This pancocojams post presents information about Kenya, East Africa's African Divine Church (ADC) and also showcases five YouTube video examples of call & response between that church's preachers and their church members.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and educational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the African Divine Church and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to DAGGY AFRICA, the producer and publisher of these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
**** INFORMATION ABOUT KENYA, EAST AFRICA'S AFRICAN DIVINE CHURCH (ADC) From https://adcmission.wordpress.com/ ..."The name “African Divine Church” was picked from the book of
John 15:1-17 in 1950 concerning the true vine. This is because, ADC is compared
to the vine tree that grows and bears fruits. Similarly ADC is meant to grow
geographically and bear fruits numerically.
The official ADC dressing is having three colours:
White – the light of Christ.
Red – the blood of Jesus.
Green – the world in which we live.
Mandate and Purpose of African Divine Church
The mandate of ADC is derived from the Bible (Matthew
15:1-17) which concerns the true vine as explained earlier. The Purpose of ADC,
as stipulated in the constitution, is; To function as a fellowship of
Christians, professing, maintaining the Christian faith and life and Christian
service to its members and harmony at large in accordance with the principles
and practices of worldwide religion:
The overall goal of ADC is to contribute, spiritual and
economic empowerment of the members and the community for realization of a
dignified life. The vision of the church is to be a responsible spiritual
guided church that empowers its members spiritually and economically. The
mission of the church is to preach, teach and spread the gospel."...
**** SHOWCASE VIDEOS These videos are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
These videos are presented without any comments, however, via Google translate it appears that most of the comments in the discussion thread are in KiSwahili. I recognize the word "Amen" and "Hallelujah" that are spoken as most of the responses during parts of these sermons. For the purpose of this post, I consider the statements in those sermons to be the "call" portion of the call and response communication pattern. Also, notice that the drum beats also serve as part of the "responses" to those "calls".
several YouTube videos about the African Divine Church and their discussion threads connect this church with Kenya's Luhya ethnic group and/or suggest that most of its members are Luhyas. As such, the preachers in these videos may be probably speaking the Luhya language.
If you recognize the language that is spoken in these videos, please share that information in the comment section below. Thank you.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 This video is embedded at the top of this pancocojams post.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - How to welcome the preacher of the day (A.D.C).
DAGGY AFRICA, Jun 14, 2023
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - The GOOD NEWS of AFRICAN DIVINE CHURCH Preaching.
DAGGY AFRICA, March 18, 2023
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 - The Africa Divine church (pastor Kegode) preaching at home
of the late.✋🙏
DAGGY AFRICA, Jun 12, 2023
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #5 - Goodnews(Mahubiri moto🔥🔥🔥) from
pastor Andambe of African Divine Church.
Children from Three Bells Primary School in Kibera Slums Nairobi, Kenya present western style singing and dancing
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a 2008 YouTube video of Kenyan primary school children performing English language singing games & hand clap rhymes in what they refer to as "Western styles". All of the children performing these singing games are girls.
This post also includes my general description of the "dance" movements that are performed in this video and my partial, unofficial transcription of the singing games that the girls performed in that program.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in this video. Thanks to all the administration and staff of Three Bells Primary School in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES
This 2008 YouTube video documents a program by students of Three Bells Primary School, Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. All of the performing students are girls. I don't know if that school also includes male students. Information about Kibera is given in the comment section below this post.
First, let me say congratulations and thank you to the girls (now young women) who performed in that 2008 creative and enjoyable program.
By "Western style singing and dancing" I believe the publisher meant "the ways that some people in Europe, the United States, and other countries categorized as "the West" perform/ed what are now largely considered "children's singing games". Since all of the games in this program are sung in English, the publisher of this video also considers speaking in English to be a characteristic of "Western style singing and dancing".
The girls wore frilly white "Western style" dresses whose lengths were somewhat below their knees. Each of the girls also wore long white socks and white dress shoes. Some of the girls wore one long red ribbon or one long white ribbon on their shaved head or in their hair. colored scrarf in their hair. One girl who was the anouncer of the program wore a red blouse under her white dress.
The girls sung a medley of singing games, with at least one hand clap rhyme. These singing games flowed into each other with no space from one song to another.
I was familiar with almost all of the singing games (and one hand clap rhyme at the end of this video) that these girls performed, although some words were different than the words that I believe are usually sung for those singing games in the United States. These singing games (and the one hand clap rhyme) were sung in unison, which is the way that they are sung in Europe, North America, and in other "Western" nations.
I'm not familiar with a few of the singing games that the girls performed. Most of the singing games that I'm not familiar with were sung using a call & response pattern.
This Kenyan primary school performance included skipping, partner hand claps,
individual hand claps, strutting, jumping over a rope, jumping in and out of a
rope, hand on their hips shaking movements, performing movements that are indicated by the words of certain singing games and other movements that are
familiar to "Western girls" (I'll reference "American girls" in these general comments as that is the population I belong to and therefore know better than other populations). However, American girls don't usually perform those same movements that these Kenyan girls performed to those specific singing games or that hand clap rhyme.
For instance, during the song "Here we go
Loopy lou", these Kenyans girls bopped their heads while they shaked their
bodies and and sung "Put your right foot in, and put your right foot
out." Most Americans stand in a circle and do the movements as indicated by the lyrics. We usually don't bob our head and shake our body while singing this song.
It also seems to me that these Kenyan singing games have far fewer entire group ring (circle) singing games than American girls. The Kenyan girls also didn't perform any singing games where one (and sometimes two) people stand in the center of a circle that is formed by the rest of the group.
There were many more partner formations in that Kenyan singing games program then they are in contemporary American singing games. (I think the reduction in partner singing games in the United States and the replacement of that format with the games sung by the entire group was purposely done in the mid to late 20th century to avoid "drama" because girls and boys don't want to be each other's partner or some children didn't/don't want to partner with another child regardless of their gender.)
The Kenyan girls also performed many singing games where the group was divided into sets of four or three girls each. Those performance formations aren't usually done in contemporary American singing games.
While full circle formations shown in this video,
it appears to me that single line or two people (partner) vertical lines was the main formation
that was used for these songs. It also appears to me that skipping and shaking
their hips were the main movements that these Kenyan girls performed while
they sang these songs. The Kenyan girls also played several games where they formed arches with two arms and had girls in single file go under those "arches" (as in the game "London Bridge") However, their choreographed version of that singing game didn't include the "catch" portion of that game that is usually played in the United States, and probably also in Western Europe and elsewhere. The Kenyan girls also performed motions as indicated in the lyric for certain songs, as is also done when these singing games are sung in "Western" nations.
I believe that the adaptations to the singing games that these Kenyan girls performed mostly involved vigorous hip shaking from side to side or swaying from side to side, sometimes with their head
bopping in the same direction. For
instance, when they sang the song "Skip to my loo", the girls did a
slow strut. When they sang the words "Loo Loo", they stopped in place, put their hands on
their hips, and shaked their hips.
Another dance adaptation I observed was turning while dancing, nearly squatting down, then coming standing back up and continuing to do that same dance turn. (Example around 3:49 with the words (I think they were) "Mary had a pink dress". Also, in their performance of the song "Shoo Fly", the girls slapped the side of their hip on the words "somebody" (in the sentence "I belong to somebody". They then did a doo-see-do pattern while they sang "I feel like a morning star". And while they sing another song I'm unfamiliar with (which begins around 4:32, I recognized the movement that Americans would call the "Conga line".
A long jump rope was the only prop that the girls used in their performance-other than a wicker basket that some girls held for at least one singing game. For a
few singing game the girls jumped over this rope which was held close to the ground by
two girls standing at either end. For another game, one girl at a time jumps
one time in the middle of the rope that is turned by two
"enders".
****
A PARTIAL, UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTION OF THESE SINGING GAMES/RHYMES
Additions and corrections are welcome.
These lyrics are usully given without movement descriptions. Unless otherwise noted, these songs are sung in unison by the entire group. No person calls out the titles of the songs and there is no break in between songs.
06.- One child announces- "Three Bells Primary School from Kibera province presents Western style singing games".
.07 in this video
Home again, Home again
When I shall see my home again.
When I shall see my little brothers
I never forget my home.
Brother is there
And siser is there
When I shall see my home again
When I shall see my little brother
I never forget my home.
.031
This is the way
We go to play
We go to play
We go to play
We go to play
This is the way
We go to play
Early in the morning.
In
Apart
In
Out
.046
London bridge is falling down
Falling down
Falling down
London bridge is falling down
My fair lady.
Build it up with iron bars
Iron bard
Iron bars
Build it up with iron bars
My fair lady
1.05
Loo loo
Skip to my loo
Loo loo
Skip to my loo
Loo looSkip to my loo
Skip to my loo, my partner* [*The girls pronounce this word "par ten ner"]
Loo loo
Skip to my loo
Loo loo
Skip to my loo
Loo looSkip to my loo
Skip to my loo, my partner
[Small circles of four girls each are formed and the girls huddle close to the ground. One girl runs to one group at a time singing]
I lost my partner
What should I do
[The four girls who the single girl has run to say "No! while raising their hands in the air and throwing their heads back ]
I lost my partner
What shall I do
[the four girls who the single girl has run to say "No! raising their hands in the air while raising their hands in the air and throwing their heads back]
I lost my partner
Now what shall I do
[the four girls who the single girl has run to say "Yes" and the girl removes one of those girls from that huddle and they stand together as "partners".]
[The girls stand with a partner. Each girl puts one arm around their partner's shoulder and holds the edge of her dress with the other hand while singing and skipping around the performance area .]
Loo loo
Skip to my loo
Loo loo
Skip to my loo
Loo looSkip to my loo
Skip to my loo, my partner
1:52
[This is a call and response song, but I'm having difficulty understanding what is sung. The girls form two circles, one within the other. At some point in the song the outer circle changes places with the inner circle.]
We are playing
oh yes
We are moving
oh yes
We are moving
Moving oh
Moving oh
Moving
Moving oh
Moving oh
2:12
[I'm unable to understand what is being sung. This song also has a call & response. At one point I think the group says "You can hear me shout." I think I also hear the caller sing something like "Tie me down" and the group saying "You can't tie me out. Tie me out and tie me down". ]
2.30
Go round and round the window
Go round and round the window
Go round and round the window
As we have done before.
Oh, in and out the window
In and out the window
In and out the window
As we have done before.
2:39 [call and response]
Fiddle dee
"Fiddle dee"
Fiddle dee"Fiddle dee"
The bounce sound hardy
"The bounce sound hardy"
It bounce on me
"It bounce on me"
[I don't understand the remaining portion of this song].
3:04
Mary go round the moon
Mary go round the sun
Mary go round the chicken chicken
turn it out go boo
Turn!
Mary go round the moon
Mary go round the sun
Mary go round the chicken chicken
turn it out go boo
3:19 [Some girls stand in a line to perform this singing game and in another part of the performance space, other girls move clockwise and then counterclockwise around a small circle.]
Here we go Looby lou
Here we go Looby lie
Here we go Looby lou
And turn on Saturday night
Put your right hand in
Put your right hand out
Shake it a little little
And turn yourself about.
Put your right foot in
Put your right foot out.
Shake it a little little
And turn yourself about.
Put your stomach in
Put your stomach out
Shake it a little little
And turn yourself about.
3:49 [This is a call and response song.]
Caller- Mary in a pink dress
The rest of the group-"Tra la la"
Caller- Mary in a pink dress
The rest of the group-"Tra la la"
Caller- Oh look Mary
She wants to dance
All girls sing -Ah tra la la la"
She wants to dance
Ah tra la la la
She wants to dance
Ah tra la la la
She wants to danceShe wants a wonderful time.
Caller - Who’s that in the white dress
Group -"Tra la la"
Caller-Who that in the white dress dress
"Tra la la"
Caller -Oh lookat her
She wants to dance
All girls sing - Ah tra la la la"
She wants to dance
Ah tra la la la
She wants to dance
Ah tra la la la
She wants to danceShe wants a wonderful time.
4:20
Shoo fly, don't follow me.
Shoo fly, don't follow me.
Shoo fly, don't follow me.
I belong to somebody.
I feel, I feel, I feel
Like a morning star
I feel, I feel, I feel
Like a morning star
I feel, I feel, I feel
Like a morning star
4:32
Good morning, Mr. lake
And how do you do?
I want to meet you this morning
I want to dance with you.
Tra la la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la
Oooh!
Tra la la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la
Yeah!
Tra la la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la
Oooh!
Tra la la la la la la la
Tra la la la la la
4:56 [The girls ang this song while they moved slowly around the performance space crossing their legs and holding the edges of their dresses. They may not have been taught what "ring" in this song meant as they didn't form a circle or have a girl stand in the middle of the ring (circle) even though that's what the words to the song say.]
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
They look like sugar in a plum
plum plum
[One group of girls march forward in twos around the performance space with their arms to their sides. A second group marches foreward with their arms outstretched swaying to the beat.]
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Tra la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
They look like a sugar in a plum
plum plum
[The girls stop marching and stand in one curving line clapping their own hands and moving their feet up and down while they sing this portion with a faster tempo.]
Come on,show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Tra la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
They look like a sugar in a plum
plum plum
5:38
Mary, Mary run to the market
Pick some paw paw
Put them in the basket
Pick some paw paw
Put them in the basket
Pick some paw paw
Put them in the basket
Early in the morning.
5:53
[This hand clap rhyme was performed by sets of two girls each facing each other around the performance space. The girls stand in place and bob their heads and shake their bodies to the beat of the song, which isn't usually done in the United States.]
I went to the China shop
shop shop
To buy a loaf of bread
bread bread
She asked me what my ?? name
And this is what I said
said said
China man [Each girl crosses her arms and touch her shoulders; making the "Wakanda Forever gesture which is the very similar as the American Sign Language (ASL) sign for "love".]
I come from India [Each girl touches her right hip and then her left hip.]
India ocean [On these words each girl crosses her arms and leans toward her partner]
boo boo [On these words, the girls gently hit their crossed arms against their partner's crossed arms.]
****
6:06 [The girls begin singing and clapping, and then form two rows. One group of girls form an arch with their arms, and the other girls bend low to move through that arch. When all of that group moves through the arch, the two groups continue singing while they form one line of two people. Each girl puts one arm around their partner's shoulder, and skip while they exit the performance space.]
Each of us are dancing
dancing
Each of us are dancing
dancing now
[Repeat several times.]
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams series provides information about (Kenyan) Kalenjin people and also provides information about Kalenji Koitos (wedding engagements).
In addition, this post showcases five YouTube videos of Kalenjin Koitos. These videos are given in no particular order.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all others who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
**** INFORMATION ABOUT KALENJIN PEOPLE From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_people "The Kalenjin comprise a number of ethnic groups indigenous to East Africa, residing mainly in what was formerly the Rift Valley Province in Kenya. They number 6,358,113 individuals as per the Kenyan 2019 census. They are divided into 11 culturally and linguistically related tribes: Kipsigis, Nandi, Keiyo, Marakwet, Sabaot, Pokots, Tugen, Terik, Sengwer, Lembus, and Ogiek.[2] They speak Kalenjin languages, which belong to the Nilotic language family.[1]"...
"Interesting steps in traditional marriage ceremony amongst the Kalenjin community.
Just like other tribes, the Kalenjin community treasures the marriage ceremony so much. Marriage is important as it depends on the formation of a family which is the prime source of earliest ideas that remain through ones' life.
Amongst the people of Kalenjin community, there are special steps in a marriage ceremony that are more than ordinary. Having seen the Kalenjin marriage ceremony, we consider the various steps and what they mean.
The proposal/Show up
The son who wants to marry informs his father and mother about the girl he wants to marry. His parents tell their relatives and they discuss the suitability according to the clan. If they contend with the girls' behaviour, they go to the girls' family for a show-up and to request for a hand in marriage. The parents are usually accompanied by aunts, uncles, grandparents and some neighbours.
In this show-up, the bridegroom and bride are not part of the negotiations.
The grooms' family ask for forgiveness from the brides' parents for planning to snatch their daughter.
If the bride's family agrees to let them their daughter for marriage, a date for engagement is mutually agreed.
Engagement (Koito)
The bridegroom family goes to the bride's home officially to meet them. Here the groom is required to attend the engagement popularly known as Koito. The grooms' family which include uncles, aunts, grandparents, parents and the clan are invited into the room for dowry negotiations and know each other well. A proper introduction is done to prevent getting married to your own. As for each clan in Kalenjin community, they have a name of a totem animal to represent them, they call it 'Tiondo' and a clan name, 'Oret'
Once both families are aware of their animal and clan name, they proceed to discuss dowry.
Dowry negotiations is usually a challenging affair. The bride's family outlines the effort they have made in raising the bride to her age. They mention the benefit that the groom will get from marrying her hence demand enough appreciation.
Dowry differs amongst the Kalenjin sub-tribes. The dowry which is usually in form of cows, goats and sheep, differs depending on bride's status.
After dowry negotiations, a ceremony is held where the bridegroom and bride are guided and advised on the new family. Gifts and presents are awarded.
Wedding
The brides' family visits the grooms' to check on the agreed dowry and to escort the bride to her new home. The father to the bride wears a traditional cloak, usually of animal skin and carrying a special stick walks with the 'best man' as we might say, to the field to have a look at the cattle for dowry. After confirming, he marks them for identification. A big ceremony where the whole village is invited is held. It is the most expensive step but the groom must prove that he will be able to provide for his new family.
At the dark in a room, the bride and the groom are asked to sit at the opposite sides of an officiating elder. Plaits of a certain grass are made and anointed with butter. They are blessed as four people carrying bouquets of leaves of the sacred plants form a procession of going around the bride and the groom four times. Finally, the man ties the lady and he is tied too. This is evidence that they will be faithful to their marriages. Jubilations follows and celebrations continue.
The ceremony in Kalenjin community is very interesting and worth an experience."
**** Excerpt #2 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koito "Koito ("To give away")[1] is a Kalenjin wedding ritual which involves the negotiation of a brides dowry.[2]
Practice
There are variations in practice between the various sub-tribes, with the Kipsigis for example having a smaller celebration where only one's immediate family and oreet members are invited while the Nandi on the other hand have large celebrations where the whole village is invited.[3]
For all however the key elements are similar; that is the negotiation of the dowry payment which is done by a few select members/negotiators from both families in the privacy of a room separate from the other guests. Mursik is drunk at the end of negotiations by those present to symbolize agreement and is seen as being crucial to the process.[4]
After the negotiations, a celebration is held where the bridegroom and bride are given advise on family life by older relatives from both families. Usually symbolic gifts and presents are given to the couple during this ceremony.[5]
The koito is often quite colorful and sometimes bears resemblance to a wedding ceremony and it is indeed gaining prominence as the key event since the kaayaaet'ap koito is sometimes merged with it and at other times the tunisiet is foregone in favor of it.[6][7][8]" -snip- Some YouTube videos of this event refer to a Koito as a "Kalenji traditional wedding".
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Jesca's engagement Trailer at kaplenge Elgeyo marakwet county
This pancocojams post presents information about Sheng and presents some online definitions of and examples of the word "Bazenga" and the referent "Bazenga Dadii."
Information about the American word "bazinga" is included in this post to point out that the word "bazinga" and the word "bazenga" probably have different origins and definitely have different meanings.
This pancocojams post also includes an Addendum about the lack of results for the word "bazenga" in Google translate.
The content of this post is presented for linguistics and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- DISCLAIMER: I'm African American and only understand English. This pancocojams post presents online information about Sheng and online Sheng definitions.
Additions and corrections are very welcome.
**** PANCOCOJAMS EDITORS NOTE The American English word "Bazinga!" has a different meaning than the Kenyan Sheng word "bazenga". These words demonstrate how words with very similar or the same spellings and/or very similar or the same pronunciations can have different origins and meanings.The Kenyan Sheng word "bazenga" predates the American English word "bazinga". I'm not sure whether the word "Bazinga!" was modeled after the Kenyan word "bazenga", Here's information about the English word "Bazinga!" (also given as "Bazinga)". Fromhttps://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bazinga
"Bazinga
A word used instead of saying:"fooled you!" after a prank. It first appeared in the series of "The Big Bang Theory" and is used by the character named Sheldon. It comes from the word "zing" which means to fool or rediculous someone. and just for a cool slang, the[y] added the "ba" to it. And later the series added the "a" to it, and then it became "Bazinga".
So this is a conversation between all the characters where Sheldon fools everybody with his classic joke and then say:"Bazinga!" instead of fooled you!" or "Gotcha!"...:
FromHoward and Rajesh: "We're going to the goth club!"
Sheldon:"I've always wanted to go to a goth club!...... Bazinga!"
by bazhelga August 16, 2011 -snip- "Rediculous" is probably an accidental misspelling of the English word “ridicule”.
Here's information about The Big Bang Theory (television series) From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Bang_Theory "The Big Bang Theory is an American television sitcom ...The show premiered on CBS on September 24, 2007, and concluded on May 16, 2019, having broadcast a total of 279 episodes over twelve seasons"... -snip- For what it's worth, I'm African American and have never watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory. My guess is that this television series didn't have many African American viewers.
By Laura Dean, Nov. 01, 2013 ..."There are 42 languages
spoken in Kenya—Swahili and English are the two official languages—but Sheng is
overtaking them all as the language of the big-city youth. It is a
Swahili-based slang, with bits of English thrown in alongside other Kenyan and
non-Kenyan languages. And, remarkably, it’s catching on across all parts of
society.
Sheng began its life as a slang largely used by gangs in the poorest corners of Nairobi. The widely agreed upon origin story of Sheng is that in the 1980s and 1990s, a massive migration of people from the countryside to city resulted in large numbers of young people living in close quarters with their families in low-income neighborhoods in Nairobi. “When you had all these young people living together in these very crowded areas of Nairobi, [they needed] a language of secrecy,” says Professor Mungai Mutonya, senior lecturer in socio-linguistics at Washington University in St. Louis, “where they could be able to communicate without getting the information out to their parents.”
Now the secret is out. Today it isn’t uncommon to see Sheng pop up almost anywhere—on billboards, on the radio, in political campaign ads, and public service announcements. It has become the lingua franca of Nairobi’s youth, who make up 60 percent of the Kenyan population. Politicians, advertisers, and schoolteachers are taking notice.
Each neighborhood speaks its own variety, and the language itself changes almost weekly. “Whatever Sheng you are speaking now, the words you’re saying now, when you go like even for three months and you come back, they’re done,” says [Kenyan rapper] Octopizzo. The language is familiar enough that a Sheng dictionary came out recently. But dictionaries for Sheng have a short shelf life because of how rapidly the vocabulary change. “After a year,” he says, “the dictionary is expired.”
Its dynamism is one of the language’s unique features. Mutonya says that new Sheng words or phrases are often introduced by entertainers, DJs, and musicians like Octopizzo, all of whom compete to make their own original contributions. Sometimes such innovation is driven by necessity: Octopizzo invented a word for marijuana, octombeedo, so that it would get past the radio censors. Not surprisingly, words that describe illegal substances or law enforcement change most rapidly.
“It’s like a code,” says Octo, “[even] your parents don’t know what you guys are talking about.”... ****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "BAZENGA" AND THE REFERENT "BAZENGA DADII"
These excerpts are given in relative chronological order with the oldest excerpt (in this case, the one with the oldest date for the word "bazenga" that I've found) given first. Numbers are included for referencing purposes only.
"Utashangaa! Here Are The Latest Sheng Words From Kayole" by Caren Nyota, September 2, 2019 [Pancocojams article summary:
This article provides a list of Sheng words that came from Kayole including "bazenga"
"Bazenga – the big man"
-snip-
Kayole, a neighborhood in Nairobi, Kenya, is where a lot of Sheng words come from. Click https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2019/08/in-kayole-youthful-criminals-are-ready-to-kill-just-to-impress-their-girlfriends/ In Kayole, Youthful Criminals Are Ready To Kill Just To
Impress Their Girlfriends" by Joseph Muraya, August 21, 2019 for more information about Kayole. -snip- It seems like the meaning of the word "bazenga" ("father" as given in Excerpt #1 & #2) has changed to "big man". However, I'm curious whether the word "bazenga" in the 1990s was a shortened form of "bazenga dadii" ("big daddy). Or is "bazenga dadii" a new form of the old word "bazenga"?
Khaligraph Jones and Breeder LW- "Ni Kubaya (official music video) discussion thread Eric Geovanni, June 2020
"Ni kubaya can be same as It's LIT or it's Baaaad 🔥🔥
The cane reps the big Daddy factor(Bazenga
Daddy).He is talking about how hard he is into the hustle to get to the top of
the game.”… -snip- The Kenyan rapper Breeder LW uses the nickname "Bazenga Daddii" and "Bazenga Dadii". I replied to this comment on that YouTube discussion thread. To summarize that comment , I think that the name "Bazenga Daddy" ("Big Daddy") reminded me of the very well regarded African American rapper Big Daddy Kane, particular since Breeder LW (Lyrical Wizard)'s use of a cane in this (and in some other videos?) might be a play on the name (and homage to) Big Daddy Kane.
A number of commenters in YouTube discussion threads for Breeder LW's music videos refer to that rapper as "Bazenga" and/or "Bazenga Dadii". To read a few of those comments, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/khaligraph-jones-and-breeder-lw-ni.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Khaligraph Jones And Breeder LW - "Ni Kubaya" (Official Music Video & With Comments From TFLA Discussion Thread)"
****
Excerpt #6
"Bazenga
It's a Kenyan slug used to mean that one is a beast in
something
I am a bazenga in fifa"
by Thau May 11, 2020
-snip-
“Slug” is probably an accidental is spelling of the English word “slang”.
In standard American English this sentence reads "I'm extremely good at playing football (soccer) and I'll be that way for the rest of my life".
In that comment, the word "beast“ has the African American Vernacular English (AAVE) definition "someone who excels at something". This meaning comes from the custom of considering someone who does something very well as being extraordinary (extra-ordinary) and/or superhuman (doing something beyond what mere humans can do) coupled with the AAVE originated terms "killing it"/ "killed it" (murdered", "slayed" etc).
"Fifa" is the highest governing body for football (what people in the United States call "soccer". Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA for information about FIFA.
Is this a correct definition of the Sheng word "bazenga"? And if so, does it predate the use of that word as a referent for Kenyan Hip Hop artist Breeder LW who many consider a beast in Kenyan Hip Hop music?
**** ADDENDUM- GOOGLE TRANSLATE AND THE WORD "BAZENGA" I've found that Google translate from Swahili to English usually doesn't provide any results for the word "bazenga" or the word "bhazenga" (which I put in that translation feature to see if that would result in any definition.)
However, Google translate gave this result for this comment from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-vr2-Q9mp0 "BREEDER LW - "YES BANA FREESTYLE" (Official Music
Video)" posted by Breeder LW, Feb. 4, 2020 yielded t
mwangi victor, 2020
"Eeei buda ..we ni bazenga enyewe 💪
we ni bazenga enyewe 💪
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English
"Eeei buda ..we are the ones who will come 💪
he is the guardian of himself 💪" -snip- Notice that Google translate didn't give any English translation for "Eeei buda". Read a definition for "buda" above in this pancocojams post.
Is "guardian" a correct definition for "bazenga"?
** Here's another comment from that same discussion thread:
Mesh Ronald, 2020 "I remember singing "chuki ndiyo nahisi
nikiwaza..." song you came thru sang with me your name back then was
baraka. That was in highschool bro "Nyati boys" on that "Murgor
ablution block" basking during the evening ulikuwa baraka kweli na chuo
ilikuwa inatambua we ndo bazenga. You being in form 4 and we being barely on
second year men we really appreciated your efforts kuna
siku preps ulitokolezea na ukatufunza chemistry subject and it was really a
wake up call and a different perspective given the attitude we had towards the
subject man, to cut it short you a true inspiration not only to nyati family
but also to Kenyan hip hop industry. BAZENGA DADDY TK TO THE WORLD. -snip- According to a commenter on another Breeder LW YouTube discussion thread (Khaligraph Jones And Breeder LW- "Ni Kubaya") "TK" = "Tough Klan" Breeder LW (Lyrical Wizard)'s record label. Another commenter on that same discussion thread wrote that "TK" are the rappers that Breeder LW performs with. Those comments can mean the same thing. I put the words "ulikuwa baraka kweli na chuo ilikuwa inatambua we ndo bazenga" in Google translate Swahili to English and got this result: "you were a real blessing and the college was recognizing you". Google results Swahili to English gave the exact same result for those words without the word bazenga at the end. It's possible that that translation feature might have assumed that "bazenga" was a name although that word isn't capitalized. But it seems to me that -in this example and in full sentences other portions of sentences that include the word "bazenga" Google translate either acts like that word isn't there or repeats that word in the box for the English translation.
If I correctly understand what I read, "bazenga" is a Sheng word that didn't come from Swahili. Therefore there's not surprising that Google translate from Swahili to English wouldn't have a result for that word. However, it seems strange to me that that results sometimes acts like that word isn't even found in the sentences or portions of sentences that I've copied for Swahili to English translation.
Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams post provides information about and examples of the Sheng word "noma" and the phrase "noma sana". The content of this post is presented for linguistics and cultural purposes.
All copyright remains with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. **** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE This post's target audience is people throughout the world (like me) who don't speak or understand Sheng and Swahili but who repeatedly come across the phrase "noma sana" in discussion threads of contemporary Kenyan and/or Tanzanian music.
I gathered information about the meaning of "noma sana" from various online sources.
Sheng, popularly defined as an acronym for “Swahili-English slang” (Mazrui, 1995), emerged in the 1960s in the multicultural environment of Nairobi. It is an urban language which combines mainly Kiswahili and English but also other Kenyan languages such as Kikuyu, Luyha, Dholuo and Kikamba. Sheng is characterized by an important linguistic flexibility. It does not have an official status even if it is widely spoken, especially by the youth. Originally used as a vehicular language between people from different regions, it is becoming a vernacular language, some people born in the 1980s or later having Sheng as their first language. Sheng is not a unique linguistic phenomenon in Africa. In the last fifty years, urbanization and globalization have prompted the emergence of new urban linguistic codes. Such codes are based on multilingual speech and characterized by unstable vocabulary. Many of these varieties derived from a criminal slang to a youth code. Despite constant devaluation by educationalists, traditionalists, language planners and the elites, those youth languages have expanded and transformed into urban varieties that feature highly in popular culture and the media. This is the case for Nouchi (a mixed code made of French and local languages spoken in Abidjan), Tsotsitaal/Isicamtho (Johannesburg), Hindubill (in Kinshasa, mainly made of Lingala and French), and others."... **** WHAT "NOMA" AND "NOMA SANA" MEAN These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Use : Leta noma uchapwe = cause chaos and you will be beaten
Period: Mid 90's
Related to: Zusha,Tafash,
Synonyms: Leta ngori, Zua noma, Leta genje, Mezesha,
Leta noma
- Area of origin : Unknown
Etymology:
Derived from the swahili and sheng words 'LETA' is a swahili word meaning 'BRING' while 'NOMA' is a sheng word meaning 'CHAOS' "
**** SELECTED COMMENTS FROM TWO YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS These comments are given with a citation for their their Kenyan YouTube sources. Some
supplemental information may also be included after these comments. I've given the Google translate results from Swahili to English although I don't have much faith that these results are always correct.
All of these comments were published in 2020. These examples are given in no particular order. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
Comments From Source #1 FEMI ONE X MEJJA - UTAWEZANA (OFFICIAL VIDEO), Femi One, April 1, 2020
1. Dennis Joe "noma"
**
2. Isaac bling anman
"😂😂😂😂nomaa
Sanaa🇨🇩" -snip- "CD"= abbreviation for Democratic Republic of the Congo
Elongating written words by adding vowels is one way of intensifying that word.
**
3. ALVIN INDIRE
"Noma
Sana imeweza kabisa" -snip- Google translate from Swahili to English: "imeweza kabisa"= "completely managed"
-snip- My guess is that "completely managed" here means something similar to the African American Vernacular English phrase "on point"
** 4. qlasic love
"I week still number one trending 👏👏👏👏
Noma sana"
** 5. Vicky Mbwambo
"Oiiiiii man noma sana
Me nitawezana femi" -snip- Google translate from Swahili to English gives this result for "Me nitawezana" = I will be able to".
** 6. Mery Njau
"Noma sana watching from tz
🇹🇿🇹🇿
🎶🎵🎼🎧
utawezana & i love kenya so much" -snip- "Tz" = Tanzania -snip- Google translate from Swahili to English for "utawezana"= "You will be able to". Does this mean that the commenter can understand the words spoken in this track?
"The Dholuo dialect (pronounced [d̪ólúô][3]) or Nilotic
Kavirondo, is a dialect of the Luo group of Nilotic languages, spoken by about
4.2 million Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania,[4] who occupy parts of the
eastern shore of Lake Victoria and areas to the south. It is used for
broadcasts on KBC (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, formerly the Voice of
Kenya)."... -snip- The Kenyan rappers Japesa and Khaligraph Jones are both Luos.
** 3. Miston Champe "Noma tena sana👑" -snip- Google translate from Swahili to English: "tena sana" = "again very" I think the entire comment means something like "Again, this is really awesome."
** 4. Vindee Bazenga Dadii "Nomaaaaaa💯💯💯💯💯ja
kisumo owadwa💯💯💯👊👊👊" -snip- Google translate from Swahil to English gives no results for "ja kisumo owadwa".
