Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents general information about "toyi toyi", a South African way of protest marching that is often accompanied by chanting and singing.
This post also presents specific information about the toyi toyi song entitled "Nantsi Mellow Yellow" and showcases several videos of that protest song.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and educational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have toyi toyied in the past and who still toyi toyi for righteous causes and thanks to the unknown composers of toyi toyi songs. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT TOYI TOYI
From
"For more than 40 years, black South Africans rejected the oppressive apartheid regime with non-violent protests, turning to music and dance. At the heart of this was a form of protest dance, the toyi-toyi, which to this day stands out as a powerful resistance against the status quo at protests and gatherings around the country.
The period of protest against the apartheid regime was
dubbed ‘the struggle’, and despite some of the deepest moments of hopelessness
and despair, it was a time punctuated by powerful music. Those leading the
battle against apartheid used music and dance to communicate a strong message,
unite people on the ground, and motivate them to keep pushing forward.
Music and dance as a form of protest
Even during some of the country’s most devastating protests,
when unarmed Africans were shot in cold blood, or often in the back, there was
a resilient spirit driven by song which lead iconic musician Hugh Masekela to
say: “We will go down in history as an army that spent a lot of time singing,
rather than fighting”.
Although some of this singing and dancing might have been
perceived as almost joyous – and certainly much of it by the likes of Masekela
was – there was an unmistakable rhythmic aggression to the toyi-toyi dance that
had the ability to strike fear into the hearts of the various apartheid-era
security forces trying to quell any unrest.
[…]
The power and efficacy of the dance was, and is,
multi-faceted. The rhythmic high-stepping movements, with loud stomping and
synchronous chants and singing, resembled a war dance of sorts. It was a clear
indication from protesters that they were not going to settle for anything less
than an overthrow of the status quo
[…]
A protest movement so deeply ingrained in the psyche of its
people will not disappear quickly, and in present day South Africa the
toyi-toyi is still common at protests. Although protesters may not be fighting
against a racist and oppressive regime today, toyi-toying is still used as a
way to unite against new issues, such as access to land, education, and other
basic human rights that have yet to reach parts of the country.
Even though the target of the toyi-toyi may have shifted,
the dance is still a powerful rallying cry. It is a true symbol of the triumph
of the spirit of South Africans pushing back in the face of adversity.”
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/toyi-toyi-south-african-protest-dance.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Toyi Toyi (South African protest dance) information &
videos". This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on Toyi Toyis. The link for Part II is included in that post.
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SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT "NANTSI MELLOW YELLOW" TOYI TOYI SONG
Excerpt #1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaJY8g4iIZ8
Toyi Toyi - Song, published by TV YABANTU, Mar 20, 2015
[This video can only be viewed on YouTube.]
Selected comments from the discussion thread of this embedded video. Numbers added for referencing purposes only
1. Seneca Forch, 2015
"What is the name of this song?"
**
Reply
2. Mbali Ntshingila, 2017
"Seneca Forch Mellow Yellow"
-snip-
Another commenter wrote that this was an ANC song.
**
3. Amelia Felix, 2017
"what beautiful voices .... this sound reminds me of watching
them toyi toyi down commissioner street
back in 1993"
**
4. kelvin buobi, 2021
"What does this song means,
: Nantsi Mellow Yellow ?"
**
Reply
5. Sibulele Solilo, 2022
"During apartheid, there was a police vehicle called the
Hippo it was yellow in colour whe the army and police were deployed in the
townships they used to go into the townships driving them. So saying nantsi
yellow mellow was a warning to the others that the police/army has arrived."
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English: Nantsi = "Here it is".
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Excerpt #2
From https://twitter.com/tjatjaragnative/status/410317365071843328
Tjatjarag Natives
@TjatjaragNative
"nantsi mellow yellow, tshisa, tshisa,
nantsizosdubula.." #MandelaMemorial
@AzaniaMatiwane
#SABCNews *crowds
singing*
Translate Tweet*
2:57 AM · Dec 10, 2013·Twitter for iPad
* "here is mellow yellow, hot, hot, nantsizosdubula .." #MandelaMemorial
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English: nantsizosdubula = here's
a shot
cmon lekota
@CLekota
Feb 8, 2020
Replying to
@TjatjaragNative
and
@AzaniaMatiwane
-snip-
This tweet consists of a photograph of the mellow yellow vehicle that was used by the South African government in response to apartheid protests.
ADDITIONAL YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF THE SONG "NANTSI MELLOW YELLOW"
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2:
Gwijo Avenue, May 6,
2022
-snip-
In this video, "Nantsi Mellow Yellow" is sung as a gwijo. Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Eugen Mathebula, 2022
"Gwijo 🔥🔥🔥"
**
2. Branchboiiz_backsquad15_ Tree Clan, 2022
"Can you sing like it is originally and not add spice to it
please 🥺👍"
**
Reply
3. Thembi Mdolo, 2022
"We want the spices. We enjoy them"
**
4. PK Special, 2022
"You guys just took me back to 1976 The Massacre in
Starpville ✊"
-snip-
Here's information gwijos from https://www.jeremydetolly.com/blog/ep39
-snip-
Since 2019, groups of Black South Africans sports fans have begun singing gwijos at ruby and football (soccer) games. Many of these gwijos are toyi toyi songs.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/09/online-information-about-south-african.html for a 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Online Information About South African Amagwijos ("Gwijos")".
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: PAC Struggle Songs - Mellow Yellow
Thando 'Moziah' Sipuye,
PAC Commemoration of June 16 Soweto Students Uprising
organized by Karl Zimbiri Wizza Military Camp, featuring the OUR STORY
exhibition. Held on 16 June 2020 in Soweto.
-snip-
Here's an excerpt about the June 16 Sowet Students Uprising from https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/june-16-soweto-youth-uprising
..."When the language of Afrikaans alongside English was made compulsory as a medium of instruction in schools in 1974, black students began mobilizing themselves. On 16 June 1976 between 3000 and 10 000 students mobilized by the South African Students Movement's Action Committee supported by the BCM marched peacefully to demonstrate and protest against the government’s directive. The march was meant to culminate at a rally in Orlando Stadium.
On their pathway they were met by heavily armed police who fired teargas and later live ammunition on demonstrating students. This resulted in a widespread revolt that turned into an uprising against the government. While the uprising began in Soweto, it spread across the country and carried on until the following year.
The aftermath of the events of June 16 1976 had dire consequences for the Apartheid government. Images of the police firing on peacefully demonstrating students led an international revulsion against South Africa as its brutality was exposed. Meanwhile, the weakened and exiled liberation movements received new recruits fleeing political persecution at home giving impetus to the struggle against Apartheid. "...
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