The Kennedy Center, Oct. 9, 2013
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a four part 2024 pancocojams series on the song "Funga Alafia".
This post showcases a YouTube video of African American dancer Nana Malaya Rucker and two djembe drummers performing "Funga Alafia". Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are included in that post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-real-origin-of-song-funga-alafia_26.html for Part I of this 2024 pancocojams series. That post is a complete reprint of my 2019 pancocojams post entitled "The REAL Origin Of The Song "Funga Alafia" - Hint: It Isn't A Liberian Song, Or A Nigerian Song, Or A Traditional African Song."
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/what-is-origin-of-word-funga-in-song.html for Part III of this 2024 pancocojams series. That post presents information about the word "funga" and "fanga". That post also presents all of the visitor comments and my replies from the 2019 pancocojams series about the song "Funga Alafia".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/five-youtube-videos-of-fanga-dance.html for Part V of this pancocojams series. That post showcases five YouTube performances of the Fanga dance in the United States.
The content of this post is presented for historical,
folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who have sung "Funga
Alafia" since that song was composed by LaRoque Bey in 1959 or 1960s in New York City. Thanks to all those who featured in this video and thanks to publisher of this showcase video on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are
quoted in this post.
-snip-
*That 2019 post about "Funga Alafia" also consists
of three posts. The links for each of those 2019 posts are given in Part III of
the 2024 pancocojams series.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTegkMJq15M
This compilation includes two comments that I added to that discussion thread as well as a few brief notes that I've added after certain comments. Those notes aren't published in that discussion thread.
Numbers are added for referencing for referencing purposes only.
2014
1. @LeviPlayinMinecraft
"amazing african song"
-snip-
"Funga Alafia" was actually composed by an African American drummer named LaRoque Bey in 1959 or 1960. Read more about this in Part I of this pancocojams series.
****
2015
2. @xbox6886
"saw this in 8th grade. 1994. Still
remember this"
**
3. @jfortheday7793
"I sang this yesterday and I love this
song I can’t get it out of my head"
**
4. Jimi Cyber, 2015
"Pearl Primus, (1919-1994),the anthropologist and
choreographer of African dance introduced Funga to the USA. "Movements and
gestures are a language as Ms. Primus spoke the dance story." Quote from
Dr. DeAma Battle of Art of Black Dance and Music."
**
Reply
5. Malaya Rucker-Oparabea, 2017
"I DANCED AND TOURED WITH MS PEARL PRIMUS!!!"
**
Reply
6. Susan Kennedy, 2018
"Jimi and Malaya,I have always had great respect for
Ms. Primus. Not many know about her, more people know about Ms. Dunham. I got
burned out about this song in the elementary music teaching circles, but
remembering that Ms. Primus introduced Funga to the US brings back its
relevance for me. Thank you!"
"We had to sing this at school."
**
Reply
8. @rebeccaelliff4927
"Yeah"
**
Reply
9. @sodacanfactory, 2017
"Dani Yusuf i need to do this on tuesday so your not the only
one"
Reply
10.
"Same. It’s stuck in my head"
**
Reply
11. @mikeg7062, 2017
"You GET to sing this at school :)"
**
Reply
12. @tonicombs7242, 2020
"It’s a right of passage"
**
Reply
13. @youtubekings3853, 2021
"wow, Americans need to sing this at school as well? I didn't
know. BTW I am Singaporean"
Reply
14. @mikeg7062, 2021
"
Reply
15. @alysaidarivera6338, 2021
"
Reply
16. @joaogabrielguerra2598, 2021
"
**
Reply
17. @TheRealJahCapone, 2021
"That childhood memory brought me to this video , glad I
wasn’t the only one"
Reply
18. @michaelcavada9489, 2021
"
**
Reply
19. @ΑποστόληςΜπάκας, 2021
"Greece **same before some years"
-snip-
This is how this comment is written.
**
Reply
20. @katygillie1055, 2021
"Learned this in Middle school in Kansas City! Totally
thought the teacher just made it up,
never knew what it meant 😂
**
Reply
21. @morganstewart3558, 2023
"Me too! Fifth grade Christmas concert ❤🎄"
**
Reply
22. @vibrationalresonance, 2023
"I'm on my dad's phone I had to do this
today"
**
Reply
23. @maladaa9990, 2023
" @liquidjellybeans657 Same I’m from
Macau and I remember singing this at kindergarten like 11 or 12 years ago, I’m
16 now and still remember the lyrics"
**
Reply
24. @Twdfan11, 2024
"We do it for a concert on the 23rd"
**
Reply
25. @halodiablo7268, 2024
"Same here 12 years ago 😂 ms
cannon 5th grade"
**
26. @SeanPerkins05
"we learned this in music class on the
drums"
**
Reply
27. @acesilva495, 2020
"Yep low high low keep the rhythm going"
**
Reply
28. @longliveliljay1670
"Same 5th grade in music class now I'm 19
i miss elementary and high school so much I missed so many chances and
opportunities and didnt make the best of it. Over protective parents I didnt
get to live the full high school experience, made many mistakes, got involved in the wrong
things, God how I wish I can go back in time and make everything right as well
as live thru it again. Those were the best years of my life. The memories are
endless and I can write many books on just the memories alone."
****
2016
29. Azizi Powell, 2016
"Alafia, Nana Malaya!
I'm glad that I happened upon this video of your and your
drummers' performance of "Funga Alafia".
I'm proud to know you.
Here's some information about this multifaceted dancer, choreographer, speaker, teacher, and entrepreneur:
Nana Malaya is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of her children is movie and television actor Lamman Rucker.
The poem "I Am the Original Dance Machine" (3:20 in this video) was written by New York City dancer/choreographer Bob Johnson, who also lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and in 1969/1970 was the founder of the Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble. Nana Malaya was a member of this esteemed dance company.
Ase, Nana Malaya!"
**
30. @kruisesimon
"I only searched this song because it was
in my violin book and I know how to play it on my violin"
**
31. @victoriathomas1402
"I sing this song in honer choir."
****
2017
32. Mattdog2020
"We had a huge group of African people come and do this
at my school 20 years ago."
**
33. @johara3333
"I remember this from Kwanza"
**
34. @stephanandashaelyles2716
"My name... Same pronunciation but
different spelling Ashae💙💜💚💛"
****
2018
35. @nightshiin78
"Black people would come to our school
ans sing that"
**
36. @rachelfenger7151
"We have to sing this in Choir, We have
to dance with scarves and sing. My music teacher today literally said I want to
hear those slaps and claps"
**
37. @PicklesBNuts
"My 5 year old came home singing ' Funga I love ya Ashay
Ashay' lol. We worked out this is the song he is singing! Love it, thank you x
**
38. @nicolattigalaxy6108
"On my graduation day,some of our schools
students need to sing this,we had a practice today,all the other students sang
along and a few laughed...😅I don't understand why they thought this was
funny,it's also very catchy."
**
39. @ivyhuertas1933
"I remember singing this song in second
grade. Mind you I was the only white skinned student in that school"
**
40. @SunnyMackey
"We spent almost 2 years on this song at
school. Not necessarily learning it, just adding new parts and repeating it"
**
41. @egotisicalbladeeenjoyer
"I am Nigerian and my school never sang
our songs 😣😥😤 Only American"
-snip-
I'm wondering if this commenter is lamenting the fact that he or she never learned "Funga Alafia" since that Nigerian school only sang American songs. Ironically, "Funga Alafia" IS an American song (i.e. a song that was composed by an American. Read the following question (#42) and my reply (#44).
**
42. okallixti5065
"what's the origin of this song? is it in
Yoruba? thank you"
-snip-
"Yoruba" is a traditional Nigerian language.
**
Reply
43, @dancinsagittarius
"okallixti Nigerian origin."
**
Reply
44. @azizip171, 2020
"@dancinsagittarius & @okallixti, The song that is known as
"Funga Alafia" isn't a Nigerian song. Here's some basic information
about the song "Funga Alafia":
1. The song "Funga Alafia" was
composed by African American drummer and dancer LaRocque Bey in Harlem (New
York City) in 1959 or 1960.
2. The word "funga" is a folk processed form of the Vai (Liberia, West Africa) word "fanga".
3. The words "alafia" and "ashe" are from the Yoruba (Nigeria, West Africa) language.
4. The tune for the song "Funga Alafia" is from the American folk song "Little Liza Jane".
For more information, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-real-origin-of-song-funga-alafia.html
-snip-
That link leads to the 2019 version of Part I of this 2024 pancocojams series.
****
2019
45. Bluegirl12865 MSP
"is it sad that I think I’m the only that had to sing
this recently when I’m in 6th grade because all the comments I see are about
those peoples singing it in elementary? :/
**
46. @sybriabey6118
"We had a show 2 days ago and they played this song at our
school"
**
47. @sophie9870
"My music teacher makes my whole class do
this on xylophone and with sticks"
**
48. @tiredpeaches
"I remember having to learn this song and
then later our entire grade hade to sing it in front of the rest of the school"
**
49. @ncg8224
"This was at school back on 2010"
**
50. @higher3me
"I learned this in Philadelphia in school
when I was a young girl 😂😂😂"
**
51. @Brooklyn-xc2ig
"i whatched this in music class"
**
52. @felipereyes5518
"I learned to play this song on a ukulele
in music class"
**
53. @feliciacorso6620
"My son just performed this with his
kindergarten class yesterday. I’m so glad they are still teaching this in
schools."
**
54. @malachigrey4895
"I sang this at school in 1st or 2nd
grade, I am 20 years old and it's still stuck in my head LMAO"
**
55. @topmemes7925
"In my German school a black man sing that in a church 😂"
****
2020
56. @StreetHierarchy
"EVERYBODY had to sing this song in elementary school. At
least if you went to school in the 90s."
57. @tashachilds4971
"
58. @joshuaknight8257
"We had a traveling group come to our
elementary school in NC USA 32 years ago and I still remember this like it was
yesterday"
**
59. @kylefer
"Bless these people came to my school in
1997 and performed. Amazing they are
still doing this."
**
60. @baui2257
"At my school too! I'm from the
Philippines"
**
61. @maddieme8590
"We have to learn this song is music
right now 2020"
**
Reply
62. @maddieme8590
"5th grade"
**
63. @Mi-Zai
"I watched this in school today it’s so
funny XD"
**
64. @Thatssosade
"I remember singing this at school my
friends were disrespectful saying funga Alafia your feet ashy ashy😕"
**
65. @carlotemplo5281
"It seems that this was/is a universal
standard in elementary music classes all over the world.
Also fun fact: Malaya translates as free
in Filipino. Not in the monetary sense like free food we have another word for
that but freedom as a concept like free from sorrow for example."
****
2021
66. @earlylearningfitnessacadem2154
"We sang this in Elementary school late
80's early 90's in North Carolina! The words were a little different. We
performed it with African dances. I was humming this today and Google led me
here.
**
Reply
67. @joewhan11, 2024
"I'm from north Carolina and yes they
came out and we sung this in elementary school in the 90s."
**
68. @elinachen6224
"I sang this at school Cornwall
elementary school lee rd I love this song this is in africa"
**
69. @dariusrice
"I see a lot of comments about school,
didn’t know it was this common.. played the African drums 4-8th grade"
**
70. @rorygustin5156
"We had to learn this in middle school.
Music class, 1998 I think. Lol"
**
71. @amandaggogo
"I remember learning this from a speaker
at my local library one day and my brother and I still sing it to this day. ❤️"
**
72. @PaulCashman
"I've performed this countless times on
the djembe at drum-circles. Nice to see
it on the Kennedy Center stage!"
**
73. @nightmare-nightmarenightma1147
"I feel so old. My entire grade had to
learn this in the first grade nearly 20 years ago."
****
2022
74. @linaluv215
"Did anybody go to Cooke Middle School?
Lmao I remember going to a college field
trip where we learned this and the dance. On the school bus ride back home, one
of my friends did a beat on the back of the leather school bus seat and the
whole bus sang this in hip hop form 🤣🤣 we remixed it, and had
the whole bus lit. Omg I will never forget that moment. That was like 17 years
ago. Good memories."
**
75. @lucialight6096
"OMG y’all don’t understand how long I’ve
been looking for this song. And I use to catch myself singing this song. I was
in elementary when I learned it, and of course I use to mix up the words but I
remember the “Ashe Ashe” part"
**
76. @donnyjackson1309
"It was 1985 Chicago. My dad decided to
put the family in a new direction. I know this song and origin front to back."
**
77. @kali8968
"These people came to Astoria projects in
queens New York long time ago I remember that “chant” I’m 39 now I was maybe 5
or 6☺️☺️"
**
78. @iamyanadotcom
"I learned this is 1st grade from my
music teacher Mrs. Anderson. That woman introduced me to the music inside of
me. Changed my life forever. Thank you, Ancestors. Asé. 💛"
**
79. @h.b.2003
"I learned this in the early 90s at a
camp. It's been so long since I've heard it! Wow. My soul is happy"
**
80. @Amocoru
"I always wondered where this song came
from. I remember singing this in my seventh grade chorus class and I still get
it stuck in my head sometimes. I spent the day as a 39 year old man trying to
figure out how I'm walking around singing Funga alafia and why. Now I know."
****
2023
81. @SonoranVibes
"At my (community neighborhood )after
school program program, I would sing this song with me and it NEVER left me.
This was when I was 10 years old. I am now 32. & I’m now learning about the
Orishas and their importance. As a Christian. I am questioning a lot."
**
82. @lovechild519
"EXCELLENT performance Nana Malaya‼️ Keep
making our people proud❣️🙏🏾😁💯💃🏾"
****
2024
83. @pineapplequeen13
"Like a ton of other commenters, I
learned this when I was super young in school, but it never left my head. The
song is such a sweet message transcending language and culture, and the
performance here is wonderful!"
**
84. @-Kidist
"when i was in first grade my class would
sing this to anyone that walked in the classroom as a greeting i loved it"
**
85. @JaeChanel116
"Okay, so I will be 40 years old this
year and I remember singing this in elementary school. Wow! Thank God for
Google. Now I just need a translation to know what I was singing"
**
86. @courtneylu7518
"We learned a whole dance and this song in summer camp ❤"
**
87. @loganstacer
"I heard this for the first time in first
or second grade. I’m 28 years old now and this song has been stuck in my head
almost my whole life but I never thought to look it up because I never even
knew what they were saying. Glad I could find this now and can have it stuck in
my head for the rest of my life"
**
88. @ThandokaziMeneArcher
"Have to sing this song for my
kindergarten kids in China this coming weekend 😂😊"
**
89. @dstrong11
"When we had the Real singers come in
from West Africa and sing this it was so spiritual!! ❤"
**
90. @cg-ny9078
"I learned this in elementary school in
the 80s, New York City! Anyone else?"
**
91. @patrickrichardson2518
"I still remember this (the song, not
this specific performance) from some random week in preschool...circa 1988 -
1989."
****
This concludes Part II of this four part 2024 pancocojams series.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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