented that dance copy off of traditional African dancers???"
**
ShabazzAllah1, 2011
"The twist probably came from Tanzania or this tribe because during the late 50's and 60's a lot of Black Americans traveled to Tanzania and lived their during the Black Power movements and learned Swahili."
-snip-
The African American dance known as "the twist" was first created by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters in 1958. I think that it's likely that this dance was ultimately based on a traditional African dance movement. That said, a number of traditional African dances include a hip twisting motion, and a number of dances from non-African cultures also include a hip twisting motion. Therefore, I'm not convinced that the Haya ethnic group of Tanzania was the source or even was one of the sources of "the twist." But if the dances shown in these videos are of Haya traditional dance movements, there's no denying that those movements are the same as what African Americans call "the twist".

Also, while the term "Black Power" was first used in the USA in 1954 by author Richard Wright, that term didn't become popular until Stokely Carmichael used it in 1966. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Power

Click http://history1900s.about.com/od/1960s/qt/Twist.htm for information about the history of "the twist".

****
Video #5: Saida Karoli Wakati Ndio Huu



Emmanuel John, Uploaded on Nov 23, 2011
-snip-
Comments from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lor6IShWKas

saida801, 2012
...she saying not left behind with days. that how i see the song so it was how u seen it as everyone has own understanding. peace
**
kokwi, 2013
"Saida plese go back to traditional dress including yr dancers. That was yr brand which oes with yr music and distinguishes you from the others"

****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/tanzanian-singer-saida-karoli-nkyali.html to find another pancocojams post that features Saida Karoli.
**
Click http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101115204107AAUw7jz for information about the Haya ethnic group.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Saida Karoli and all the other performers on this video.
Thanks also to the composer of this song, the author of the Wikipedia page, and the commenters who are quoted here.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitors' comments are welcome