Hyperlinks For Pancocojams Posts About Christmas, Kwanzaa, Or Junkanoo (2012-2025)

Compiled by Azizi Powell, Pancocojams Editor

This pancocojams post provides links to posts that were published on this blog from 2012-2025 about the holidays of Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Junkanoo. One of the posts about Christmas also includes information about the antebellum African American custom of "kunering". 

Publishing these links in one post makes it easier for me- and hopefully you - to enjoy these posts again. Publishing these links also provide opportunities for you to check out some posts that you might have missed.
-snip-
This is an update of a pancocojams post that was published in 2020. That post doesn't have any comments as of December 12, 2025

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PANCOCOJAMS LINKS ABOUT CHRISTMAS

African American Christmas Songs About Naming Jesus (videos & lyrics)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/black-christmas-songs-about-naming.html

Dec. 20, 2012

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Ma Ma, Bake That Johnny Cake, Christmas Comin’ (examples & lyrics)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/mama-bake-that-johnny-cake-christmas.html

Dec. 20, 2013

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How Black Americans Celebrated Christmas In The Antebellum South

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-black-americans-celebrated.html

December 21, 2016
-snip-
This post also includes information about the antebellum custom of "kunering" which is related to Caribbean Jonkanoo customs.

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Singing Extra Lyrics For "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/documenting-when-people-sung-extra.html

Dec. 20, 2017

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Examples Of The "Batman's In The Kitchen" Verse In "Jingle Bells Batman Smells" Rhymes

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/examples-of-questions-about-batmans-in.html

Dec. 1, 2018

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Non-Racist Examples Of The Children's Parody Song "Jingle Bells Shotgun Shells"

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/non-racist-examples-of-childrens-parody.html

Dec. 5, 2018

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Racist Examples Of The Children's Parody Song "Jingle Bells Shotgun Shells"

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/racist-examples-of-childrens-parody.html

Dec. 5, 2018

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Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation (from the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation")

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/mavis-staples-christmas-vacation-from.html

December 8, 2018

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Christmas Traditions In Ethiopia & Four Videos Of Christmas In Ethiopia

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/christmas-traditions-in-ethiopia-four.html

Dec. 18. 2018

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Two Article Reprints About Some Ways That Enslaved Black People Experienced The Christmas Holidays In The United States South

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/two-article-excerpts-how-enslaved-black.html

December 11, 2019

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Starrkeisha's Christmas Carols" Videos 2016, 2017, & 2018 (with information about Cameron J. Henderson's Starrkeisha character)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/starrkeishas-christmas-carols-videos.html

December 14, 2019

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Starrkeisha's Christmas Carols, 2019 (Video & Selected Comments)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/starrkeishas-christmas-carols-2019.html

December 19, 2019

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Sizalelwe Indodana - A South African Christmas Song (with lyrics and links to additional examples)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/sizalelwe-indodana-south-african.html

Dec. 9, 2020

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Donny Hathaway - This Christmas (Official Audio) And Chris Brown - This Christmas (video) with information & lyrics

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/donny-hathaway-this-christmas-official.html

Dec. 9, 2020

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"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"/"Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells" (YouTube Examples, Information, Lyrics, & Comments)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/examples-of-lyrics-for-christmas-carol.html

December 19, 2020

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Daystar's The Healing Streams of God Choir - "E Lu Agogo" (Nigerian Choir Singing "Ring Bells" & Two Other Christmas Songs)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/daystars-healing-streams-of-god-choir-e_51.html

Dec. 19, 2020

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Leslie Odom Jr. featuring Mzansi Youth Choir -" Little Drummer Boy" (video, information, & comments)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/leslie-odom-jr-featuring-mzansi-youth.html

Dec. 20, 2020

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Ntokozo Mbambo - Yi Naye (A Ghanaian Worship Song Sung By A South African Gospel Singer During A Christmas Program)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/ntokozo-mbambo-yi-naye-ghanaian-worship.html

Dec. 22, 2020

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More Examples Of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (with extra lyrics)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/12/more-examples-of-rudolph-red-nosed.html

December 14, 2021

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Even More Examples Of The Song "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" Song With Added Lyrics

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/12/even-more-examples-of-song-rudolph-red.html

December 24, 2024

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Two YouTube Videos Of The Children's Parody "Jingle Bells Batman Smells" (with lyrics & comments)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/12/two-youtube-videos-of-childrens-parody.html

December 12, 2025

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PANCOCOJAMS LINKS ABOUT KWANZAA

Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa (video & lyrics)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/teddy-pendergrass-happy-kwanzaa-video.html

December 22, 2012

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Why Swahili Terms Are Used For The African American Originated Holiday "Kwanzaa"

 https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-swahili-terms-are-used-for-african.html

 originally published on December 26, 2015; re-posted on December 17, 2018

**

Sesame Street's Elmo Performing A Kwanzaa Dance Featuring A Musical Bow Instrument"

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/12/sesame-streets-elmo-performing-kwanzaa.html

December 17, 2016

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Kwanzaa Children's Song "O Kwanzaa" (information, lyrics, videos, & instrumental song file)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/kwanzaa-childrens-song-o-kwanzaa.html

December 17, 2017

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Excerpts From & Comments About The 2012 Washington Post Article "Confessions of a Kwanzaa drop-out: Why I don’t celebrate the holiday"

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/excerpts-from-comments-about-2012.html

December 18, 2017

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Videos Of Kwanzaa Celebrations In The United States & In Canada

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/videos-of-kwanzaa-celebrations-in.html

December 18, 2017

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1998 Chicago Tribune Reprint: "Kwanzaa: It's Not About Christmas" (with Pancocojams editor's response to that article)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/1998-chicago-tribune-reprint-kwanzaa.html

December 9, 2018

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Videos Of Two Kwanzaa Songs & A Hyperlinked List Of Pancocojams Posts About Kwanzaa

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/videos-of-two-kwanzaa-songs-hyperlinked.html

December 26, 2019

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United States School Children Singing "O Kwanzaa" by Teresa Jennings (videos, lyrics, and information)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/12/united-states-school-children-singing-o.html

December 18, 2025

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PANCOCOJAMS LINKS ABOUT JUNKANOO

Jonkanoo, Gombey, New Orleans Indians, & The Philadelphia Mummers Costume Traditions (videos)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/jonkanoo-gombey-new-orleans-indians.html

February 18, 2012

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A Traditional Caribbean Jonkonoo Song & Three Contemporary Jonkanoo Videos From The Bahama

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-traditional-caribbean-jonkunnu-song.html

December 20, 2013

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Kunering (John Canoe) Traditions Among Enslaved Black People In North Carolina & Information About Jonkanoo In The Bahamas

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/kunering-john-canoe-traditions-among.html

December 11, 2019

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome. 

Hyperlink Links To Pancocojams Posts About Christmas, Kwanzaa, And Junkanoo (from 2012 through 2024)

Compiled by Azizi Powell

Latest Update- December 13, 2024

This pancocojams post provides links to posts that were published on this blog from 2012-2024 about the holidays of Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Junkanoo. One of the posts about Christmas also includes information about the antebellum African American custom of "kunering".  

Publishing these links in one post makes it easier for me- and hopefully you - to enjoy these posts again. Publishing these links also provide opportunities for you to check out some posts that you might have missed.

****
PANCOCOJAMS LINKS ABOUT CHRISTMAS

African American Christmas Songs About Naming Jesus (videos & lyrics)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/black-christmas-songs-about-naming.html

Dec. 20, 2012

****

Ma Ma, Bake That Johnny Cake, Christmas Comin’ (examples & lyrics)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/mama-bake-that-johnny-cake-christmas.html

Dec. 20, 2013

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How Black Americans Celebrated Christmas In The Antebellum South

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-black-americans-celebrated.html

December 21, 2016
-snip-
This post also includes information about the antebellum custom of "kunering" which is related to Caribbean Jonkanoo customs.

****

Singing Extra Lyrics For "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/documenting-when-people-sung-extra.html

Dec. 20, 2017

**

Examples Of The "Batman's In The Kitchen" Verse In "Jingle Bells Batman Smells" Rhymes

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/examples-of-questions-about-batmans-in.html

Dec. 1, 2018

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Non-Racist Examples Of The Children's Parody Song "Jingle Bells Shotgun Shells"

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/non-racist-examples-of-childrens-parody.html

Dec. 5, 2018

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Racist Examples Of The Children's Parody Song "Jingle Bells Shotgun Shells"

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/racist-examples-of-childrens-parody.html

Dec. 5, 2018

** 
Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation (from the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation")

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/mavis-staples-christmas-vacation-from.html

December 8, 2018

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Christmas Traditions In Ethiopia & Four Videos Of Christmas In Ethiopia

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/christmas-traditions-in-ethiopia-four.html

Dec. 18. 2018

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Two Article Reprints About Some Ways That Enslaved Black People Experienced The Christmas Holidays In The United States South

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/two-article-excerpts-how-enslaved-black.html

December 11, 2019

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Starrkeisha's Christmas Carols" Videos 2016, 2017, & 2018 (with information about Cameron J. Henderson's Starrkeisha character)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/starrkeishas-christmas-carols-videos.html

December 14, 2019

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Starrkeisha's Christmas Carols, 2019 (Video & Selected Comments)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/starrkeishas-christmas-carols-2019.html

December 19, 2019

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Sizalelwe Indodana - A South African Christmas Song (with lyrics and links to additional examples)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/sizalelwe-indodana-south-african.html

Dec. 9, 2020

** 
Donny Hathaway - This Christmas (Official Audio) And Chris Brown - This Christmas (video) with information & lyrics

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/donny-hathaway-this-christmas-official.html

Dec. 9, 2020

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"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"/"Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells" (YouTube Examples, Information, Lyrics, & Comments)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/examples-of-lyrics-for-christmas-carol.html

December 19, 2020

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Daystar's The Healing Streams of God Choir - "E Lu Agogo" (Nigerian Choir Singing "Ring Bells" & Two Other Christmas Songs)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/daystars-healing-streams-of-god-choir-e_51.html

Dec. 19, 2020

**
Leslie Odom Jr. featuring Mzansi Youth Choir -" Little Drummer Boy" (video, information, & comments)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/leslie-odom-jr-featuring-mzansi-youth.html

Dec. 20, 2020

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Ntokozo Mbambo - Yi Naye (A Ghanaian Worship Song Sung By A South African Gospel Singer During A Christmas Program)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/ntokozo-mbambo-yi-naye-ghanaian-worship.html

Dec. 22, 2020

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More Examples Of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (with extra lyrics)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/12/more-examples-of-rudolph-red-nosed.html

December 14, 2021

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Even More Examples Of The Song "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" Song With Added Lyrics

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/12/even-more-examples-of-song-rudolph-red.html

December 24, 2024

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PANCOCOJAMS LINKS ABOUT KWANZAA

Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa (video & lyrics)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/teddy-pendergrass-happy-kwanzaa-video.html

December 22, 2012

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Why Swahili Terms Are Used For The African American Originated Holiday "Kwanzaa"
December 26, 2015 

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-swahili-terms-are-used-for-african.html

re-posted on December 17, 2018

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Sesame Street's Elmo Performing A Kwanzaa Dance Featuring A Musical Bow Instrument"

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/12/sesame-streets-elmo-performing-kwanzaa.html

December 17, 2016

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Kwanzaa Children's Song "O Kwanzaa" (information, lyrics, videos, & instrumental song file)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/kwanzaa-childrens-song-o-kwanzaa.html

December 17, 2017

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Excerpts From & Comments About The 2012 Washington Post Article "Confessions of a Kwanzaa drop-out: Why I don’t celebrate the holiday"

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/excerpts-from-comments-about-2012.html

December 18, 2017

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Videos Of Kwanzaa Celebrations In The United States & In Canada

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/videos-of-kwanzaa-celebrations-in.html

December 18, 2017

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1998 Chicago Tribune Reprint: "Kwanzaa: It's Not About Christmas" (with Pancocojams editor's response to that article)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/1998-chicago-tribune-reprint-kwanzaa.html

December 9, 2018

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Videos Of Two Kwanzaa Songs & A Hyperlinked List Of Pancocojams Posts About Kwanzaa

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/videos-of-two-kwanzaa-songs-hyperlinked.html

December 26, 2019

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PANCOCOJAMS LINKS ABOUT JUNKANOO 

Jonkanoo, Gombey, New Orleans Indians, & The Philadelphia Mummers Costume Traditions (videos)

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/jonkanoo-gombey-new-orleans-indians.html

February 18, 2012

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A Traditional Caribbean Jonkonoo Song & Three Contemporary Jonkanoo Videos From The Bahama

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-traditional-caribbean-jonkunnu-song.html

December 20, 2013

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Kunering (John Canoe) Traditions Among Enslaved Black People In North Carolina & Information About Jonkanoo In The Bahamas

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/kunering-john-canoe-traditions-among.html

December 11, 2019

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Two Videos of the Belizean Christmas Song "Good Mawnin' Miss Lady"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about Christmas in Belize, Central America. This post also showcases two examples of the Belizean song "Good Mawnin'*, Miss Lady".

*"Mawnin' (morning) is also given as "maanin'".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composer/s of this song. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and those who are quoted in this post. And thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/12/mr-peters-good-mawnin-belize.html for the Belizean song "Good Mawnin' Belize". That song may be related to the song "Good Mawnin', Miss Lady". From the comments that I've read, I know that "Good Mawnin' (morning) Belize" and not "Good Mawnin' Miss Lady" was the song that was played every morning on a Belizean radio station. However, I don't know which song came first.
-snip-
Updated 12/24/2016
If it's correct as I have read that "Good Morning, Lady" was a song that was traditionally sung by Belizean Christmas carolers, than that song is older than "Good Morning, Belize".

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INFORMATION ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN BELIZE
From http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/258936/Christmas_in_Belize.html Christmas in Belize by Karla Heusner, posted by Marty 12/07/07
"More than any other holiday, Christmas is a truly multicultural celebration in Belize. It has to be, with over 10 ethnic groups in a population of around 250,000 people. Christmas traditions are freely shared and borrowed.

So while Belizeans share the European or North American rituals of decorating Christmas trees, hanging lights outside their homes, exchanging greeting cards and baking fruitcakes, they also look forward to homegrown festivities. For what is a Belizean Christmas without a sip or two of country wines, picking up a fork and grater and singing traditional "Brukdown" songs like "Good Morning Miss Lady," and other favorites from the Ole Time Creole Christmas "Bram"? Belizeans still wait to greet the Garifuna Jonkunu dancers on Christmas day, are enthralled by a performance of the Maya "Deer Dance" or a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph looking for an inn as part of "Las Posadas."

Whatever ethnic group, or combination thereof, a Belizean may consider himself or herself to be, one commonality is that Christmas is traditionally a time to visit family and friends. To prepare for all these people making the rounds, weeks go into making everything like "new." Everyone pitches in to clean the house from top to bottom, hang new curtains and lay fresh "marley" (linoleum).

There is a frenzy of baking, searching for fresh ingredients for holiday meals, stocking up of rum and flagging down the coca-cola trucks circling the neighborhoods to load up on cases of soft drinks.

The typical Creole "kriol" Sunday dinner of rice and beans and potato salad is spiced up at Christmas with the addition of turkey, stuffing AND ham in place of stewed chicken followed by rich black fruit cake laced with rum or brandy. The Mestizo specialty is white relleno, a delicious soup with pork stuffed chicken or mechado olives, raisins, saffron, or pebre roast pork with gravy all served with hot corn tortillas. Christmas dinner for the majority of Mayans might be tamales with chicken while families who raise pigs or turkey might use this as a substitute for chicken on this special occasion.

Spirits are an important part of the Christmas season, which in Belize lasts for two weeks, longer than in some countries, yet considerably shorter than the Belizean Christmases of the old mahogany cutting days. Back then, African slaves, free laborers and more recently, in our grandparents' time, the Waikas, an Amerindian group from Nicaragua, used to end their season in the forests with a month-long "spree" in Belize Town, now Belize City.

Although the settlement's men no longer find themselves separated from the womenfolk for months at a time, the festive atmosphere and the free flow of money and rum, remain.

So does the pilgrimage to Belize City, specifically to downtown Albert Street to buy their fancy curtain material, toys for the children or Christmas candies. The buses are packed, and the streets are elbow-to-elbow as shoppers squeeze their way past street vendors selling special imports of apples, grapes and pears.

Central American immigrants sell all manner of glassware, hammocks and Christmas ornaments on the street-side while the more permanent merchants, the descendants of colonial families, or recent arrivals from India or Taiwan do a brisk trade in everything imaginable, from clothing and shoes to porcelain figurines, television sets and cd players.

Of course it is not just about food, or shopping. With over 70% of Belizeans considering themselves Christians, the celebration of the nacimiento (birth of Christ) is well established throughout the country and across the various cultures. Most celebrations from the Las Posadas to the Deer Dance include prayers, vigils and a midnight Mass or "Misa de Gallo" on Christmas eve.

So as you can see, Belizeans still love their Christmas, and the various cultures all contribute something unique to the holiday mix. It is a great time of year to share in these traditions that have been handed down for generations. Join us in Belize this Christmas.
-snip-
That same website has a lengthy post about how Garifuna people in Belize celebrate Christmas.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Good Maaning Miss Lady



Sarteneja Cruz Uploaded on Dec 31, 2010

Belizean Christmas Carol Dec 25th 2010

Familia Cruz
-snip-
Unfortunately, I haven't found any lyrics for this song online and I'm unable to transcribe this song except for the words "Good mawning, Miss lady... and how are you this mawning, ???? on a merry Christmas mawning."

Information about this song and lyrics for this song would be greatly appreciated.

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Example #2: Good Mawning Miss Lady - Our Lady of Gudalupe Infant 1 Class Christmas Dance



openlearningtv Uploaded on Apr 22, 2009

Our Lady of Guadalupe Primary School Christmas Concert. Infant 1 Class presentation
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Sesame Street's Elmo Performing A Kwanzaa Dance Featuring A Musical Bow Instrument

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a clip from a Sesame Street "Elmo's World" episode.

In that episode Elmo performs an African dance in celebration of the African American originated "Kwanzaa" holiday. Special attention in this post is given to the African musical bow that is among the musical instruments that is played by the musical ensemble. The Brazilian (South America) berimbao that is based on African musical bows is probably the most widely known example worldwide of these types of musical instruments.

Addendum #1 to this post provides information about Kwanzaa.

Addendum #2 provides information about African musical bows and Brazilian (South American) berimbaos.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those associated with this "Elmo's World" episode. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Sesame Street: Kwanzaa Dancing With Elmo



Sesame Street, Uploaded on Dec 11, 2009

From the Sesame Street DVD "Elmo's World: Happy Holidays"
-snip-
While performing "African dances" is often part of Kwanzaa celebrations, in my experience, those dances that are usually performed are representative or imitative of traditional Nigerian or Senegalese dance styles. Based on the inclusion of the musical bow instrument and the dancer's clothing and maybe also his head gear, my guess is that the dance that is performed in this video is based on Angola (South Central Africa). In my experience, few African Americans are familiar with the costuming and musical bow instrument that are found in this video.

Here's one video example of an Angolan musical bow:

Roots of Capoeira 1, Balthazar Tchatoka plays M'bulumbumba and sings to Cobra Mansa



mirrordemocracy, Published on Dec 13, 2012

Balthazar Tchatoka plays M'bulumbumba and sings "Ove Katunga" to Cobra Mansa in southern Angola .....of interest to Berimbau players.
-snip-
Notice the criss-crossed beads that are traditionally worn by male musicians and dancers in Angola and other South African nations.

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ADDENDUM #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa
"Kwanzaa (/ˈkwɑːn.zə/) is a week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the Western African diaspora in the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving.[1] Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966–67...

In 2004, BIG Research conducted a marketing survey in the United States for the National Retail Foundation, which found that 1.6% of those surveyed planned to celebrate Kwanzaa. If generalized to the US population as a whole, this would imply that around 4.7 million people planned to celebrate Kwanzaa in that year...

According to University of Minnesota Professor Keith Mayes, the author of Kwanzaa: Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition, the popularity within the US has "leveled off" as the black power movement there has declined, and now between half and two million people celebrate Kwanzaa in the US, or between one and five percent of African Americans. Mayes adds that white institutions now celebrate it.[11]

The holiday has also spread to Canada and is celebrated by Black Canadians in a similar fashion as in the United States.[20] According to the Language Portal of Canada, "this fairly new tradition has [also] gained in popularity in France, Great Britain, Jamaica and Brazil".[24]

In Brazil, in recent years the term Kwanzaa has been applied by a few institutions as a synonym for the festivities of the Black Awareness Day, commemorated on November 20 in honor of Zumbi dos Palmares,[25][26] having little to do with the celebration as it was originally conceived."...

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ADDENDUM #2 AFRICAN MUSICAL BOWS
From http://music.africamuseum.be/determination/english/instruments/musical%20bow.html
A larger version of the mouth bow is the musical bow, which is also widely distributed around the Congo. The basis of this instrument is the hunting bow, which has here been converted into a musical instrument by adding two adaptations: a calabash attached to the bow serves as a sound box and the strings are pulled through a loop, tied and attached, dividing them into two unequal parts so that two underlying tones can be played. By moving the loop, the distance between the two tones can be changed at will. Both segments of the string are struck with a thin rod. More experienced players can control the back of the string with the index finger, enabling a third undertone to be played. The calabash is half open and in the convex upper side is a small hole through which the loop runs that is attached to the string. This direct contact with the string results in greater resonance. A piece of cloth is often inserted between the calabash and the bow to reduce unwanted vibrations. The musician can change the timbre of the instrument by pushing the half-open calabash against or away from his chest or stomach. An important difference with the mouth bow is that it is played vertically.

The musical bow too is played primarily to add music to everyday stories and events.

Type: musical bow open string
[Various African nations with their names for musical bows given in parenthesis]
Angola (Chihumba)

Congo DRC (Lunzenze, Nguem)

Gabon (Ngwomi (Tsambi), Nsambi)

Ghana (Jinjelin, Jinjeram)

Liberia (Gbon-kpala)

Madagascar (Dzeedzu, Jejolava)

Swaziland (Ligubu)

Folk republic of the Congo (Ngwomi, Nsambi, Nsâmbi, Nsambi kizonzolo)

Zambia (Kalumbo)

Zimbabwe (Kalumbo)

South Africa (Hadi, Isigankuri, Ugubu (ugubhu))

Type: braced musical bow

Angola (Mbulumbumba)

Bénin (Tiéporé)

Burundi (Idono, Igubu (igobore), Umuduri)

Central African Republic (E.ngbiti, Mbela)

Congo DRC (Ekibulenge, Lakwemi, Lokombi (Longombe), Longombe, Longombi, Lungungu, Nzenze, Rukung, Umuduri)

Rwanda (Umuduri (umunahi)

Swaziland (Makhweyane, Makweyana)

Uganda (Egobore, Umunahi)
South Africa (Makhweyana)

****
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berimbau
From The berimbau (/bərɪmˈbaʊ/; Brazilian Portuguese: /beɾĩˈbaw/) is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, from Brazil. Originally from Africa where it receives different names,[1] the berimbau was eventually incorporated into the practice of the Afro-Brazilian martial art capoeira, the berimbau (the soul of capoeira) leads the capoeiristas movement in the roda—the faster the berimbau is playing the faster the capoeirista moves in the game...

History
The berimbau's origins have not been fully researched, though it is most likely an adaptation of African gourde musical bows, as no Indigenous Brazilian or European people use musical bows.[1][2]

The way the berimbau and the m'bulumbumba of southwest Angola are made and played are very similar, as well as the tuning and basic patterns performed on these instruments. The assimilation of this African instrument into the Brazilian capoeira is evident also in other Bantu terms used for musical bows in Brazilian, including urucungo, and madimba lungungu.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/paranaue-videos-lyrics-meaning.html for a pancocojams post of the Capoeira song "Paranue" for examples of berimbao music.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Three "Sid The Science Kid" Songs (lyrics, videos, & comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about Sid The Science Kid and showcases three songs from that series along with lyrics and comments. I recently was introduced to the Sid the Science Kid songs as a result of watching that series with my three year old granddaughter.

My focus is on what I believe to be the Black cultural influences in those songs.

An Addendum to this post showcases a holiday video from that series.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those associated with Sid The Science Kid series and special thanks to the composers of these showcased songs. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this series and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE "SID THE SCIENCE KID" SERIES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_the_Science_Kid
"Sid the Science Kid is an American half-hour CGI animated series that aired on PBS Kids from September 1, 2008 to March 25, 2013, with a total of 68 half-hour episodes produced over two seasons. The computer generated show is produced by The Jim Henson Company and then-PBS member KCET in Los Angeles, California using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. The show is produced by motion capture which allows puppeteers to voice digitally animated characters in real time.[2][3] Production began in the fall of 2008 with 42 half-hour episodes of Sid the Science Kid having been ordered. The series debuted on PBS Kids along with Martha Speaks on September 1, 2008,[4] with a two-year on-air commitment.[5] The original working title for the series was "What's the Big Idea?" and the central character, Sid, was originally named Josh.[6]

KOCE, the current primary PBS member for the Los Angeles area, began co-producing the show after KCET disaffiliated with PBS on December 31, 2010.

24-hour preschool channel Sprout began airing Sid the Science Kid on March 25, 2013.

Premise
The main character in the show is Sid, an "inquisitive youngster" who uses comedy to tackle questions kids have about basic scientific principles and why things work the way they do. He tries to answer questions and solve problems with the help of his classmates (May, Gerald, and Gabriela), Teacher Susie, and his family (his mother Alice, his father Mort, his Grandma and his baby brother Zeke)...

The conceptual content of Sid is based in national science learning standards, cognitive learning theory, and on the preschool science curriculum, Preschool Pathways to Science.[7]

Each week's episodes are built around a single scientific theme or concept...

Sid's mother is of African descent and his father grew up Jewish as noted in the Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa episode"...
-snip-
A video of Sid The Science Kid that episode is embedded below.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS AND COMMENTS
Video #1. The Sid the Science Kid Theme Song! - The Jim Henson Company



The Jim Henson Company Published on Oct 23, 2014
-snip-
Lyrics: SID THE SCIENCE KID THEME SONG
Hey is this thing on?
Hey Sid, what do you say,
What’chawanna learn today?
I want to know why things happen and how,
And I wanna know everything now.
How does this thing work?
Why does that stuff change?
How does that do what it just did?
What's up with the sky?
Do you think i can fly?
The world is spinning and I wanna know why.
I got a lot of questions and big ideas, I'm Sid the Science Kid"

Source: http://kids.thirteen.org/files/2010/06/Sid_Song_Lyrics.pdf
-snip-
In the lyrics "Hey is this thing on?", this thing refers to a microphone.

People who are more musically inclined than me might be able to expand on this statement, but all that I can say is that that I think that this theme song sounds to me like Hip Hop music.

****
2. Sid the Science Kid - "I Love My Mom!"

-snip-
song lyrics:
"I love my mom!
(Un hun)
My mom is cool
(Un hun)
But now it's time
(Un hun)
To go to school!)
-snip-
I've come across several parodies of this song which have the ending changed to "now it's time to play in school", "it's time to get beaten up at school" and even "now it's time to shoot up the school".

With regard to what I consider to be the Black cultural influences on this song, notice the use of African American Vernacular English (i.e. My mom is cool." Also, notice the call & response structure of this brief song. Several commenters on this YouTube video's discussion thread noted that this song reminds them of a Hip Hop mixtape.

honey nut, 2015
"sid new mixtape be fire"

Lunatikkrazie azylum, 2016
"When's his mixtape gonna drop 🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
In African American Vernacular English, something that is "fire" (or someone who is "on fire") is real hot (really good).
-snip-
Another commenter on that same discussion thread, unknowncreeper, wrote in 2016 "dude this kid spits straight barz". "Spits straight barz (bars) is Hip Hop lingo for "rapping really well".

WARNING: Although Sid The Science Kid is a children's animated series, a number of the comments on the YouTube discussion thread for this video and other related videos contain profanity and other content that is not suitable for children.

****
Video Example #3: I'm Looking for My Friends! - Sid the Science Kid - The Jim Henson Company



The Jim Henson Company Published on Oct 23, 2014
-snip-
LYRICS: I'M LOOKING FOR MY FRIENDS*
Sid: I'm looking for my friends.
I'm looking for you.
There's Gabriela.
Gabriela: Watch what I can do.
Lah lah whee!
lah lah woo!
Oh, yeah! [Gabriela dancing]
Sid: Wow!
I'm looking for my friends.
I'm looking for you.
Hey, there's Gerald.
Gerald: Check out my moves.
Heh Heh. Ha Ha.
I'm a rock star! [Gerald dancing]
Sid: Coo!
I'm looking for my friends.
I'm looking for you.
Hey, there's May.
May: May I show you how I groove?
Bing by da da da (May laughing and dancing)
Yeah!
Sid: Groovy!
Gabriela, Gerald, and May: We're looking for our friends.
I'm looking for you.
Hey, there's Sid!
Sid: Did you hear the one about the kid who wanted to know everything about everything?
Gabriela, Gerald, and May: That's you!
Sid: Ah. You got me.
[Everyone in the group laughing, dancing, and saying random exclamations like "Yah da da da" and "Yeah".]
All: We're looking for our friends.
All look what we found.
We found each other.
Friends!
[ends with sounds of laughter]
-snip-
*Transcription by Azizi Powell from this video. Other video clips of this song may have slightly different lyrics. Additions and corrections are welcome.

Sid The Science Kid's "I'm Looking For My Friends" song reminds me of an adapted foot stomping cheer*. Sid begins each iteration of the song with the words "I'm looking for my friend" and one at a time each member of the group takes a turn showing how they dance. Sid's turn is different from the others as he talks and doesn't dance. The song ends with the entire group laughing, dancing, and singing together.

In contrast, "standard" foot stomping cheers begin with a group voice, followed by a soloist. After the soloist has her (or his) turn, the cheer begins from the beginning and the next soloist takes her (or his) turn. Each soloist turn is the exact same length of time. Some foot stomping cheers end with the entire group doing the same foot stomping movement as the soloist. This pattern continues until everyone in the group has one equal time turn as the soloist.

*Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/11/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/11/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html for information and examples of foot stomping cheers.)

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ADDENDUM: Sid the sience kid- Holidays



Hacked By GothD0g84, Uploaded on Dec 28, 2009

Sid talks about holidays and about tradtions and SNOW!
-snip-
The holidays that Sid talks about in this video are Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Racists Angry About A Black Santa At The Largest Mall In America In 2016

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information and comments about and a video of a Black Santa at the Mall of America (Minneapolis, Minnesota).

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Larry Jefferson and others who have portrayed Santa, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or gender. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Mall of America Hires First Black Mall Santa for Holiday Season



Trump VS Hillary, Published on Dec 1, 2016

| Mall of America Welcomes its first Black Santa |

Visiting for just four days, Larry Jefferson is the first black Santa to listen to kids' wish lists at the Mall of America. After 24 years, the Mall of America celebrated a new first Thursday: Its first black Santa.
Dozens of Santas cycle through Twin Cities shopping centers each year, spreading joy to children who entrust them with their holiday wish lists. What has been missing from that experience, some parents say, was a Kriss Kringle who represented a wider swath of believers.

This week, for the first time in the Mall of America’s 24-year history, a black Santa will greet families for annual Christmas photos.

“This is a long time coming,” said Landon Luther, co-owner of the Santa Experience, which has run the intimate photo studio at the mall for 10 years. “We want Santa to be for everyone, period.”

The mall offers a free, wait-in-line-with-the-masses Santa, as well as the book-an-appointment Santa Experience, which this year added a second location at the Bloomington megamall. The appointments require purchase of a photo package.

Luther started a national search last spring for a diverse St. Nicholas that kids of color would be able to relate to. Santa Sid, a 20-year veteran at MOA, finally found one while at a Santa convention in Branson, Mo., where nearly 1,000 impersonators convened for a “Kringle family reunion” in July.

Larry Jefferson, a retired U.S. Army veteran from Irving, Texas, was the only black Santa Claus in attendance. The jovial actor agreed to sign a four-day contract to work in Minnesota, after which he’ll return home to work the seasonal circuit in Dallas.
“It was like finding a needle in a haystack,” said Luther, who runs the business with his girlfriend, Rachael Zuleger. “He considers himself a Santa for all.”

From Thursday to Sunday, by appointment only, Jefferson will greet kiddos at the mall while decked as Santa Larry, passing out candy canes and reminding them how to stay off the naughty list: “Clean your rooms, eat your vegetables and do what your mommy and daddy say all year.”

As he prepared for his first appointments Thursday morning, Jefferson said that skin tone doesn’t matter to the kids he meets.

“What they see most of the time is this red suit and candy,” he said, patting his sleek velvet coat. “[Santa represents] a good spirit. I’m just a messenger to bring hope, love and peace to girls and boys.”

Becoming Santa

Jefferson officially began donning the red suit in 1999, but his love of playing St. Nick started as just a boy.

After his father hurt his back, a 12-year-old Jefferson took on the role of Santa in the Arkansas family home, divvying up presents for his younger siblings. It was a role that stuck, continuing long after he joined the U.S. Army infantry and served abroad in the Gulf War.

His young nephews may have catalyzed his decision to play Santa-for-hire after he practiced the act on them, Jefferson said. The boys were sick and wouldn’t get a chance to visit the resident mall Santa, so he bought a $30 suit at Wal-Mart and affixed a fake beard, then knocked on their front door.

Following the visit, the parents asked if the boys knew who the visitor was. They replied, “Of course — it was Santa,” Jefferson recalled with a chuckle.

Since then, he’s graduated from a premiere Santa school, retired from the military and grown his own bushy white beard.

Last year, Jefferson became the first, and only, black member of the Lone Star Santas, a nonprofit boasting more than 350 Santa Clauses, Mrs. Clauses, and elves who donate toys to children in disaster-stricken areas.

Jim Fletcher, director emeritus of the fraternal order, said the group also has around six Hispanic Santas and at least two Jewish members. Ethnicity and religion are not what matters, he said; rather, it’s the spirit of giving.

“Being Santa comes from the heart,” Fletcher said. “It’s not what comes down the chimney.”

On Thursday morning, Jefferson emerged as Santa Larry, wowing toddlers and their siblings during individual play sessions. He spoke softly to his fans, patiently waiting for them to divulge their Christmas wishes.

Shelly Major, of Blaine, toted her three children to the photo studio for their few minutes with Jolly ol’ St. Nick. “He was very warm,” Major said.

Parents of biracial tots said they were especially pleased to show their kids that heroes come in all ethnicities. “Santa isn’t just white,” said Sara Schwantes, of Inver Grove Heights.

****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & COMMENTS ABOUT BLACK SANTA AT THE MALL OF AMERICA
From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-santa-racists-freak-out_us_5844fb5ee4b09e21702f631b Racists Freak Out Over Black Santa At Mall Of America
...but most people absolutely love “Santa Larry.” by Ed Mazza, 12/05/2016
"There’s a black Santa Claus at the Mall of America in Minnesota, giving children of color a Kringle that looks like them at the nation’s biggest shopping destination.

Naturally, some people just can’t handle this, and racists are taking to social media to denounce Larry Jefferson-Gamble, a retired U.S. Army veteran who has been playing Santa since he was 12 years old.

The response has been so heated that the Minnesota Star-Tribune had to shut down the comments section for a simple profile of the mall’s first black Santa:

A CBS Minnesota report was also swamped with negative and outright racist comments, which were also shut down but are still visible in the article.

But this was one battle the trolls wouldn’t win, as many others took to social media in support of the black Santa:

George Takei ✔ @GeorgeTakei
Watching people meltdown over a Black Santa in the Mall of America. "Santa is white!" Well, in our internment camp he was Asian. So there.
4:16 PM - 3 Dec 2016

....

Mark Buchanan @therealmarkb
The Mall of America has a black Santa and racists done lost their minds. #SantaLarry is awesome! He's also a vet and deserves respect!
10:43 PM - 3 Dec 2016

....

Caroling Along 🔔🎄 @SoCalRamen
All the love and prayers go out to Larry Jefferson. Santa can be *anybody* y'all.
1:17 PM - 2 Dec 2016
-snip-
Here are some comments from this article (Numbers assigned for referencing purposes only)
1. Terry Lee
" "Kids love Santa no matter what color you are." -- Santa Larry

If the kids don't care what color Santa is -- neither should the adults."

**
2. Edie Gignac · McMaster University
"It's sad that the color of skin still raises the hackles of people in 2016.....it's time to stop it......maybe those that have a problem with color should go back to where their ancestors came from....oh wait, people of color live everywhere in the globe today.....what to do??"

**
3. Armand DeLuise · UCLA
"Wait until the Trumpholes go to Heaven and find out that god is also black...oh that's right, they will see a red person where they're going!"

**
Reply
4. Terry Lee
"Wait till they find out that not only is God black, she's a woman!"

**
5. Grace Carney
"I love Santa Larry! Some people are so ugly they have to pick on Santa Clause. If they are so disturbed, there are many many (99.9) white Santas out there for their children to see, who I hope do not grow up and see the world like their parents."

**
6. James Pugh · Omaha, Nebraska
"It's really just one more thing that whites have never had a clue over. In my house there was always two santas. The white one on Television and the Black one who showed up at our door each year with presents when I was a kid. Whites just don't get the privilege they live in......."

**
7. Derrick Mitchell
"I an 53 years old and our house as a child was always decorated with images of Black Santas! Did these people just start see Black santas? I am sure there are Mexicans and Asian santas too!"

**
8. Terry Lee
"Sadly, these racists who think the color of Santa's skin matters, are blinded by hate, to the real meaning and spirit of Christmas."

**
9. John Lee
"I need all the "respect our veterans and our flag" conservatives to step up for a veteran playing santa...oh and also the "war on Christmas " fox heads

....or does his blackness negate all that?"

**
10. Delilah Darcy
" "I do not wanna be in the same room as the people who are offended by black santa when they find out that Jesus was a middle eastern refugee" BOOM!!!"

**
11. Reply
"LOL, their heads expoloding no doubt it will disturb them so very much. Dare we remind THEM he was Jewish also?"

**
12. Ron McWater
"Given the reaction to a black Santa they will really freak out when they learn Jesus wasn't white either."

**
13. Thomas Hurt
"1. Santa Claus is a myth
2. Santa Claus was based in part on a Catholic Saint, St. Nicholas
3. St Nicholas was Turk/Greek so it is unlikely he was a nordic white bread dude
4. Santa Claus is not Jesus
5. Santa is fictional
6. Santa has been turned into a secular symbol of consumerism.

Why is anyone in the WASP majority complaining at all............."

**
14. Joanne Hublitz · New York University
"I have a picture of my two (white) young daughters sitting on a Black Santa's lap taken at a mall. My daughters are now 32 and 37 years old."

**
15. Linda Maria
"Santa is a sentiment, a feeling, a big heart, not a level of melanin."

**
16. Giles Jackson · Middletown, New Jersey
"The real St Nic; Father Christmas, Santa Claus was born in Patara, Turkey, so he was middle Eastern, not white."
-snip-
Additional information is given in the summary for the video given below.

****

Videos Of The Osun-Osogbo Festival (Nigeria) 2013

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two videos of the Osun-Osogbo festival that is held each year in August.

The content of this post is provided for cultural, spiritual, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Praises to Osun and all of the orisas. Thanks to all the devotees of Osun and thanks to all who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of these videos on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT OSUN
From http://santeriachurch.org/the-orishas/oshun/
"Oshun (also spelled Ochún, Oṣun or Oxum) is the youngest of the orishas and probably the most popular in Santeria. She was the last orisha born in the world out of Olodumare’s love for creation. She is the orisha of love, beauty, femininity and sensuality which leads many people to compare her to Venus or Aphrodite. Such a comparison is short-sighted, however, for Oshun is vast and powerful; she is actually the full breadth of womanhood. From the young, enthusiastic coquette that flirts with boys to the old matriarch that sits in a rocking chair, hard-of-hearing, reminiscing of her youth, Oshun contains every woman’s story within her patakis. She makes her residence in the rivers of the world. Hers is the power of sweetness in life, and all of the things that make life worth living.

Oshun represents all of the phases of a woman’s life and her worship was popular in Africa"...

****
From http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/oshun.php
"Oshun is the Yorùbá Orisha (Deity) of the sweet or fresh waters (as opposed to the salt waters of Yemaya). She is widely loved, as She is known for healing the sick and bringing fertility and prosperity, and She especially watches over the poor and brings them what they need. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman...

With the African diaspora, Oshun was brought to the Americas, and adopted into the pantheons that branched out of the African traditions. In the Brazilian religion of Candomblé, which retains close ties with the Yorùbá religion, as well as in Cuban Santeriá, She is called Oxum. In Haitian Vodou She is an inspiration for Erzulie or Ezili, also a Deity of water and love."...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT OSUN-OSOGBO GROVE
From http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1118 "Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove"
..."The dense forest of the Osun Sacred Grove is some of the last remnants of primary high forest in southern Nigeria. Through the forest meanders the river Osun, the spiritual abode of the river goddess Osun. Set within the forest sanctuary are forty shrines, sculptures and art works erected in honour of Osun and other Yoruba deities, many created in the past forty years, two palaces, five sacred places and nine worship points strung along the river banks with designated priests and priestesses.

The new art installed in the grove has also differentiated it from other groves: Osogbo is now unique in having a large component of 20th century sculpture created to reinforce the links between people and the Yoruba pantheon, and the way in which Yoruba towns linked their establishment and growth to the spirits of the forest.

The restoration of the grove by artists has given the grove a new importance: it has become a sacred place for the whole of Yorubaland and a symbol of identity for the wider Yoruba Diaspora.
The Grove is an active religious site where daily, weekly and monthly worship takes place. In addition, an annual processional festival to re-establish the mystic bonds between the goddess and the people of the town occurs every year over twelve days in July and August and thus sustains the living cultural traditions of the Yoruba people.

The Grove is also a natural herbal pharmacy containing over 400 species of plants, some endemic, of which more than 200 species are known for their medicinal uses."...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT OSUN-OSOGBO FESTIVAL
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osun-Osogbo
Osun-Osogbo or Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove is a sacred forest along the banks of the Oshun River just outside the city of Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

The Osun-Osogbo Grove is among the last of the sacred forests which usually adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive urbanization. In recognition of its global significance and its cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005...

Osun-Osogbo Festival
Every year, the Osun-Osgogbo festival is celebrated in the month of August at the grove. Yearly, the festival attracts thousands of Osun worshippers, spectators and tourists from all walks of life.

For the people of Osogbo Land, August is a month of celebration, traditional cleansing of the city and cultural reunion of the people with their ancestors and founders of the Osogbo Kingdom.[2]

The Osun-Osogbo Festival is a two-week long programme. It starts with the traditional cleansing of the town called 'Iwopopo', which is followed in three days by the lighting of the 500-year-old sixteen-point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun'.

Ina Olojumerindinlogun, the sacred lamp lit at the beginning of the annual Osun-Osogbo festival
Then comes the 'Ibroriade', an assemblage of the crowns of the past ruler, Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings. This event is led by the sitting Ataoja of Osogbo and the Arugba, Yeye Osun and a committee of priestesses.[3]

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FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: Africarts...Osun-Osogbo Festival 2013 (Part A)



TVC News Published on Oct 14, 2013

The Osun-Osogbo Festival in south-west Nigeria occurs every year in the month of August.

It is a grand and colourful fest organized at the "Osun" sacred groves in Oshogbo, the Osun state capital.

It draws tens of thousands of believers of the Osun deity and tourists alike from within and outside the country.
-snip=
A central feature of this festival is that groups of people dance counterclockwise around a 16 light sacred lamp. That is shown at 12:04 in the video until the video ends.

I wonder if this Osun-Osogbo ritual could have been one of the sources of the ring shout:Caribbean.
"A shout or ring shout is an ecstatic, transcendent religious ritual, first practiced by African slaves in the West Indies and the United States, in which worshipers move in a circle while shuffling and stomping their feet and clapping their hands. Despite the name, shouting aloud is not an essential part of the ritual.

The ring shout was practiced in some African American churches into the 20th century, and it continues to the present among the Gullah people of the Sea Islands" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_shout

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Video #2: Africarts...Osun Osogbo Festival 2013 (Part B)



TVC News Published on Oct 14, 2013

The Osun-Osogbo Festival in south-west Nigeria occurs every year in the month of August.

It is a grand and colourful fest organized at the "Osun" sacred groves in Oshogbo, the Osun state capital.

It draws tens of thousands of believers of the Osun deity and tourists alike from within and outside the country.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitors' comments are welcome.

Examples of "Oh What A Pretty Little Baby" (with lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases various arrangements & lyrics for the African American Christmas Gospel song "Oh What A Pretty Little Baby".

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL COMPOSER OF "OH WHAT A PRETTY LITTLE BABY"?
The earliest recording date & the first recording artist that I've found for "Oh What A Pretty Little Baby" is "Rev. James Cleveland & Choir (1968). Maybe Rev. Cleveland is the original composer of that song. Or perhaps Rev. Cleveland, Rev. Timothy Wright, and other lyricists & arrangers "gospelized" a Spiritual that was composed by someone who will forever be unknown. If so, "Oh What A Pretty Little Baby" is a "gospelized Spiritual". By "gospelized", I mean a song whose tempo, arrangement, and possibly also the words are modified to conform with an African American Gospel music style.

If any readers have information about the origins of "Oh What A Pretty Little Baby", please share them with me and visitors of this blog by writing a comment or contacting me at cocojams17@yahoo.com. Thanks in advance!

SOUND FILE & LYRICS: OH WHAT A PRETTY LITTLE BABY
Example #1: "Pretty Little Baby" (1968)- James Cleveland, Cleveland Singers, Angelic Choir



JayEm86, Uploaded on Nov 30, 2008

Rev. Cleveland with both the Cleveland Singers and the Angelic Choir.
**
Lyrics: What A Pretty Little Baby
(as sung by Rev. James Cleveland & Choir)

What a pretty little baby
Pretty little baby
Born in a manger
Oh what, a pretty little baby
Jesus is His name

And the government shall be upon His shoulder
Be upon his shoulder
And his name shall be Wonderful
Oh what, a pretty little baby
Jesus is His name

Oh, oh, oh, come let us adore Him
Come let us adore Him
Born the King of angels
Oh what, a pretty little baby
Jesus is his name

Jesus, (Hallelujah)Jesus, (Hallelujah) Jesus
Jesus, (Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah, Ha-lle-lu-jah)

Oh what a pretty little baby
Jesus is His name
Name (Hallelujah), Name (Hallelujah) Hallelujah, Ha-lle-lu-jah)

Oh what a pretty little baby
Jesus is His name

http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/james-cleveland-lyrics/pretty-little-baby-lyrics.html ; these lyrics are submitted by kaan

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Example #2: Luther Barnes & RBGC-Oh What A Pretty Little Baby



StyleNManm, Uploaded on Apr 5, 2010

Soloist Luther Barnes.
-snip-
Recording date 1989

Lyrics: Oh What A Pretty Little Baby
(as sung by Luther Barnes & Red Budd Gospel Choir)*

Chorus
Oh what a pretty little baby,
a pretty little baby born in a manger.
Oh what a pretty little baby,
(Jesus is, Jesus is His name).

[repeat]

Verse #1: Soloist
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
That's why I love Him so
And I'll praise Him for what He's done for me.
And I'm gonna take Him everywhere I go.

Chorus

Verse #2: Soloist
He's the one who came to set me free.
He's the one that I adore.
No greater love than the love He gives to me
And I'm gonna praise Him more and more.

Chorus

Vamp

Soloist: Listen! Tell me who was that little boy
who was born in Bethleham -
What was His name?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: A Savior that was born to help the humble man [?]
What was His name?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: Here's what He did. Well He healed the sick and He raised the dead.
All of the souls He fed
Who did it, y'all?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: Then He did on the cross so that
sin could rein no more. [?]
What was His name, y'all?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: Gimme a J!
Choir: J!
Soloist: Gimme a E!
Choir: E!
Soloist: Gimme a S!
Choir: S!
Soloist: Gimme a U!
Choir: U!
Soloist: Gimme another S!
Choir: S!
Soloist: What was His name?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: What was His name?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: [?]
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist: Who can set me free?
Choir: Jesus!
[ends with additional call & response in the same pattern]
-snip-
*These lyrics are transcribed by Azizi Powell from the sound file with just the basic words and not the soloist's/choir's call & response. The question mark in brackets indicates that I'm not sure about the accuracy of that transcription. Additions and corrections are welcome.

***
Example #3 - Timothy Wright-Oh What A Pretty Little Baby



StyleNMan,Uploaded on Oct 18, 2010

Great classic throwdown by The Late Reverend Timothy Wright
-snip-
Recording date - 1993
**
Lyrics: Oh What A Pretty Little Baby
(as arranged by Timothy Wright)

Verse 1
Oh what a pretty little baby,
a pretty little baby born in a manger.
Oh what a pretty little baby,
(Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is His name).

Verse 2
Come let, come let us adore Him,
come let us adore Him, born the King of angels,
come let, come let us adore Him,
(Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is His name).

Vamp
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah

http://www.lyrics007.com/Timothy%20Wright%20Lyrics/Oh%20What%20A%20Pretty%20Little%20Baby%20Lyrics.html

****
Example #4: Mississippi Mass Choir - Oh What A Pretty Little Baby



TjmMinistries,
-snip-
*The title of this video credits this rendition to the Geogia Mass Choir. However, two commenters indicated that the choir singing is actually the Mississippi Mass Choir.

The choir's rendition of this song is based on Rev. Timothy Wright's arrangement. I don't know the recording date for this performance.

****
Lorraine & Laurel-Oh What A Pretty Little Baby



abolts2020, Uploaded on Dec 23, 2010

Lyrics: Oh What A Pretty Little Baby
(as sung by Lorraine & Laurel and church choir)*
Verse #1
Soloist #1: Oh what a pretty little baby,
a pretty little baby born in a manger.
Oh what a pretty little baby,
Choir - Jesus
Soloist: Talkin 'bout
Choir - Jesus
Soloists & Choir - Jesus is His name.

[repeat]

Verse #2
Soloist #2: Come let's, come let us adore Him.
Come let us adore Him.
Born in a manger.
Come let's, come let us adore Him.
Choir: Jesus!
Soloist #2: What's His name?
Choir: Jesus!
Soloists & Choir: Jesus is His name.

[repeat]

Vamp
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah

*The choir's rendition of this song is based on Rev. Timothy Wright's arrangement. These lyrics are transcribed by Azizi Powell from the sound file. The last names of the soloist, this church's name, and the date of this performance weren't given. If anyone has that information, please share it by posting a comment or emailing me at cocojams17@yahoo.com. Thanks!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composer, arrangers, and performers of this song. Also, thanks to those who transcribed this song, and those who uploaded the sound files & videos that are featured in this post.

Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Ugandan Song "Sifuni Mungu" (Information, Videos, & Lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents information about, videos of, and lyrics for the Christian song "O Sifuni Mungu".

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

OVERVIEW OF THE SONG "O SIFUNI MUNGU"
"O Sifuni Mungu" is a Christian song with KiSwahili & English lyrics and an uptempo African style tune. "O Sifuni Mungu's" lyrics & music were composed in the mid 1980s by Asukulu 'Yunu Mukalay, David Maddux, Marty McCall, and Mmunga Mwenebulongo Mulongoy, and the song was arranged by Roger Emerson.

"O Sifuni Mungu" is an adaptation of the hymn "All Creatures Of Our God And King" which was composed in the 13th century by St. Francis of Assisi.

One of the composers of "O Sifuni Mungu", Marty McCall is a member of the American Christian accapella trio "First Call" and in the mid 1980s* that White American group was the first to record "O Sifuni Mungu."

The Uganda, East Africa group "African Children's Choir" recorded "O Sifuni Mungu" in the 1980s* and in so doing, greatly popularized that song.

"O Sifuni Mungu" is widely performed by school choral groups and other choral groups in the United States and elsewhere in the world.

The song "O Sifuni Mungu" is often given the English title "All Creatures Of Our God And King". However, the English translation of the KiSwahili words "O Sifuni Mungu" is actually "Praise the Lord".

*I've not been able to identify the exact year that First Call recorded "O Sifuni Mungu". I also don't know the exact year that The African Children's Choir first recorded their very popular version of "O Sifuni Mungu". I'd appreciate any information that readers of this post might have about those dates.

VIDEOS OF O SIFUNI MUNGU
Example #1: Sifuni Mungu (video version) - First Call



interpreter2006,Uploaded on Mar 9, 2007

In 1992 First Call released a pair of videos on vocal styles. One of those videos contained this jazzed-up version of "O Sifuni Mungu." It's simply amazing!
-snip-
From http://kevin_haynes.tripod.com/first_call_page.html
"The group First Call was originally formed in the mid-1980's. It consisted then of Marty McCall, Bonnie Keen, and Melodie (or Mel) Tunney. The three members had done a lot of BGV (background vocals) for Contemporary Christian artists, most notably Sandi Patti. They decided to market themselves as a ready-made vocal group for projects."...
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
jchard6, 2010
"as a native swahili speaker i find most groups that sing this just slaughter the pronunciation, but these guys are great! awesome job!"

interpreter2006, 2010
"Thanks for commenting! The man you see in the video co-wrote this song with a friend of his who spoke Swahili. I imagine that friend coached these three so that they could pronounce it all correctly! :)"
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFgyF25iyF4 for a sound file with lyrics of First Call's original version of "O Sifuni Mungu".

****
Example #2: Teach me to Dance (O'sifuni mungu)



ColtonTheCat, Uploaded on Oct 11, 2009

Watch the Choir in action, singing O'sifuni mungu in front of 2200 people at the Orpheum in Vancouver BC, Canada...
-snip-
The "African Children's Choir" was formed by Ray Barnett in Uganda in 1984. "Teach Me To Dance" is the title of the African Children's Choir's latest Cd & DVD.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Children's_Choir

"The African Children's Choir is a large choir made up of children ages 7 to 12 from several African nations. Since its inception, the choir has included children from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana. Many of the children have lost one or both parents to AIDS and other poverty-related diseases, and all of them are victims of extreme poverty."
-snip-
Click http://www.singers.com/group/African-Childrens-Choir/ for more information about the African Children's Choir and for a Cd list of that group's recordings.

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpsijxAjQRE for a sound file of the African Children's Choir's first recording of "O Sifuni Mungu".

****
LYRICS: O SIFUNI MUNGU
(words and music: Marty McCall, David Maddux, Mmunga Mwenebulongo, and Asukulu 'Yunu Mukalay, an adaptation of "All Creatures Of Our God And King" by St. Francis Assisi)

Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
Watu wote
Viumbe vyote
Awaye yote
Sifu mungu
Watu wote
Viumbe vyote
Awaye yote
Sifu mungu
All creatures of our God and King (O sifuni mungu)
Lift up your voice and with us sing (O sifuni mungu)
Thou burning sun with golden beam (imbeni, imbeni)
Thou silver moon with softer gleam (pazeni, sauti, imbeni)
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
All men (Watu wote)
All creatures (Viumbe vyote)
Everybody (Awaye yote)
Praise the Lord (Sifu mungu)
All men (Watu wote)
All creatures (Viumbe vyote)
Everybody (Awaye yote)
Praise the Lord (Sifu mungu)
Thou rushing wind that art so strong (O sifuni mungu)
Ye clouds that sail in heaven along (O sifuni mungu)
Thou rising morn in praise rejoice (imbeni, imbeni)
Ye lights of evening find a voice (Pazeni sauti imbeni)
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
All men (watu wote)
All creatures (viumbe vyote)
Everybody (awaye yote)
Praise the Lord (sifu mungu)
All men (watu wote)
All creatures (viumbe vyote)
Everybody (awaye yote)
Praise the Lord (sifu mungu)
Thou flowing water pure and clear (hm,hm,hm,hm)
Make music for thy Lord to hear! (hm,hm,hm,hm)
Thou fire, so masterful and bright (imbeni!)
That givest man both warmth and light (imbeni)
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Pazeni sauti
Pazeni sauti
Tusifu mungu
Let all things their Creator bless (O sifuni mungu)
And worship Him in humbleness (O sifuni mungu)
Oh praise the Father, praise the Son (imbeni, imbeni)
And praise the Spirit, three in one (pazeni sauti imbeni)
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Viumbe vyote vya mungu wetu
Na mfalme wetu
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
Pazeni sauti ili nasi mwimbe
All men (watu wote)
All creatures (viumbe vyote)
Everybody (awaye yote)
Praise the Lord (sifu mungu)
All men (watu wote)
All creatures (viumbe vyote)
Everybody (awaye yote)
Praise the Lord (sifu mungu)
O sifuni mungu (imbeni)
O sifuni mungu (imbeni)
O sifuni mungu (imbeni)
Tusifu mungu
O sifuni mungu (imbeni)
O sifuni mungu (imbeni)
O sifuni mungu (imbeni)
Tusifu mungu,
Tusifu mungu,
Tusifu mungu,
Pazeni sauti na wote imbeni
O sifuni mungu!

From http://lyricstranslate.com/en/forum/o-sifuni-mungu posted by Guest, 02/06/2009

RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/c/acoogak.htm for information about and lyrics of the song ""All Creatures Of Our God And King".

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc6QkhChlEg for a sound file of the song "All Creatures Of Our God And King."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers & performers of both of these religious songs. Thanks also to all those who I quoted in this post.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.