How TikTok Is Popularizing South Africa's Gwijos: Gwijo Avenue's Viral 2022 Song "Cellular" (with lyrics & English translations)

Gwijo Avenue, Feb.2, 2022

Alexandra Stadium - located in Johannesburg, South Africa
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Stadium_(South_Africa)
-snip-
Total # of views as of  Nov. 13, 2022 at 10:44 AM ET = 748,517
Total # of views as of November 14, 2022at 8:47 AM ET =  749,406

"Cellular" = Cellular connection for mobile telephones (what people in the United States refer to as "cell phones")

"ishoooooo mntanami" in the title for this YouTube video = "say baby" [Xhosa "isho" & mntanami" = Xhosa word for "baby", "child" ]

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest update - Nov. 14, 2022

This

pancocojams post provides information about the meaning of the isiXhosa word "gwijo". This post presents some information about the gwijo group "Gwijo Avenue". This post also showcases the original YouTube video about Gwijo Avenue's 2022 viral gwijo entitled "Cellular" . This post also showcases a TikTok compilation of that gwijo.

Two YouTube examples of the gwijo "Cellular" are also included in this post along with those lyrics from those videos' captions. English translations of the words from Zulu and Sesotho are also included in this pancocojams post. This post also includes selected comments from the original Gwijo Avenue video. The content of this post is presented for cultural and entertainment purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to the Gwijo Avenue for their music and thanks to all those who are associated with those videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on gwijos*. Click the gwijos tag below for more pancocojams posts on this subject. -snip- DISCLAIMER: I am African American and unfortunately don't know any other languages but English. The English translations for the Xhosa and Sesotho words that are included in this post are from either Google translate or from https://africtionary.com. Additions and corrections for the content in this post are very welcome. ** The spelling "gwijos" ['gwijo" with an s" at the end] is an English language plural form of that Xhosa word." "AmaGwijo" is the Xhosa plural form for "igwijo" (gwijo) Although the word "gwijos" is incorrect in isiXhosa, I've seen it used in a number of YouTube discussion thread comments about a particular gwijo or about more than one gwijo. Consequently, I sometimes use the word "gwijos" in pancocojams posts on this subject. -snip-

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-do-xhosa-south-africa-words-gwijo.html for the 2021 pancocojams post entitled "What Do The Xhosa (South Africa) Words "Gwijo" And "AmaGwijo" Mean?"

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WHAT "GWIJO" MEANS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6FfYRNj_3M&ab_channel=GwijoSquad

Nov 23, 2020

..."Amagwijo is a particular Xhosa practice of collective singing deeply embedded in African culture. It takes the form of call and response (“I say something//You say something I hear you//You hear me. We’re in dialogue together”). Because Gwijo uses no instruments (other than the voice), it could be described as a cappella. For the amaXhosa people of South Africa, Gwijo songs have traditionally been sung to accompany weddings, funerals, initiations and other rites of passage and sacred moments.

Part of these songs’ potency resides in their being so cathartic across a range of human emotions: they can express joy, determination and victory, but also devastation. A Gwijo ‘performance’ can celebrate, protest, resist or reclaim. Ultimately though, it draws on the power of the collective to attain a kind of fierce grace, a coming together in intensity.

[...]

In South Africa, Gwijo is becoming pervasive at sporting events. It seems to have been born, at least partially, out of an instinct for harmonising discordant energies in the national history and culture. You see, sporting events in South Africa have a history of being segregated and racially charged.

Enter the Gwijo Squad, who turn up to rugby and cricket events to reclaim a sense of shared ownership and create safety. The Gwijo effect in stadiums fosters belonging, raises feel-good energy, and, ultimately imbues the sporting fixture with a sense of communal joy."...
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: 
Since 2019, loosely organized groups of Black South African males have been singing gwijos during South African sporting events. Some of these gwijos are traditional songs, or South African struggle songs (apartheid protest songs), or newly composed songs such as Gwijo Avenue's 2022 song "Cellular".   

Additions and corrections are welcome.

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INFORMATION ABOUT GWIJO AVENUE
[Added Nov. 14, 2022]

Gwijo Avenue is a gwijo singing group (young Black men) from Alexandra (Johannesburg), South Africa.Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra,_Gauteng for information about Alexandra.

Gwijo Avenue is also the name of the group's YouTube channel. That channel joined YouTube on Jul 26, 2021

Gwijo Avenue's first YouTube video is "Mzekezeke!," published on July 28,2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRAM3qzHnRU

Gwijo Avenue's February 2022 originally composed song "Cellular" went viral on YouTube shortly after its publication on YouTube.  Several TikTok challenge compilations helped that song gain a world wide audience who turned to YouTube to see and hear the complete song. 
The April 4, 2021 TikTok compilation that is given in this pancocojams post appears to be the earliest Tik Tol compilation of  Gwijo Avenue's "Cellular" that is reposted on YouTube.

"Cellular - Gwijo (Cred:pongolaJuventas)😭😭😭😭😭"is another YouTube video of a group of South African men singing Gwijo Avenue's "Cellular". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwsBp7fsY10

That video was published by SA Trend Line, March 29, 2021 and has 51,468 as of Nov. 14, 2022 at 10:57 AM ET   

As of this date (Nov. 14, 2022), Gwijo Avenue doesn't appear to have any recording contracts or any published records. However, if quality and YouTube/TikTok stats are criteria, those recording contracts and published records should certainly be Gwijo Avenue's immediate future.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Cellular" Gwijo 📱😂 (Gwijo Avenue Original) w/ Lyrics & Translations #uniqueGwijo

GwijoTube, Oct 18, 2022

What do South Africans sing about? Anything and everything it would seem... including cellular connection.

Since its release, this original gwijo (song) by Gwijo Avenue (please check out their channel) has been doing the rounds and going viral on many social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Now you can understand what they're saying.

Credits: Gwijo Avenue (YouTube / Tiktok)

Languages: isiZulu x SeSotho.
-snip-
Here are the lyrics and their English translations in italics (Both are given in captions in that video)

Hai wena, cellular
No man, cellular connection

Cellular, cellular, cellular

Hai wena, cellular
No man, cellular connection

Ong’gopotse, my baby, yhoo
You miss me, my baby

Hai wena, Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Cellular, cellular, cellular

Hai wena, cellular
No man, cellular connection

Cellular, ong’gopotsemoratuwa
Cellular, you make me miss/ remind me of my love

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Cellular,cellular, cellular [Repeat]

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Haa haa ha

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Yoh, yho, yoh

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Cellular,cellular, cellular

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection

Cellular, ong’gopotsemoratuwa
Cellular, you make me miss/ remind me of my love

Hai wena,Cellular (cellular)
No man, cellular connection
-snip-
Captions end at about 1:30 in this video although the video continues to 4:12. The singers repeat the lyrics that have already been given.

The GwijoTube channel provides gwijo videos, lyrics, and translations.

I'm not sure what "no man, cellular connection" means in standard American English.

My guess is that line means "Oh, man*. I lost my cellular connection. (My cell phone isn't working because it lost its cellular connection.)  *The words "Oh, man" are said with exasperation and/or anger. In that sense, the words Cellular, ong’gopotsemoratuwa mean "Cellular, you make me miss my love" (miss talking to my love, or miss phone calls from my love.)
-snip-
"Cellular - Gwijo (Cred:pongolaJuventas)😭😭😭😭😭"is another YouTube video of a group of South African men singing Gwijo Avenue's "Cellular". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwsBp7fsY10 . That video shows a group of football (soccer) players standing and singing outdoors. A comment from that YouTube video's discussion thread includes the repeated line in their version of "Cellular": " ring ring hello my baby". 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 : MUSIC LYRICS SA TRANSCRIPTION😂😂 

MUSIC LYRICS SA, Mar 18, 2022
-snip-
Here's the words that are given in captions for this same Gwijo Avenue video: [This is a slightly different transcription and translation from that given in Showcase Video #2.]

Hai wena
Hai wena
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Hai wena
Haibo!
Hei!
Yo!
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Hai wena
Ha!
Ha!
Hai
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Hai wena
Cellular
Cellular
Cellular
Hai wena cellular
Hai wena
Cellular
U Hopotse Moratiwa
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Hai wena cellular
Hai wena
Cellular
U Hopotse Moratiwa
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Hai wena cellular
Cellular
Cellular

-snip-
Here are the English translations for the South African words in this gwijo (from Google translate and https://africtionary.com [insert the word to be translated]

Additions and corrections are welcome 

Hai wena -  Zulu & Sotho -"Hey you" ; Xhosa - "Hi you"

Haibo - "an expression of surprise or shock (basically means wow), mostly used by Xhosa speaking people."

Hei! - Zulu, Xhosa, & Sotho = "Hey!"

U Hopotse Moratiwa - Sotho: “Remember You Beloved”

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 :  Cellular Most Liked TikTok challenges so far🔥🔥 @Gwijo Avenue

TIKTOK 7TRENDZ,  April 4, 2022
-snip-
total # of views as of10:01AmEt = 50, 721 

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR THIS SHOWCASE VIDEO

All of these comments are from 2022 and are given in chronological order with the oldest comments given first, except for replies*.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

*Full disclosure: I couldn't resist adding a reply that I wrote to this compilation.

1. Helena Kambongela
"😭❤😂🔥

A WHOLE HIT THIS ONE"

**
2. Ýõżæř M😎
"You killed it guys!!❤"

**
3. Thisisit World
"Jus arrived, all the way from the streets of tictok

These gents yooooh🙌🔥"

**
4. kgomotso boikanyo
"Tshepo🔥🔥"

**
Reply
5. P Ma Mbongwe
"Which one is Tshepo?"

**
Reply
6. Sarah Chabalala
" @P Ma Mbongwe  the one in a light blue shirt"
-snip-
In the comment given as #31 in this compilation and in some other YouTube comments that I've read, Tshepo is also called "Kool Musiq". He is often the lead singer for this Gwijo group.

**
7. jonathan
"this group is my favorite gwijo group😂❤❤"

**
Reply
8. Azizi Powell
"@jonathan, I agree. I'm an African American sister from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA & I'm binge watching videos of this group.  I love gwijos!!!

Is "Gwijo Avenue" the name of this gwijo group?

I think the group's name should be listed in the title of each video before the name of the song that is being showcased.  Also, it would be great if the names of each member of the group would be given in the summary of the videos.

Since gwijos are being introduced to the world via YouTube, TikTok, and other online sites, an increasing number of people aren't going to understand the words that gwijo groups sing.  It would also be great if the song lyrics in Xhosa or in other South African languages were included in these videos' summaries.. Those lyrics can then be translated into English and other languages that readers know.   

I think these suggestions would help spread gwijos to the world.

Peace and more power to you!"

**
9. Bianca Matty
"All the way from TikTok to come see the full video 😂 u the best guys ❤️❤️"

**
10. Logun Kuka
"For the love of tiktok we're accidentally here"

**
11. ShaquileMbongeni Mpofu
"Only those who didn't come from tiktok are worthy of liking this"

**
12. Mandy Malenzi
"Chaaaaai lead singer and the siren guy kkkkkk"

**
13. Bianca Matty
"All the way from TikTok to come see the full video 😂 u the best guys ❤️❤️"

**
14. Hyuri Salvador
"You guys sound like choir in church

 

Edit: 2:51 For those who are from TikTok"

**
15.  Dr CST
"I am waiting for a piano song from this"

**
16. Simbah M ™ The Designer
"This song should be recorded in Mapiano version"
-snip-
"Piano" and "mapiano" refer to the very popular contemporary South African genre of music called "amapiano". Amapiano has spread to other African nations and is sometimes  combined with Nigeria's Afrobeats music.

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17. Tshiamo Maphoto
"Cellular is now in my class everytime the teacher goes out its Cellular 😅🙀😀but they killed it"

**
18. Lykho.
"we singing it everywhere dankooooooooooo 😅thanksdocthanksdoc"

**
19. Lehlohonolo Khoaeane
"The guy with the black hat guys🙏🤝🥺he came out of nowhere and killed it❤️my no 1 song rn🤝his voice heals🤝"
-snip-
It would be awful if the names of these singers weren't recorded in the historical record. 

In their YouTube video entitled "Bamthathile Ubaby | The day we discovered Jomo the Raw Gem"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNqCUaBnxF0?v=GNqCUaBnxF0  Gwijo Avenue's members wear white tee shirts with their individual names. 

Based on a screen shot (around 3:34) in that video, I think that Nhlivo is the name of the lead singer who wore a black hat and a black and gold jacket in the original Gwijo Avenue video for their viral song "Cellular".

**
20. Hosia Mahlatsi
"South Africa is a wonderful country 🔥🔥☺️☺️♥️♥️

 I'm reminded of the best days (School Days) free period"

**
21. black X Tiger real
"Where ever I go at school tik Tok or anywhere I hear this song and I love it because we get to hear that the gwijo is getting bigger"

**
22. Thandi Kariko
"The guy in the black hat can sing gives me goosebumps 🇿🇦🇳🇦"

**
23. Lathitha
"South Africans a crazy bunch ❤️😂🇿🇦 we can sing about anything 😂😂😂😂"

**
24. abhinash ghale
"I don't hate tiktok because sometimes it leads us to this kind of gems..."

**
25. Yamete Kudasai
"Imagine this everywhere. People just vibing, singing, and enjoying rather than hating each other or waging wars. It'll be a hopeless dream, but i hope we can get there someday.

Nice voice guys! Keep it up! ☺️"

**
26. mbali mndebela
"That "ong'gopotsa ma baby yooooh"😍😍nvm the incorrect spelling, I'm zulu speaking Idk how to type sotho/pedi/tswana"

**
27. Mamanee Grace
"Tik tok brought me here,you killing it guys,keep it up"

**
28. Intamequ International
"Big thanks to the camera man

Wouldn’t want to miss this for the world 🌍"

**
29. Gift Musila
"Straight from tiktok to here😀😀"

**
Reply
30. Owen Masango
"The 40…50 second videos were not doing me justice 😎👌🏿👌🏿"

**
31. My Opinion
"Koolmuziq doing that ''huh huh'', even the camera man laughed. Eish."

**
30. Kalvin Kosha
"This 🔥. Hands down."

**
31. NTWANANO DEE NZIANE
"Cellular issa banger 🙌🏾🙌🏾💕💕💕💯💯💯🙌🏾🙌🏾😊😊😊"

**
32.  Monica Schmitz
"LOVE IT 💘 😻 💜"

**
33. Libokazi Mbandezelo
"yhoo guyz his song mhmmmm"

**
34. Luminathi Amkelorh
"Oooh you guys are amazing ♥️♥️♥️♥️and on 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥"

**
35. SabZz4life
"2:48 the one in the yellow cap did that🔥"

**
36. Samkelisiwe Prosperity Dlamini
"The guy in a black hat the moment he starts singing high turner🔥🔥🔥🔥❤️😭the goosebumps"

**
37.  Mpendulo Mdlalose (king)
"Love this song"

**
38. Olivia Naidoo
"Love this song , I can listen to this the whole day , Well done guys ❤️"

**
39. Nelisiwe Ngubane
"This is beautiful 😍😍😍"

**
40. Don _cashment
"Issa vibe ❤️"

**
41. BRIGITHA NDAMBU
"For the love of soccer ❤❤❤

Nothing will stop me from loving soccer 💥❤"

**
42.  Aaron Lamula
"honest, the guy wearing black and gold can sing 🔥🔥🔥😁"

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