Latest Update: April 2, 2022
This pancocojams post showcases examples and lyrics of the anti-apartheid song "Senzeni Na?".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT SENZENI NA
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senzeni_Na%3F
"“Senzeni Na?” (also spelled Senzenina, English: What Have We Done?)[1] is a South African anti‐apartheid folk song. The Xhosa/Zulu language song is commonly sung at funerals, demonstrations and in churches.[1][2] Activist Duma Ndlovu compared the influence of “Senzeni Na?” to that of the American protest song, “We Shall Overcome.”[3]
The song has been around at least since the 1950s, and it reached the height of its popularity during the 1980s.[1] The origins of the song are unclear. Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi claims to have written “Senzeni Na?” on the day that activist Chris Hani died.[4] However, Nyathi’s “Senzeni Na?” uses a different melody and altered lyrics. Either way, Hani was assassinated on April 10, 1993, by which time the song had already been sung for decades."
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UPDATE: April 7, 2019 [This is a revised version of that some Wikipedia page that I retrieved on April 7, 2019
"Senzeni Na?" (also spelled Senzenina, English: What Have We Done?)[1] is a South African anti‐apartheid folk song. The Xhosa and Zulu language song is commonly sung at funerals, demonstrations and in churches.[1][2] Activist Duma Ndlovu compared the influence of "Senzeni Na?" to that of the American protest song, "We Shall Overcome."[3]
The song has been around at least since the 1950s, and it reached the height of its popularity during the 1980s.[1] The origins of the song are unclear. Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi wrote a song by the same title, "Senzeni Na?" on the day that activist Chris Hani died.[4]
The song was among several songs of a more mournful nature that became popular among anti-apartheid activists in the 1960s. The song repeats the line "What have we done" a number of times, which musician Sibongile Khumalo has described as giving the listener a sense of desolation.[5]....
Lyrics
There does not seem to be one universally agreed on set of lyrics. Below are two versions, the bottom one being the more aggressive of the two:
IsiXhosa/IsiZulu original[6]
Senzeni na?
Sono sethu, ubumnyama?
Sono sethu yinyaniso?
Sibulawayo
Mayibuye i Africa
English translation[6]
What have we done?
Our sin is that we are black?
Our sin is the truth
They are killing us
Let Africa return
IsiXhosa/IsiZulu original[7]
Senzeni na senzeni na
Senzeni na senzeni na
Senzeni na senzeni na
Senzeni na kulomhlaba?
Amabhunu azizinja
Amabhunu azizinja
Amabhunu azizinja
Amabhunu azizinja
Kuyisono 'kubamnyama
Kuyisono 'kubamnyama
Kuyisono 'kubamnyama
Kuyisono kulelizwe
English translation[7]
What have we done, what have we done?
What have we done, what have we done?
What have we done, what have we done?
What have we done in this country (world)?
Boers are dogs
Boers are dogs
Boers are dogs
Boers are dogs
It's a sin to be black
It's a sin to be black
It's a sin to be black
It's a sin in this country (world)
Appearances in the Western world
While best known in South Africa, "Senzeni Na?" has gained some popularity overseas. The song was featured in the anti‐apartheid film The Power of One[8] as well as during the opening credits of the film In My Country, and a recording of the song as sung at the funeral of Steve Biko can be heard at the end of the album version of "Biko" by Peter Gabriel.[9] The music was used for an adaptation of the hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" by Isaac Watts in the Mennonite Hymnal: A Worship Book.[10]"...
snip-
Here's another set of lyrics/translations for this song from http://www.omniglot.com/songs/african/zulu.php
"This is a protest song from the days of Apartheid in South Africa."
Senzeni na?
What have we done?
Sono sethu, ubumyama?
Our sin is that we are black?
Sono sethu yinyaniso?
Our sin is the truth
Sibulawayo
They are killing us
Mayibuye i Africa
Let Africa return
-snip-
This page contains a link to a recording of this song which is "combined with the traditional Welsh hymn, Trig gyda mi, which has almost the same tune (Bangor Community Choir)"
Other lyrics for this song are given in comments to the videos found below.
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FEATURED VIDEOS
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
Example #1: NELSON MANDELA, TRIBUTE. SENZENINA, BY DIANA BELLONE
Diana Bellone, April 12, 2009
-snip-
The video that was originally given as Example #1 is no longer available. Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread. The comment was written in response to the question "What is the complete English translation of the song? I want to know what she is crying about."
"Ndebele: Senzeni na? (What did we do?)
Ndebele: Soneni na? (What sin have we commited?)
Shona: Tatadzeyi ko? (What have we done wrong?)
Girl (Ndebele): Bang'thathel' ubaba wam' (They took my father from me)
Girl (Ndebele): Ngilahlekelwe mina (*this literally means* I've lost someone *meaning they died*
Watching this video as a child always made me cry cause it upset me to see other people cry --> now i kno the meaning behind it...I still want to cry :'(
-"Zee Zamar Mabuza, 2010
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Example #2: King Kaka - Senzenina Ft RedFourth Chorus. (Official Music Video)
King Kaka,
Senzenina , a South African Folk Song.
Produced By Filah/RedFourth
Song Direction By King Kaka
Directed By J. Blessing
Visual Concept By King Kaka & J Blessing
A Special Thanks To Link Global
A Kaka Empire Presentation 2017.
Example #3: "Senzenina" by Cape Town Youth Choir (formerly Pro Cantu Youth Choir) / soloist : Monde Mdingi
Guillaume Muller, Uploaded on Aug 14, 2010
Festival du Cap 2010
"Senzenina" by Cape Town Youth Choir (formerly Pro Cantu Youth Choir) / Cape Town / soloist : Monde Mdingi
Lyrics: " Senzenina /Sohlangana ezulwini"
Translation: "What have we done / we shall meet in heaven"
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Example #4: Senzenina - The Power of One
Judy Mariano, Published on Jan 22, 2012
In my opinion, this is the best version of this song. From the movie "The Power of One", music by Hans Zimmer.
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_One_(film)
"The Power of One is a 1992 dramatic [American] film based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Bryce Courtenay. Set in South Africa during the '30s and '40s, the film centers on the life of Peter Philip 'Peekay or PK' Kenneth-Keith (Guy Witcher), a young English boy raised during the apartheid era, and his relationship with a German pianist, a black prisoner who is a boxing coach, and a romantic interest, who is of Afrikaner descent."
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Visitor comments are welcome.
I have a questions concerning cultural appropriation and sensitivity to other cultures.I am a member of a small activist choir, and we sing songs from many cultural traditions. We are mostly white and have no black members. Would you consider it insensitive for us to sing this song?
ReplyDeleteHello, Unknown. Thanks for your question. This is the second version of my response to your question as I wanted to be clearer about my response.
DeleteFirst let me say that I believe that it's wonderful that your choir is interested in learning about and singing songs from many cultures and I love that this provides opportunities to introduce your audiences to these cultures and these songs.
That said, I think that choirs (made up of any race/races or ethnicities) should be sensitive to these points
- Does the song have any racial, cultural, ethnic stereotypes content
-or could the song be interpreted as being racially stereotypical content because of the way it is sung (for instance, I believe that singing African American Spirituals without converting most of the 19th century "Black dialect" is problematic as many of those words are no longer used and convey negative connotations about Black people.)*
- does the song promote one race/ethnic group etc over another/others.
-does the choir really know what the song is saying (i.e. have the correct translation for song from other cultures) If not, the choir might be singing something that isn't appropriate. The again, some actual translations aren't known or agreed upon and the choir can indicate that in their introductions to that song.
Furthermore, I think that some songs from the choirs' culture and/or from other cultures might be sung depending on the audience if their historical background is explained. "Sesenina" may be one of those songs.
For instance, some English translations of the South African song "Sezenina" are "What have we done?
[Is] Our sin that we are black? "
It seems to me that a choir with no Black members could sing this song as the singers are voicing what Black people said. However, I would be more concerned with the choir singing the lines "Boers are dogs".
I hope this helps. Best wishes!
*Here's a pancocojams post about my concerns about any choir (including choirs with all Black members or any Black member) singing African American Spirituals with 19th century "Black" dialect: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/why-i-dont-like-use-of-19th-century.html