Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a video of "Thulamela" by the group Matsieng from Botswana, South Africa. Information about is also included in this post along with selected comments from this video's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Matsieng. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT MATSIENG
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsieng
"Matsieng is a Setswana traditional music trio formed in 2005 in Gaborone Botswana. They burst into the scene with their 2005 festive season album, Semakaleng. Known for their explicit lyrics, the trio has toured Botswana, Malaysia and South Africa.[1]
Their latest album, Setswana Sa Borre, has topped charts locally and enjoys airplay in the neighbouring South Africa, driven by their most explicit song, Tinto[1]. Two of the boys are natives of Gabane and one is from Kanye."
-snip-
Most of the comments in the showcase video's discussion thread and in other Matsieng videos' discussion threads aren't in English. Furthermore, most of Matsieng's YouTube videos have no English summaries, and requests for explanations of the lyrics for those songs usually have no replies. (Thankfully, a couple of comments in "Thulamela"'s video discussion thread provide a little bit of information about that song. That's one reason why I showcased it on this blog and not other songs from this group, although regardless of song summaries or not, I plan to feature other Matsieng videos on pancocojams.
It would be great if people who understood Tswana would provide summaries of Matsieng's songs in English or in some other language that is included in Google translate. That would help this group gain many more fans.
**
From http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=7&aid=2014&dir=2010/April/Thursday29 Matsieng to reunite?, Tuesday 03 January 2017 by Sesupo Rantsimako
"FRANCISTOWN: Matsieng traditional group are to reunite soon with former member Ditiro Leero, who left in May 2008 after misunderstandings.
Speaking in an interview this week, Matsieng group member Liki Tselabe, popularly known as 'Maeras' denied reports that he is going solo, but said that after three years of separation they have now realised that it is better to collaborate and go back to the style of music their supporters loved so much.
Tselabe said they used to meet in music shows, adding that that is when they often discussed some of the issues surrounding music industry and came up with solutions to their problems that led to the split.
He said that they parted due to issues that he cannot mention after they released the hit album titled (Setswana as borre) which was commonly known by the hit song Tinto, which did well in the market." I do not want to lie Tinto album has
sold many copies because even outside the country the album was in high demand, I would say it has in fact reached platinum," said Maeras. He however said that they took long to release another album because their debut album and DVD Setswana sa borre was still in high demand.
Matsieng released their new album in February this year titled Sa re nyedi sa re tseke, which has 10 tracks. The album includes songs like Mathichara, in which they are encouraging teachers to be professional in their work and not to have love affairs with students. The other song is Bakgala, which is about why shy people have difficulty expressing themselves in public. Attempts to get comments from Ditiro about rejoining the Matsieng group were futile as his cellphone was constantly off."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:Matsieng – Thulamela
dot2T Uploaded on Jun 7, 2008
One of the best Matsieng's rich lyrics are in abundance in this video.
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
khwanslay, 2008
"Oh I love this song. Can someone please tell me what he's singing about? I have been listening for like 20 times nonstop!! I'm from Tanzania."
**
khwanslay, 2008
"Oh I love this song. Can someone please tell me what he's singing about? I have been listening for like 20 times nonstop!! I'm from Tanzania."
**
Bobby Hotskull, 2008
"i love 4:26...the moonwalk!! lol"
-snip-
The "Moonwalk" dance step was popularized by African American Pop superstar Michael Jackson.
**
quietsparks1, 2013
"Batswana at their BEST."
**
Reply
warona Modiko, 2013
"IS ALL ABOUT HERITAGE."
**
Goaba Kerekang, 2013
"Nice.... Proud 2 be a motswana"
**
James Thomas, 2014
"Ditiro king of traditional music.....pls come back"
**
Cde Cakes, 2014
"are these people khoisan or atleast the leader?"
**
Reply
gale chax, 2014
"no they are just Batswana traditional dancers"
**
EFRANKS, 2014
"This song is so great, it is a song of circumcision in our tribe of bukusu land in eastern africa, kenya trans-nzioa district and bungoma, thank you tswane.
Translate please, waiting for your answers."
-snip-
I gather that EFRANKS means that this is used as a song of circumcision in his Kenyan tribe, not that the song necessarily has anything to do with circumcision.
**
Reply
Tebogo Mapugwi, 2014
Nyc song.. in a nut shell..Thulamela more like "Sleep" its uses Hidden Setswana..but its "fa senana se baba se batla se sengwe" ..means when you horny u want sex.."
-snip-
"Nyc" = a vernacular way of writing the English word "nice".
**
Reply
Mogapi Gobleman, 2014
"He want his friend to die so that he can remain with his concubines"
**
King T, 2014
"By the way, where are these guys - I mean the group as a whole? I must admit, Ditiro is just amazingly brilliant here..."
**
Tshephang Ratshipa, 2015
"The tradition has to be kept alive by doing what you best."
**
Odirile Marwane, 2015
"Nice song Thulamela eish i love this song......"
**
Tender Agents Support, 2016
"I grew up in South African closer to the Botswana border. I am venda but was introduced to the Tswana dance. Love it and its great. Cant wait to put on the attire and dance like that again. Love it so much."
**
Eric Kimandi, 2016
"mad love all the way from Kenya ..heard this group the first time around 3 years ago..don't know the words but man i danced with my kids like mad due to the similarity in rhythm to many community songs back here.."
**
Reply
Ditsapelo Mokibe, 2016
"bantu rythm!"
**
ntando Dube, 2016
"what is the meaning of the saying at 03:38?"
**
Reply
Dotty Mfolwe, 2016
"Theurus wa go swa ka sala ke ja di nyatsi tsa gagwe means when Theurus (i am guessing its his friend, he has an english name, english names are usually given to f---k* boys in botswana lol) passed away and i helped myself to all his girlfriends and lovers. i hope thats the part you wanted
-snip-
This word is fully spelled out in the comment. In the context of that sentence it might mean something like
"play mind games with the self-concept of males in Botswana.
**
Reply
Amellia Kenosi, 2016
"+Dotty Mfolwe its Myrus or mirus his name dear"
-snip-
"Myrus" may be a variant form of the somewhat familiar [in the English speaking world] name "Cyrus".
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post showcases a video of "Thulamela" by the group Matsieng from Botswana, South Africa. Information about is also included in this post along with selected comments from this video's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Matsieng. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT MATSIENG
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsieng
"Matsieng is a Setswana traditional music trio formed in 2005 in Gaborone Botswana. They burst into the scene with their 2005 festive season album, Semakaleng. Known for their explicit lyrics, the trio has toured Botswana, Malaysia and South Africa.[1]
Their latest album, Setswana Sa Borre, has topped charts locally and enjoys airplay in the neighbouring South Africa, driven by their most explicit song, Tinto[1]. Two of the boys are natives of Gabane and one is from Kanye."
-snip-
Most of the comments in the showcase video's discussion thread and in other Matsieng videos' discussion threads aren't in English. Furthermore, most of Matsieng's YouTube videos have no English summaries, and requests for explanations of the lyrics for those songs usually have no replies. (Thankfully, a couple of comments in "Thulamela"'s video discussion thread provide a little bit of information about that song. That's one reason why I showcased it on this blog and not other songs from this group, although regardless of song summaries or not, I plan to feature other Matsieng videos on pancocojams.
It would be great if people who understood Tswana would provide summaries of Matsieng's songs in English or in some other language that is included in Google translate. That would help this group gain many more fans.
**
From http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=7&aid=2014&dir=2010/April/Thursday29 Matsieng to reunite?, Tuesday 03 January 2017 by Sesupo Rantsimako
"FRANCISTOWN: Matsieng traditional group are to reunite soon with former member Ditiro Leero, who left in May 2008 after misunderstandings.
Speaking in an interview this week, Matsieng group member Liki Tselabe, popularly known as 'Maeras' denied reports that he is going solo, but said that after three years of separation they have now realised that it is better to collaborate and go back to the style of music their supporters loved so much.
Tselabe said they used to meet in music shows, adding that that is when they often discussed some of the issues surrounding music industry and came up with solutions to their problems that led to the split.
He said that they parted due to issues that he cannot mention after they released the hit album titled (Setswana as borre) which was commonly known by the hit song Tinto, which did well in the market." I do not want to lie Tinto album has
sold many copies because even outside the country the album was in high demand, I would say it has in fact reached platinum," said Maeras. He however said that they took long to release another album because their debut album and DVD Setswana sa borre was still in high demand.
Matsieng released their new album in February this year titled Sa re nyedi sa re tseke, which has 10 tracks. The album includes songs like Mathichara, in which they are encouraging teachers to be professional in their work and not to have love affairs with students. The other song is Bakgala, which is about why shy people have difficulty expressing themselves in public. Attempts to get comments from Ditiro about rejoining the Matsieng group were futile as his cellphone was constantly off."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:Matsieng – Thulamela
dot2T Uploaded on Jun 7, 2008
One of the best Matsieng's rich lyrics are in abundance in this video.
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
khwanslay, 2008
"Oh I love this song. Can someone please tell me what he's singing about? I have been listening for like 20 times nonstop!! I'm from Tanzania."
**
khwanslay, 2008
"Oh I love this song. Can someone please tell me what he's singing about? I have been listening for like 20 times nonstop!! I'm from Tanzania."
**
Bobby Hotskull, 2008
"i love 4:26...the moonwalk!! lol"
-snip-
The "Moonwalk" dance step was popularized by African American Pop superstar Michael Jackson.
**
quietsparks1, 2013
"Batswana at their BEST."
**
Reply
warona Modiko, 2013
"IS ALL ABOUT HERITAGE."
**
Goaba Kerekang, 2013
"Nice.... Proud 2 be a motswana"
**
James Thomas, 2014
"Ditiro king of traditional music.....pls come back"
**
Cde Cakes, 2014
"are these people khoisan or atleast the leader?"
**
Reply
gale chax, 2014
"no they are just Batswana traditional dancers"
**
EFRANKS, 2014
"This song is so great, it is a song of circumcision in our tribe of bukusu land in eastern africa, kenya trans-nzioa district and bungoma, thank you tswane.
Translate please, waiting for your answers."
-snip-
I gather that EFRANKS means that this is used as a song of circumcision in his Kenyan tribe, not that the song necessarily has anything to do with circumcision.
**
Reply
Tebogo Mapugwi, 2014
Nyc song.. in a nut shell..Thulamela more like "Sleep" its uses Hidden Setswana..but its "fa senana se baba se batla se sengwe" ..means when you horny u want sex.."
-snip-
"Nyc" = a vernacular way of writing the English word "nice".
**
Reply
Mogapi Gobleman, 2014
"He want his friend to die so that he can remain with his concubines"
**
King T, 2014
"By the way, where are these guys - I mean the group as a whole? I must admit, Ditiro is just amazingly brilliant here..."
**
Tshephang Ratshipa, 2015
"The tradition has to be kept alive by doing what you best."
**
Odirile Marwane, 2015
"Nice song Thulamela eish i love this song......"
**
Tender Agents Support, 2016
"I grew up in South African closer to the Botswana border. I am venda but was introduced to the Tswana dance. Love it and its great. Cant wait to put on the attire and dance like that again. Love it so much."
**
Eric Kimandi, 2016
"mad love all the way from Kenya ..heard this group the first time around 3 years ago..don't know the words but man i danced with my kids like mad due to the similarity in rhythm to many community songs back here.."
**
Reply
Ditsapelo Mokibe, 2016
"bantu rythm!"
**
ntando Dube, 2016
"what is the meaning of the saying at 03:38?"
**
Reply
Dotty Mfolwe, 2016
"Theurus wa go swa ka sala ke ja di nyatsi tsa gagwe means when Theurus (i am guessing its his friend, he has an english name, english names are usually given to f---k* boys in botswana lol) passed away and i helped myself to all his girlfriends and lovers. i hope thats the part you wanted
-snip-
This word is fully spelled out in the comment. In the context of that sentence it might mean something like
"play mind games with the self-concept of males in Botswana.
**
Reply
Amellia Kenosi, 2016
"+Dotty Mfolwe its Myrus or mirus his name dear"
-snip-
"Myrus" may be a variant form of the somewhat familiar [in the English speaking world] name "Cyrus".
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Oh my GOD I love this song,even now as now I'm playing this song,lyrically rich let alone the phathisi dance.Ke Motswana gotswa Kwa Zeerust Dinokana(GOITSEMODIMO SEGAKWENG)JEEEEZ CAN'T GET ENOUGH ENOUGH OF THIS BOYZ.
ReplyDelete