The South African Gwijo "Thina Siyazalana" ("Mtaka Mama") With Lyrics & English Translations

Edited by Azizi Powell

Update: September 5, 2020

This pancocojams post showcases several YouTube videos of the South African song  "Thina Siyazalana" ("Mtaka Mama").

YouTube features a video of South African soldiers singing this song in a camp. Several other YouTube videos showcase the South African gwijo* "Thina Siyazalana" being by South African students.

*From https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/fan-park/update/ten-words-from-mzansi-s-football-dictionary/304884#:~:text=%E2%80%9DIgwijo%E2%80%9D%20or%20%E2%80%9CAmagwijo%E2%80%9D,dressing%20rooms%20just%20before%20games. Ten Words From Mzansi's Football Dictionary, by Captain Alzheimers, Jun 2, 2016

"Igwijo” or “Amagwijo”

The words simply means ‘song.’ Those are the songs sung in stadiums by fans and by players in dressing rooms just before games.. "
-snip-
"Amagwijo" ("igwijo", "gwijo" are imaXhosa words).

Comments about the lyrics for this song are included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/10/information-about-videos-about-south.html "Information About & Videos About South Africans' Gwijo Songs (Songs Sung During Rugby Games & Cricket Games)" for Part I of a pancocojams series on gwijo songs. Part II of that series features the video that is given as Example #1 and another copy of the same video that is given as Example #2 in this post.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: South African Soldiers Singing in Camp



laughter.mr, Jun 1, 2018

South African Soldiers Singing in Camp
-snip-
Here's a few comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. DECEMBER IV, 2018
"Ndikhumbula abazali,ndikhumbula abazali bam
Umama ulele
Khanibize noba ngu mama
Thina siyazalana nobu ngandzonda nzok niku thando
Ngiba ngak cabanga
-snip-
Here's the Google translate translation from Xhosa to English: (additions and corrections are very welcome)
"I miss parents, I miss my parents
The mother is asleep
Call her mom
We are related to this and hate to love
I think"

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2. Bevan Nel, 2019
"What are the words to this chant? Absolutely brilliant!"

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REPLY
5. Mivuyo Marawuu, 2019
"(Loose Translation)
Guy Leading The Song:
Ndikhumbula Abazali
'I Miss My Parents'
Hayi Bambulele
'They Killed Him.'
Kanibize Noba Ngumama
'Please Atleast Call My Mother.'
Ndisemzini weGxagxa
' I'm In Prison'

Siyazalana
'We Are Related.'
Noba ungandizonda Ndizokunika uThando
' Even If You Hate Me ,I Will Show/Give You Love.'

Mama Kanomzizi
'Nomzizi's Mother.'😅
NdingenaMama NdingenaTata
'I Didn't Have A Mother Nor A Father.'
Siyazalana Mama
' We Are Related.'
Mntakamama
'My Sibling.'

The Guys Following:
Zumpee, Mntakamama , Zumpee Hay, Zumpe Hayi, Mntakamama.

Doesn't Make Fluid Sense Without Understand The Background Of The Story."

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Example #2: Queens college -Mtaka Mama 🔥🔥



Amagwijo Collection, Feb 13, 2019

Amagwijo Collection is a channel that is dedicated to embracing "amagwijo" songs
-snip-
Here's some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. macdonald sebotlhelo, 2019
"I love this song can someone help with the lyrics all i can pick up is siyazalana that's it"

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REPLY
2. Mahle Mpungose, 2019
"Thina siyazalana mama
Zumpeee mtaka mama
Zumpeya ofikizolo mtaka mama
Helelelele
Zumpeee
Mtaka mama
Zumpeya
Ofikizolo mtaka mama"

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Example #3: Mntaka Mama (Thina Siyazalana)



Tumi Tucha, May 4, 2019

Group of school boys singing this awesome gwijo.
-snip-
I'm not sure which South African school this is. One commenter wrote "St stithians college" and another commenter wrote "St. Albans college in Pretoria". 

Update: Anonymous June 23, 2020 at 7:09 AM wrote in this pancocojams post that this was St. Albans college. Anonymous also wrote that in South Africa "college  is a high school for 13-18 year olds."Thanks Anonymous! 

 In the United States that age range would generally conform to the age range for students in the last year of middle school to the last year of high school (from 8th grade through 12th grade), or the age range for all four years of high school (9th grade through 12th grade). After graduating high school in the USA, some students would then go to college/university. (In the USA, a college is a post-graduate educational institution that is smaller than a university.) 

Here's some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Devon Kirby, 2019
"Someone please post the words to this, I'm English and want to learn. It's my favorite gwijo song"

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REPLY
2. ZAMANI MTHEMBUm 2019
"Thina siyazalana mama
zupeeeeee
mntakamama
zupeee yaaah
ufik izolo umntakamama"

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Example #4: St Stithians Boys College Gwijo - Thina Siyazalana🔥



Malume Wax, Premiered Jun 23, 2021 -snip-
This video has no comments as of Nov. 18, 2022
 
Here are some comments from the discussion thread of a YouTube video of this gwijo by St Stithians Boys College  (published by Mr Robot, June 2, 2019. That video is no longer available.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only

1. Gera Nini, 2019
"Sigcwele ngabelungu kaloku esaskolo , so this version of the gwijo doesn't have the vibe and beauty as  it would've had if it was mostly abantu abamnyama pha ."
-snip-
Google translate from Zulu to English:
"Sigcwele ngabelungu kaloku esaskoloIt's full of white people at school"
"abantu abamnyama pha" ="black people here"

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2. Simnikiwe Belu, 2019

"Queens kill it!!!! this version is overrated!!!! just wish Queens can clapback!!!"
-snip-
Queens is another South African college. View Video #2 above.

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3. macdonald sebotlhelo, 2019
"Please help with the lyrics all i can pick up is siyazalana"

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REPLY
4. Thapelo Tlhale, 2019
"Thina siyazalana Ma

 Zooooompeeeeee, mnta ka mama

Zooooompeeeeeeha, ufikezolo, mnta ka mama"

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REPLY
5. Gryder Zl, 2020
"Thina siyazalana ma : we are siblings

Zumeka mtana kama: fall asleep child of my mom

Ufike izolo umtana ka ma: he/she arrived yesterday, the child of my mom.

There is no perfect translation, that's the best way grammatically i can translate it to u without losing the melody.

It probably won't make sense in English due to culture."

It's more of a simple brethren song of viewing others as brothers or family.

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6. lwazi juta, 2019
"They forgot what I gwijo is... Busy here is composing and ish.. QUEENS COLLEGE... any day... You don't practice igwijo... Ii lapha kuwe"

-snip-
Google translate from Zulu to English
"Ii lapha kuwe" ="It's here for you"

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7. Pakamani Ndwandwa, 2020
"What in the mamamia is this... This is utter disrespect to igwijo... This is flippen choral music not igwijo. An absolute wast of data, watching these boys reduce the spirit of igwijo."

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8. Nkosi Zulu, 2020
"Gwijo shouldn't be rehearsed and preformed.  Even the clapping was rehearsed 😴boring"

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9.  Zikhona Nkabi, 2020
"Also for such songs, imigwijo there are no lyrics. The beauty of these songs they were sang from the heart & free hand. It’s never planned. It’s really just a repetition of one line."

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