The Word "Makidada" (In The Hand Clap Rhyme From "The Color Purple" Book, Movie, & Play) Isn't A Swahili Word That Means "Little Sister"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about novelist Alice Walker and focuses on the hand clap rhyme entitled "Makidada" that is an iconic part of Walker's award winning novel "The Color Purple" and of that novel's movie and Broadway versions.. 

This post showcases a YouTube video of the first use of that rhyme in the 1985 movie "The Color Purple" and also provides links for the two other scenes from that movie which feature that rhyme.  

This post also includes a transcription of the "Makidada" rhyme which indicates that the word "makidada" is Swahili for "little sister". Two other online excerpts that are included in this post discuss the meaning of rhyme in The Color Purple as well as ihe extrapolated meaning of being someone's "makidada".

I'm a non-Swahili speaker, but based on what I have read online, I question the assertion that "makidada" is an authentic Swahili word. Instead, I posit that word "makidada" was coined by Alice Walker and that rhyme "One Makidada" was created by Walker as part of her creative process.

This post presents some online information about Swahili language noun/adjective structure as well as definitions for the Swahili word "dada" and the Swahili element "maki". These excerpts support my position that "makidada" is a made up Swahili word.
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The content of this post is presented for cultural and linguistic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Alice Walker for her cultural legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are associated with the YouTube videos that are showcased and linked in this post and thanks to the publisher of that showcased video on YouTube.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a self-described community folklorist who is particularly interested in African American children's rhymes, I want to share my thoughts about the word "makidada" that is found in the hand clap rhyme in The Color Purple book, movie, and Broadway show.
   
The word "makidada" is widely translated as "a Swahili word meaning "little sister". 
However, as a non-Swahili speaker, I question that etymology which I think is an example of an urban myth: "a story or statement that is not true but is often repeated, and believed by many to be true" 
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/urban-myth

Instead of believing that "makidada" is a Swahili word that means "little sister", I posit that Alice Walker purposely made up the word "makidada", combining the element "maki" (which has another meaning in Swahili) with the actual Swahili word "dada" which means "sister". 

It's possible that Alice Walker has written about or shared information in interviews about the word "makidada" in which she notes that she purposely coined that word and that she made up that rhyme as part of her creative process. It is also possible that people may have attributed that Swahili etymology to the word "makidada" since the word "dada" is an actual Swahili word that means "sister".  However, I haven't found anything online about the word "makidada''s etymology apart from the (I believe highly questionable) statements that "makidada" is a Swahili word. Nor have I found any examples of the rhyme "Makidada" or any other African American rhyme with the word "makidada" or similarly spelled words apart from articles that refer back to "The Color Purple".

I love the sentiments of The Color Purple's hand cap rhyme "Makidada" and i applaud the way that Alice Walker used that rhyme to show the sisters' close and steadfast love for each other in spite of their separations and their very difficult circumstances. I believe that admiration for that rhyme and that creative device can be and should be separated from the urban myth that the word "makidada" is Swahili for "little sister".

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INFORMATION ABOUT ALICE WALKER AND HER BOOK "THE COLOR PURPLE"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Walker

"Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist.

 [...]

In 1982, she published what has become her best-known work, The Color Purple. The novel follows a young, troubled black woman fighting her way through not just racist white culture but patriarchal black culture as well. The book became a bestseller and was subsequently adapted into a critically acclaimed 1985 movie directed by Steven Spielberg, featuring Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg, as well as a 2005 Broadway musical totaling 910 performances."...

-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Color_Purple for information about and a summary of the novel "The Color Purple".  

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SHOWCASE YOUTUBE VIDEO- 1 Makidada

Rebecca Stallings, November 29, 2020
-snip-

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM60tZnG3i8&t=18s (from 1:48 to around 2:14 in that video) and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tL03oQzkmw for YouTube videos of the two other scenes in The Color Purple movie which show or include this hand clap rhyme. The last link is for the ending scene of that movie. At around 4:42 in that video Celia and Nettie are shown as adults chanting that hand clap rhyme, although the words for that rhyme aren't heard.

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TRANSCRIPTION OF THE RHYME "MAKIDADA" AND ARTICLE EXCEPTS
(given in no particular order and numbered for referencing purposes only)

Excerpt #1
From https://lostinurbanism.tumblr.com/post/76005176154/the-color-purple-and-makidada-in-the-book-the#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIn%20the%20book%2C%20the%20sisters,be%20separated%20from%20one%20another.

The Color Purple and “Makidada”

“In the book, the sisters Nettie and Celie play and sing a hand game called “Makidada,”
which is a Swahili word meaning “Little Sister.” The words of the song celebrate a relationship in which the two girls vow to never part or be separated from one another. This heartbreakingly poignant moment is not only charged with emotion and symbolism, but also serves as a reminder of the many beautiful songs and hand games that have their roots in African culture.”  – excerpt from Memory Lane, Sunday Kinfolk. 

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Excerpt #2
From https://naturallyme007.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/makidada/

"You and me, Us never part
Makidada
You and me, Us have one heart
Makidada
Ain’t no ocean, ain’t no sea
Makidada
Keep my sista way from me
Makidada

Many of us know this song from the movie, The Color Purple.  We sang or mumbled the words while airing the hand motions with a sibling, cousin or friend. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I figured out what they were saying and how important this song was to Celie and Nettie.  Makidada.  In Swahili, this means little sister. Growing up, I was the little sister.  But, who says that your “little sister” has to be younger than you?"

[...]

n friendships, I learned that you cannot put a time frame on it. I’ve met individuals and felt as though I’d known them a lifetime.  We feel comfortable around each other, which makes us open up more.  Yet, I’ve known other people for years and they began to look more like strangers.  Life experiences and growth change our perception.  We grow apart.  This is okay too.   Some of our seasons last longer than others.  Enjoy it while you can.

Remember when Celie and Nettie saw each other again

“Nettiiiiiiiiiiiiiie….Celie”

after all those years they’d been separated???  They reconnected as if they never parted.  The gift and curse of getting older is that friends move away to plant their life elsewhere.  Yea, this allows me to have a FREE vacation anytime..., but it doesn’t allow me to be in their presence.  As I age, I acknowledge that even though I don’t get to see my girls as much as I want, when we do get together, it’s like we never split. Those are the true bonds that I need in my life."

****Excerpt #3 From http://feenixfire.blogspot.com/2009/09/makidada.html
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009POSTED BY FEENIX

"Makidada...

An Indisputable Bond...

Although the words to the game where simple the symbolic meaning was not. In the beginning of the movie we see the sisters running through a field of purple flowers. They proceed to play the game and recite the lyrics, “Me and you, us never part. Makidada. Me and you, us have one heart. Makidada. Ain’t no ocean, ain’t no sea. Makidada. Keep my sister away from me.” These words provide us with a look into the future of the girls. The words represented a bond that would play out all the way through the movie. A bond that kept them together no matter the circumstance.

Before

They promised each other that they would never be apart. They promised each other that no ocean or sea would keep them away from one another. They promised each other that they would always share the same heart. These women went through more then most of us can imagine in their lives and yet, they kept the promises that were made when they were still young girls. They kept the promises made by that childish game. The bond that they shared never broke. “You and me, us never part”

After

Now I chose to make this my Monday morning topic because my sister is my Makidada. We've been there and we've done that, but in the end we always know that there will never be another like the other. She is programmed in my phone as Sista Ma~ki~dada and that is how we greet eachother. It started as a joke because that is her all time favorite movie. But like the movie, we realized that the meaning was so much more. This is her g-chat status message "just cannot live without my makidada I love you so much, dearly"... That makes me all warm inside!”…

[Comment about this post]
Unknown said...[APRIL 12, 2011]

"When my great-nephew was a baby, I would play and sing in his ear during church services to keep him quiet. On one such occassion his father, noticing my actions and his son's reactions of smiling and excitement from across the church, ask me what were you saying to my son during service? I laughed and started singing the song from "The Color Purple", Makidada. Immediately his baby son started to react to my singing with smiles, laughter and hand claps. "Wow!" his father said, "he loves that". From that moment on I was given the nickname of Makidada but I never knew what it meant. My great-nephew and great-niece both call me Makidada (sometimes it is shortened to Kidada). Since these are my sisters' children and grand-children, the name has a very special name for me and I love it. Now other family members and friends, including their children, also call me Makidada. Thank You for sharing your story with me and I hope you and your sister will continue in the beautiful and blessed relationship you share; my sister and I share a close relationship also. God's love to all, Ruby "Makidada"

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ONLINE EXCERPTS ABOUT NOUN/ADJECTIVES IN SWAHILI
From http://mylanguages.org/swahili_adjectives.php#:~:text=Swahili%20Adjectives%20are%20words%20that,or%20thing%20in%20the%20sentence.&text=All%20the%20above%20examples%20arein,prefixes%20of%20the%20noun%20class.&text=Notice%20the%20structure%20of%20the%20Adjectives%20in%20Swahili.

"Swahili Adjectives

Learning the Swahili Adjectives displayed below is vital to the language. Swahili Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence.

Grammar Tips:

While in English an adjective doesn’t change when the noun changes, in Swahili an adjective should agree with noun class. For example:

a)    Mtoto mzuri amefika ( a good child has arrived)

b)    Kiti kizuri kimetengenezwa( a good chair has been made)

c)    Gari zuri limeletwa( a good car has been brought)

All the above examples arein singular.

As you can realize, thestem is –zuri and after you add the prefixes of the noun class.

Here are some examples:

English Adjectives   - Swahili Adjectives

adjectives - Vivumishi

a green tree - Mti wa kijani Kibichi

a tall building - Jengo ndefu

a very old man - mzee mkongwe/ mtu mzee sana

the old red house - Nyumba nyekundu iliozeeka sana

a very nice friend - rafiki mzuri sana

Notice the structure of the Adjectives in Swahili.

List of Adjectives in Swahili

[…]

big - Ukubwa

[...]

small - Udogo"
-snip-
Given this information, the word "makidada" doesn't conform to the way that the Swahili language structures its noun and adjectives- with the noun given first, followed by the adjective.

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ENGLISH TO SWAHILI DEFINITIONS FOR "LITTLE SISTER" ("BABY SISTER") ETC. 

From https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the/swahili-word-for-1dd09baa19dc7688f96e2ea45033603921cd7b83.html

"How to say sister in Swahili

Swahili Translation- dada

younger sister   - dada mdogo

sister in law- shemeji

little sister-dada mdogo

elder sister-dada mkubwa

older sister-dada mkubwa

baby sister-dada mdogo

step sister-dada wa kambo

twin sister-mapacha

big sister-dada mkubwa

my sister-dada yangu"
-snip-
Google translate feature from English to Swahili gives this result for "little sister" and for "baby sister"= "dada mdogo" 

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ENGLISH TO SWAHILI DEFINITIONS FOR THE ELEMENT "MAKI".

From http://swahili_english.enacademic.com/7386/maki

"[Swahili Word] maki

[English Word] corpulence

[Part of Speech] adjective

[Swahili Example] ana maki

[English Example] He is heavy (and strong)

[Swahili Word] maki

[English Word] heaviness

[Part of Speech] adjective

[Swahili Word] maki

[English Word] stoutness

[Part of Speech] adjective

[Swahili Word] maki

[English Word] thickness

[Part of Speech] noun

[Swahili Example] nguo ya maki

[English Example] thick cloth"
-snip-

"Dada" means "sister" in Swahili, but "maki"  doesn't mean "little" or "younger". However, putting aside the fact that "maki" doesn't mean "little" or "younger", I believe that the word "makidada" isn't an authentic Swahili  word because its structure doesn't conform with the way that nouns and their descriptors are given in Swahili.  If "makidada" were correctly given in Swahili, it would be given as "dada maki". 

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Please Help Translate The Swahili Greeting Words In These Two Speeches That President Obama Gave In Kenya (2015 & July 2018)

Edited by Azizi Powell

On July 16, 2018 former United States President Barack Obama gave the keynote address at the opening of his sister Dr. Auma Obama's Sports/ Recreation center in Kenya.

After watching a YouTube video of that speech online, I also watched a YouTube video of a speech that President Obama gave in Kenya in July 26, 2015. At or near the beginnings of both speeches President Obama used Swahili greetings and also said other words (I think) in Swahili.

I'm impressed with former President Obama's ability to connect with his audiences by code switching and otherwise. I've found some information about some of the words that were used in the beginning of those speeches, but can't find English translations for the other words.

Please help for the historical record (in the United States and other non-Swahili speaking nations.

Thanks!

In addition to these brief greeting words and introductory comments, I'm sharing these videos for historical and cultural purposes. The 2015 video is captioned, but, unfortunately, the 2018 video is not. If you know a link for a full or partial transcript of this speech, please share it in the comment section below.

Also, the Addendum to this post showcases a video of Dr. Auma Obama's speech at the July 16, 2018 ceremony to officially open the Sauti Kuu community center. The Addendum also showcases a video of President Obama dancing at that ceremony.

Congratulations to Dr. Auma Obama and all others who have helped and are helping with Sauti Kuu Foundation and its initiatives!

Thanks to President Obama and Dr. Auma Obama for their positive life work and their positive role modeling. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of the these videos on YouTube.

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SPEECH #1 - The President Speaks to the Kenyan People



The Obama White House, Published on Jul 26, 2015

President Obama delivers remarks to the Kenyan people in Nairobi, Kenya. July 26, 2015
-snip-
This video includes the following captions [I've added an identification in brackets of the person/people speaking].
[President Obama]- Hey!

[Audience] Hey!

[President Obama]- Habari Zenu

[Audience]- Nzuri*

*I believe this is a correction of [applause] which was the caption that is given.

[President Obama] then said "eh eh" or similar sounding utterance that I believe was in polite acknowledgement of what other people said.

[President Obama] - "Wakenya mpo
-snip-
Read an excerpt below from an online discussion about "Habari Zenu".

**
From online sources, the English translation for the Swahili word "nzuri" is "good". I remember learning from an African American friend who I'm no longer in contact with that "Nzuri" is one response to "Habari gani". She lived in Tanzania for a couple of years and then taught KiSwahili at the University of Pittsburgh.

I also learned online that "Wakenya" is Swahili for "Kenyans". However, I couldn't find any English meaning for "mpo". What does "Wakenya mpo" mean in English?

Also, is the "Hey" [greeting] and "Hey" [response] common in Kenya?
-snip-
UPDATE: July 24, 2020
Thanks and hat tip to victor for his response to my request for English translations of these KiSwahili words:

 victorJuly 24, 2020 at 12:37 AM

"Habari gani some audience said Nzuri others Poa
"Poa" is quite or more common response. meaning "Cool"

Mpo means 'Are you there'" 

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOR THE KISWAHILI WORD "HABARI"
From https://www.duolingo.com/dictionary/Swahili/habari/82386ddd3ad3585f81ef122a65e8f7eb
"SWAHILI: habari

ENGLISH: a/the news, how, Information

Swahili Sentence example: Habari za mchana Rehema?

English translation: How is your afternoon, Rehema?"

-snip-
Is the colloquial English phrase "What's happening?" a correct translation for "Habari"?

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COMMENTS ABOUT THE KISWAHILI GREETING "HABARI ZENU"
From https://www.duolingo.com/comment/21209713/Habari-ya-leo
HABARI ZENU
[commenter] vtopphol
"It's a bit arbitrary which from you choose, but zako is plural when it comes to the pieces of news, and singular when it comes to number of persons asked. You would use zenu when greeting several persons, and if you greet someone who you haven't seen in a long time, or someone who you haven't met before, it is common to use the 'z-' forms, implying that she or he has many 'pieces of news', because many days have passed.

The important thing to remember is that this is not a question about what is actually happening in the life of a person, but a greeting. The answer would still be "Nzuri sana!", and then you could start telling about what has happened since last time, and start asking more specific questions. Those questions could also be part of an extended greeting. And the better you know a person, the longer the greting phase would be. For example, if the person you are greeting has a wife, that you also know, or he has talked about the last times you met, it would be natural to ask "Habari ya mkewe?", and the answer is still "Nzuri sana!".

**
[commenter] Catriona28475
"Shouldn't that be "when it comes to the pieces of news, za is plural (several pieces of news) and ya is singular (one piece of news)"?

As you explain, and several other comments here confirm, the amount of news the speaker indicates (singular or plural) depends on the number of people asked (or asked about) and how much news they can be expected to have (that you don't already know about). So:
- ya (singular) for one person you see often
- za (plural) if you haven't seen this person for a long time
- za (plural) if you are meeting someone for the first time
- za (plural) if you are asking several people (even if you see them often).

I am not questioning that it is a greeting and that the answer is always "nzuri" or similar (even if you have some bad news to tell). The real question is how can this be translated to an English greeting that any English speaker would say and understand as an equivalent greeting.

"How is the day?" is completely meaningless, which is why so many people have commented here that they can't work out what these three simple words mean when put together.

Maybe "Habari ya leo" would make sense if translated as "How are things today?"
"Habari ya mkewe?" would then translate as "How are things with your wife?)"...

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SPEECH #2: Speech by the Former US President Barack Obama in Kenya



SABC Digital News, July 16, 2018

SABC is funded in whole or in part by the South African government.
-snip-
[an audience member ulalates - "Ululation .... from Latin ululo, is a long, wavering, high-pitched vocal sound resembling a howl with a trilling quality. It is produced by emitting a high pitched loud voice accompanied with a rapid back and forth movement of the tongue and the uvula."...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ululation

[President Obama] - Habari

[Audience] - "Nzuri" [I'm not sure if this is what was said, but I think that "Nzuri" is a standard response for most "Habari" greetings.]

[President Obama] - ? [I don't know what he said.]

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ADDENDUM
Here's a video of Dr. Auma Obama's full speech during the launch of Sauti Kuu Initiative - July 2018



KTN News Kenya, Published on Jul 16, 2018

Dr. Auma Obama's full speech during the launch of Sauti Kuu Initiative - July 2018.
-snip-
Note that Dr. Obama doesn't start her speech with any Swahili greeting words.

According to other videos on this initiative, "Sauti Kuu" means "Powerful Voices" in Swahili.

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Former President Barack Obama dances with Mama Sarah Obama



KTN News Kenya, Published on Jul 16, 2018

Former President Barack Obama dances with Mama Sarah Obama.

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"Habari", "Shikamoo", "Jambo", "Mambo" and Some Other Greeting Words Used In KiSwahili Speaking Nations

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides examples of some greeting words in KiSwahili speaking nations.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/10/jambo-ella-jenkins-lyric-sound-file.html. for Part I of a three part pancocojams series on songs that include the word "Jambo". That post showcases Ella Jenkins' children's song "Jambo". The links to the other posts in this series are included in that post. The other featured songs are The Three Mushroom's "Jambo Bwana" and The Lion King's "Hakuna Matata".

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INFORMATION ABOUT KISWAHILI GREETING WORDS
Entire Embedded Article:
From
http://sites.northwestern.edu/ipd-tanzania/2015/07/21/the-various-layers-of-greetings/ THE VARIOUS LAYERS OF GREETINGS
Posted July 21st, 2015 by Elizabeth Kelly
"At home, there are only three reasons why I even acknowledge the person passing me. The first is if I know them well, the second is if I sort of know them, and the third is if I just happen to make eye contact with them, and even that only elicits a smile. And this is perfectly normal. They don’t expect me to do anything to admit that I acknowledge them, and I don’t expect them to either.

Here, in Tanzania, this is absolutely not the case. Here, there are three things I need to think about if I see a person approaching. Do I know them? How old are they compared to me? Did I already see them earlier today? After analyzing these three questions, I next need to think of the proper way to say hello, and maybe even think of an automated response if they take the greeting further into small-talk. It sounds like a lot of work, and it can be quite repetitive when walking down a busy street, but it can actually be rewarding, and may lead to meeting some very interesting people.

Greetings are important because it opens up the doors to a potential relationship. Friendship, partnership, business networking, resources, romantic relationship; they’re all possible. Even if nothing comes out of it, there is still an open door, and in the future if you ever meet again, you can start back on the right foot. There is also the mentality of creating relationships because you never know when you may need something. This is the warning to those who do not greet, because the person not greeted will remember that and may think poorly of you in the future when you cross paths again.

Greetings are based on age. If you are greeting someone older than you, “Shikamoo” is the word you want (or “Shikamooni” if there are multiple older people together). The response to this is always “Marahaba”, which is an appreciation of the respect and returned greeting. If you forget to greet an elder this way, they may passive aggressively remind you by saying “Marahaba” first, to let you know that you messed up. For those who are your own age, or for elders who you have properly greeted earlier that day, the collection of variations of Hujambo is the way to go. “Hujambo” gets the response “Sijambo” (one on one) and “Hamjambo” needs the response “Hatujambo” (one greeting a group). There is also the very common slang phrase “Mambo” (basically “what’s up?”), to which you reply “Poa!”

At first, it was hard to remember all of this, and it was especially difficult to think fast and pick the correct phrase for the correct situation. But it was worth the effort to learn. There are three common circumstances that make me very proud and happy to know the proper way to greet people. The first is when encountering an elderly man or woman. Many are skeptical at first of our presence in their town or on their property. We don’t blend in, so we get a lot of stares and interesting looks. But as soon as we greet the elder with “Shikamoo,” his or her face lights up and we are invited to join them in what they are doing or are welcome into their shop. It is an added bonus if you greet an old woman by saying “Shikamoo bibi” or an old man by saying “Shikamoo baba.”

The second common circumstance happens when we pass groups of children playing or going to school. Usually they just stare, but sometimes they wave excitedly and yell “Hi!” The shock and bewilderment when we say back “Mambo” is priceless. Sometimes with more quiet children, we’ll start first with “Mambo,” to which their eyes widen and they smile and yell (or sometimes whisper) “Poa.” Sometimes, all of this sparks conversation and laughter of “mzungu” (white people), because most foreigners do not make the effort to learn the ins and outs of greetings. This is especially fun when we are running in the morning through the village, when all of the kids are waiting for the school bus and we look even more foreign while exercising. Of course a “Shikamoo” is also necessary for their mothers waiting with them.

The third common circumstance might be my favorite. After coming back from a safari and having spent a weekend shopping in Arusha Town, we have had quite a few encounters with places catering to tourists. What greeting do we get when we walk into these places? “Jambo!” This isn’t even a word! This is in no way a greeting, but most foreigners believe that in Swahili, this is the way to say hello, so this is what the shopkeepers who deal with tourists say to them. Like everyone else, their response to our proper Swahili greeting of “Sijambo” is great, and often entices a short, simple conversation about how our day is going and that our Swahili is good, to which we say that we only know a little bit, and then go about our day.

In the United States, I never could have imagined something such as a greeting creating such an impression, forming so many opinions, and receiving such surprised and welcoming reactions. I keep thinking about what it will be like to go home and only greet those I know. The ideas behind the culture of greetings here make so much sense to me, and are really an integral part of the Tanzanian culture as a whole. Connections and relationships are necessary for life, and these cannot start without a greeting or a display of respect."
-snip-
The English translation for the KiSwahili word "Poa" is "Good", "Well", and/or "Cool" [vernacular meaning of that word]. https://www.duolingo.com/dictionary/Swahili/poa/26fe39767d5c4ddeedb91a394c0d6873

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Page Excerpt
From https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Swahili/Common_Phrases
..."Greetings in Swahili are a crucial aspect of Swahili culture; it is not uncommon for a conversation to go on for several minutes before it actually moves beyond saying what would be considered “hello” in western cultures. There is no generic word for “hello” in the language, rather there are numerous options depending on the relative ages and race of the people involved, as well as singular and plural forms, time of day, and other factors.

Greetings are somewhat regular and formulaic, with specific responses required (not completely, but somewhat).

Often, Swahili greetings are structured in a call-and-response format, where a certain initial greeting will require a particular response (for example, shikamoo is always followed by marahaba).

Positive responses are the norm, even more so than in the west. Thus you will not generally respond that you are unwell, regardless of your actual state.

You will note that some greetings fall into "families," where many greetings are derived from variations on a theme, such as the habari family, including habari, habari yako, habari za..., habari gani.

Note that if you mess up with the greetings, or anything else in the language, Swahili people are not likely to become angry or offended, but instead to be somewhat amused, yet understanding and helpful of your language difficulties, especially if you are white-skinned. (African-descended western individuals may face varied difficulties in being mistaken for Africans, including being expected to know the language, at least until the situation becomes clear.)

A non-comprehensive list would include “hujambo” (reply “sijambo”) for two people of similar age and race, “jambo” (reply “jambo”) for between white and black people, “shikamoo” (reply “marahaba”) for a young person to an elderly person, “hodi” (reply “karibu”) when in the doorway of a house. There are additionally numerous informal greetings such as “mambo”, “safi”, and many more. Farewells are abrupt or even non-existent. Habari is perhaps the most common and general-use single greeting, as it can range from very informal to semi-formal."...
-snip-
This Wikipedia page continues with a chart of greetings and their responses.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Swahili - Learn the Greetings & Intros



Swahili101, Published on Jun 8, 2009

In this Swahili course you will learn enough kiSwahili to start conversations and as you go along you will find out it is easy to learn and understand what is being said to you. Most of my matter is reproduction from my website www.kulmansam.com which has been up and running since 1995. The site has been used by tourists and students from different countries to learn kiSwahili and also as a source for African recipes from Zanzibar Islands.

The course will start with greetings and take you through different scenarios that a tourist may go through while visiting the Swahili coast (East Africa). I have taken some of the matter from a book called 'Tourist Guide to Tanzania - by Gratian Luhikula' and published by 'Travel Promotion Services Ltd.'

The object of my course is not to teach kiSwahili grammar or written kiSwahili, but rather to get you conversing confidently from day one."...
-snip-
Here are selected quoted from this video about various greetings words in Swahili speaking nations (Numbers assigned for referencing purposes only)
1. Swahili101, 2012
...."when you use 'jambo' as response, you are condesing "sina jambo" down to "sijambo" down to "jambo"... the white man used this to respond when he was asked "hujambo" he would say "jambo" and node his head positively. He also greeted Swahili man by saying "jambo"...
-snip-
“condensing” = typo for “condensing” [shortening]

**
2. Swahili101, 2013
"Hujambo? is short form of "huna jambo?" = "don't you have an issue?" or "don't you have a problem"... it is proper to say "Hujambo" instead of "Jambo". "Jambo" is tourist's accepted hello in Swahili. It does not in any way shape or form mean "hi foreigner" "

**
3. Swahili101, 2014
"@rosiejoe21 :-) yes they are both correct. Asubuhi = morning, njema = good. Habari = news, za = of (pl.), asubuhi = morning.
You are more likely to hear someone say "habari?" to greet you and find out how you are doing any time of the day (without attaching the period i.e. morning, afternoon or evening). You are more likely to also hear combination of "habari" + period of the day, than you are to hear period of the day + njema."

**
4. Swahili101, 2014
"Jambo is common accepted tourister way of saying hello. Actual word is hujambo! I guarantee you if you said Jambo or answered Jambo (to someone who said ether Jambo or Hujambo to you), they would know you meant to say 'hi or hello' back to them."

**
5. Swahili101, 2014
"They both mean the same thing. When white man came to Tanzania, they found it hard to say 'hujambo' so they said 'jambo'. It is today a colloquial way to say 'hujambo'. So hujambo is right way, however, 'jambo' is easy, and widely understood. If you find it easy to say 'hujambo', then do that. It is better.
Thanks for asking."

**
6. Swahili101, 2014
"Unless you are planning to teach Swahili in Tanzania (then Jambo is not OK, it is more of a common word than 'authentic dictionary word'. However, I guarantee you that you will do very find using Jambo as a tourist. If you want, you can use the full word, 'Hujambo'. But Jambo is understood by everyone who speaks Swahili.
It's kind like, British would rather you say 'Hello there' instead of 'hey'."
-snip-
In his summary to his video entitled "Swahili - Learn the Greetings & Intros", Swahili101 wrote "I come from Zanzibar Islands (bigger Island called Unguja), Zanzibar is an Archipelago belonging to Tanzania in East Africa, just below Kenya."

****
Example #2: Learn Swahili - Swahili in Three Minutes - Greetings



Learn Swahili with SwahiliPod101.com

Published on Sep 30, 2013

Learn common Swahili greetings with our Swahili in Three Minutes series! In Kenya, manners are important, and this step-by-step video teaches you some of the basics you need to be polite while speaking Swahili. A native Swahili teacher will explain the simple phrases necessary.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to use some common Swahili greetings. Visit us at SwahiliPod101.com, where you will find many more fantastic Swahili lessons and learning resources! Leave us a message while you are there!
Ana Harman
-snip-
Here are selected quoted from this video about various greetings words in Swahili speaking nations (Numbers assigned for referencing purposes only)
1. Ana Harman, 2015
"You know "shikamoo" is only used when talking to people older then you...."

**
REPLY
2. Kristen Sells
"I think she mentions this in a previous video that you use it when addressing elders."

**
REPLY
3. DreadlockDrummer, 2014
"what about jambo? ive met 2 people from kenya, so i knew about habari, but neither of them ever told me about shikamoo, they told me 90% of the time people say jambo for hello"

**
REPLY
4. Adrianne Giuliani, 2014
"Jambo is sort of more slang swahili. Most people use it with foreigners because a lot of them are familiar with it already. Hujambo is used when greeting one person (literally meaning you have no issues/problems?) and the reply is sijambo ( I have no issues). Hamjambo is used when greeting more than one person and the reply is hatujambo. I am told just jambo is more common in Kenya.. I spent time in Tanzania though and people only greeted me with jambo when they assumed I knew no swahili. Shikamoo is commonly used for people older than yourself or for someone in a higher position or rank than yourself. It is very commonly used. Hope that helps.

**
5. Mathias Caspersen, 2017
"What about jambo?"

**
REPLY
6. Andrew N., 2017
"Using the word jambo is a direct indicator that you're a foreigner with no background when it comes to using Swahili in normal conversation. It's rather easy to teach that word but a native speaker would never use it as is."

**
REPLY
7. Evalynn Nm 2018
"yeahhh nobody says jambo, lol. It's a tourist/foreigner thing, we just say mambo"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome

Tanzanian Singer Nandy - "Kivuruge" (information, video, lyrics, & comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about Tanzanian singer and showcases one video of her hit song

Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are also included in this post. Explanatory notes are given after some of these comments.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Nandy for her music. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT NANDY
From http://www.coca-cola.co.ke/cokestudio/home/artists/season05/nandy/
"NANDY

MEET THE AFRICAN PRINCESS
25-year-old Nandy is one of the fastest rising female artistes from Tanzania. Known for her hit songs “One Day” and “Nagusagusa”, Nandy is a talented vocalist who earned a second place spot at the Tecno Own the Stage (2015/2016) music contest held in Nigeria. She makes her debut on Coke Studio Africa 2017 paired with Betty G from Ethiopia.

THE JOURNEY
Nandy started her music career in 2010 when she got to record her first three singles. She later joined one of Tanzania’s leading bands, B Band, performing alongside Banana Zorro for a couple of years. Her break into the limelight came after the Tecno competition, a show that earned her crucial recognition beyond Tanzania. The songstress then joined Tanzanian record label THT MEDIA and released her hit single “Bye” (My Ex).

MUSIC MEETS FASHION

[...]

Away from music, Nandy is also a fashionista and has an African attire store known as Nandi African Prints.

HER LIFE STORY
Nandy was born as Faustina Charles Mfinaga in 1992 to Maria and Charles Mfinaga in Moshi, northern Tanzania. She attended Julius Kambarage Nyerere Primary School and later joined Lomwe High School."...
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from an article about the Tecno Own The Stage that is mentioned above:
From http://allafrica.com/stories/201602120881.html
Tanzania: Heartbreak for Tanzania's Nandy in Lagos by Paul Owere12 FEBRUARY 2016
"It was heartbreak for Tanzania's Nandy over the weekend after Nigeria's Shaapera Makepeace emerged winner of the first edition of Tecno Own the Stage.

Tecno Own the Stage is a karaoke contest which featured 15 contestants from Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Shaapera, who was crowned at the grand finale of the contest in Lagos last Sunday defeated three other finalists; Nandy from Tanzania, Pascal and Sikin from Kenya to claim the coveted prize of $25,000 plus a recording deal."...
-snip-
Nandy's nickname is "the African Princess".

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Nandy - Kivuruge (Official Video)



The African Princess, Published on Dec 19, 2017

****
LYRICS- "KIVURUGE" (Original Swahili lyrics)
(as sung by Nandy)*

From http://lyricstranslate.com/en/nandy-kivuruge-lyrics.html#ixzz5ACAiW8hC

"Ulienipa maumivu me kama nyang'au
Na tena maumivu dawa ninywe vidonge
Kwa marafiki mashosti ukanidharau
Ukanitia uvivu stress niwe mnyonge
Oh oho ulie nipa maumivu me kama nyang'au
Na tena maumivu dawa ninywe vidonge, hmm
Kwa marafiki mashosti ukanidharau
Ukanitia uvivu stress niwe mnyonge

Leo sina thamani ndo maana
Unawafata milupo oh baba
Leo sina thamani eeeh ndo maana
Unawafata milupo oh baba, we niache

Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (niache niende salama)
Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (we niache)
Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (niache niende salama)
Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (aaah ooh)

Mara ugomvi unakurupua unanitukana mimi
Hata zawadi nikikuretea ausemi asante
Tena na share hata bila kujua wewe uridhiki kwa nini
Kuna wakati nilijisumbua mwenzangu usiwaze
Kwangu moyo we unauchanganya a
Umekuwa kivuruge unavuruga sana baba we
Kitugani kwako mi sijafanya, eeeh
Ama kuna mtu mnapendana sana

Leo sina thamani ndo maana
Unawafata ma sister duu ooh baba
Leo sina thamani eeh ndo maana
Unawafata ma sister duu ooh baba, we niache

Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (niache)
Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (nitapona kidogo kidogo)
Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona (nitapona mimi)
Nitapona mdogo mdogo nitapona
Aiyoyoiyoooh"

Source: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/nandy-kivuruge-lyrics.html
-snip-
*I'm not sure who composed this song. If you know this information, please share it in the comment section below. Thanks!

****
LYRICS- KIVURUGE (English translation)
(as sung by Nandy)

"Turn off
You have given me pain like a scab
And again pain pain and other tablets
For budgets friends do not condemn
You made me shy stress and become a wretched man
Oh oh, you've hurt me like a hawk!
And again pain pain with other tablets, hmm
For budgets friends do not condemn
You made me shy stress and become a wretched man
Today I do not value it worth it
You take them pipes oh father
Today I do not value eeeh i mean
You take them piles oh baba, we'll stop
I will survive the youngest I will recover (let me go safely)
I will survive the youngest I will recover (we leave)
I will survive the youngest I will recover (let me go safely)
I will survive the little girl I will recover (aaah ooh)
Once you quarrel you curse me
Even the gift I am writing to thank you thank you
Also share and do not even know what you are for
There was a time when I was worried about my friend
To our heart you mix a
You have been a turmoil that hurts our father
What you think of me I have not done, eeeh
There is someone you love very much
Today I do not value it worth it
You take my sister duu ooh baba
Today I do not value yes i mean
You take my sister duu ooh baba, we'll stop
I will survive the little girl I will recover (stop)
I will recover a little girl I will recover (I will recover a little bit)
I will recover a little girl I will recover (I will recover)
I will survive the little girl I will recover
Aiyoyoiyoohoh"


From http://lyricstranslate.com/en/nandy-kivuruge-lyrics.html#ixzz5ACBIoP3X Submitted by ulissescoroa on Fri, 19/12/2017
-snip-
These English translations are given "as is" without any attempt to change them into American English. As a result, some of the words and phrases make no sense in American English.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread.

I'm interested in learning and sharing the meanings for several Swahili words that are found in some of the comments in this discussion thread.

I'm also interested in documenting the use of vernacular words and spelling in these comments as well as documenting the nationality of the non-Tanzanian commenters in this video's discussion thread. Additions and corrections are welcome for these notes.

Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from 2018.
1. Olena Brückmann
Nzuri sana😥😘😘😘
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "nzuri" = "good"
Google translation from Swahili to English for "sana" = "very"

**
2. Michael Kisingi
"whenever i watch the video tears comes out, great song nandy its a true representation of a dejected one, great video, everything is cool with regard to the message. thumbs up!! . all the way from Kasai Congo."

**
3. Juma Hemmed
"ngoma kali"
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "ngoma"= song
Google translation from Swahili to English for "ngoma"= severe

However, https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the-meaning-of/swahili-word-e7e971e55af10f713238780785ec5e63720509f0.html gives these meanings for the Swahili word "kali" = "acute, severe, terrific, sharper. mild. scorching, strict, veiled."

As a result of those choices, in this context, it's likely that "ngoma kali" means "terrific song".
-snip-
Here's another translation for "ngoma" from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ngoma
"ngoma
NOUN
(in East Africa) a dance; a night of dancing and music.

‘traditional ngoma, incorporating music, dance, and drama’
count noun ‘she was walking out one evening to an ngoma’
More example sentences"

Origin
Kiswahili, literally ‘drum, dance, music’.

**
4. KAYZOR SING
"Big up Nandy nice song. You got my attention. All way from USA"
-snip-
Here's a definition for "Big up" from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=big%20up
"(noun) origin - jamaican 1980s. singular and plural.
1. An expression of support or encouragement.
2. An expression of remembrance.

origin - "Up" is an english term used to mean elevation. Therefore the term "big up" literally means to elevate highly or to a superlative degree.
"I want to big up everyone who has shown me support over the years."
"Big up on that excellent performance"
by neochin June 17, 2004


**
REPLY
5. Lucy Honore
"SULTAN KHALFAN upo state gani"
Google translation from Swahili to English for "upo state gani"= "what the state is" [What state are you from?]

**
REPLY
6. KAYZOR SING
"Lucy Honore Texas"

**
REPLY
7. Lucy Honore
"Ooooh
Minnesota"

**
REPLY
8. Azizi Powell
"If I might join in this exchange- , I also love Nandy's voice and this video. I'm also from the USA- Pennsylvania and just happened upon this song while looking for contemporary East African music.

One love!"

**
9. Famz Noor
"So nice song Nandy.. I think hii ina maana ya kwamba " Once a woman says NO means NO MORE for you boy" Bless you Nandy. Keep it up!!"
-SNIP-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "hii ina maana ya kwamba" = "this means that"
-snip-
"Keep it up" is a phrase that is frequently found in comments on YouTube discussion threads for a contemporary African music video (for all regions excluding North Africa). I believe that "Keep it up" has the same meaning as the American saying "Keep up the good work".

**
10. Baby Oscar
"NYC song mum"
-snip-
"NYC" = a frequently used spelling for the word "nice" (in YouTube discussion threads for contemporary African music (for all regions except North Africa). I'm not sure where this vernacular spelling originated or if it is used in the United States by people who aren't directly from Africa.

**
11. Willis Brown
"I don’t understand the language but the sister has the voice and the beat is wow. Anybody cares to translate? Thanks!"

**
REPLY
12. Ungwa Nyota
"She sing that he cheat on her nd she's almost to letting him go , he disrespectful her ,,, she try do to her best but she don't have value on him maybe he get the hoe that's why he do all of that ,,, she done with she will letting him go nd she will get better"

**
REPLY
13. Willis Brown
"Ungwa Nyota thanks a lot!"

**
14. Ali g mohammed
"nc song sizz"
-snip-
"nc" is probably a variant spelling for "nice". [Read the note for #10 above.]

"sizz" is probably a variant spelling for the word "sis" (meaning "sister"). I've noticed the custom of substituting "z" for "s" in some other comments in some YouTube discussion threads for contemporary East African music- for instance, notice this letter substitution in #43, #68, and #71 below. I'm not sure if this custom is [also] found in other African nations [besides Tanzania?] or if it is also found in the United States (among people who aren't directly from Tanzania and/or other African nations.

**
15. DMEND TV/MUSIC/MOVIE
"Ngoma tamuu"
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "ngoma" = song
Google translation from Swahili to English for "tamuu" ("tamu") = sweet
-snip-
Adding a "u" or a series of "u"s to the end of this word probably intensifies the word, giving the meaning "very sweet".

**
16. Point Blank 254
"Love this song so much, next time try quality video. This is supposed to b international"
-snip-
"254" is the telephone country code for Kenya.

**
REPLY
17. Azizi Powell
"Point Blank 254, I'm African American and don't understand Swahili, regarding your comment that "This [video] is supposed to b international": I liked the video in part because I liked seeing what I assumed is one type of typical scene in some Tanzanian urban areas. Some of the comments here confirmed what the song was about but I gathered what the song was about from the video. I agree that there were some glitches, but overall, I found the video to be artistically pleasing (in its colors and composition) and therefore, in my opinion, to be a quality video.

What I hope for in YouTube videos where the performers don't sing in English is a statement about what language is being used and what country the video is from, an explanation in English in the video's summary, and the lyrics given in that language & an English translation in the summary and/or in the video's discussion thread. Unlike some contemporary Swahili music videos that I've come across on YouTube, I found a lot of these in this discussion thread.

I also like learning some basic Swahili words from the comments (like dada, nzuri, sana, ngoma, napenda, hongera, & kali)- after looking them up online."

**
18. Blanz44 Tcherno
"Just heard this song, I am liking it... Shout out from #BURUNDI".
-snip-
"Shout out" is an African American Vernacular English word that means "a public acknowledgement, or and/or a public expression of thanks to someone.

**
19. Quavo Huncho
"all the way from Los Angeles am in love with dis song
keep it up dear"

**
20. emmanuel twizeye
"Keep up it's 🔥 🔥🔥"
-snip-
The flame emojis symbolize the word "fire" whose vernacular meaning is "very good". In that context, "Fire" is part of the superlative family of African American vernacular adjectives that includes "hot", "smoking", "dynamite", "the bomb" and "lit".

**
21. Harun Tez
"Tamuuuu😊😍"
-snip-
Read the note for #15 above.

**
22. Dalu Jr
"Kazi Nzuri 👏"
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "kazi" = work
Google translation from Swahili to English for "nzuri"= good

**
23. Brian Simiyu
"So deep!
_snip-
In African American Vernacular English, "deep" means something that has a lot of meaning.

**
24. Sumaya Issa
"Listening to this song is different from watching it, watching it makes u even more sad by watching all the actions as well as listening, I teared up watching it, it's so touching and beautiful at the same time. Keep up the great job Nandy💖💖💖💖💖💖"

**
25. David John
"yo fire mamie 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌"
-snip-
Read the note for #20 regarding the vernacular meaning of the word "fire".

**
26. Bibi Juma
"Keept up my dear 😚😚"

**
27. Wijdaan Wayua
"I Love it when musicians sing from heart...I love this song i love the video the enviroment and all that acting goes well with the sad message in the song...Much love from the +254"

**
28. Nelly Miduka
"Nyce Nandi"
-snip-
Read the note for #14 above.

**
29. Aaroni mazika
"Nzuri sana nandy"

**
30. Caroline Samson
"Hongera cster"
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "hongera" = congratulations
-snip-
I've also seen this word spelled "ongera".
-snip-
"cster" is probably a variant spelling of the English word "sister", with the "c" substituting for the letter "s". I've seen this variant spelling in a few other comments in this discussion thread. I haven't noticed that spelling elsewhere.

**
31. Jerry Titus
"Nzuriiiiiiiiii!sana nady"
-snip-
Adding another "i" or a series of "i"s to the end of the word "nzuri" intensifies the meaning "good" to "very good" or very very good.

**
32. Tony Airo
"I love this tooooo much"
-snip-
"Too much" here probably means "very much". However, in standard American English, "too much" usually is considered a negative. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-positive-uses-of-too-much-or-too.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "The Positive Use Of "Too Much" Or "Too + An Adjective" In West African Pidgin English"

**
33. tony nsale
"new talent here watch out..love the vibes"
-snip-
"Vibes" is an African American originated clip of "vibrations". In the context of this comment, "vibes" means the way that song makes the commenter feel.

**
34. DJ Redbone
"This is my favorite song of 2017.
Much love from Kenya 🇰🇪"
-snip-
The ending words "Much love" (and "one Love") are of Jamaican origin.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-redbone-yellowbone-and-browning.html for a pancocojams post entitled "What "Redbone", "Yellowbone", and "Browning" Mean"

**
35. Denny Hope
"I just liked it so sweet and emotional too keep it up Nandy"

**
36. Official Hammy
"my best Female artist of the year
#Nandy
#Africanprincess
#Kivuruge"

**
37. Rebeca John
"very nice nandy keep it up"

**
38. MESSENGER BOY
"yeah you are real an African princess"

**
39. Carol Njunge
"I love love loove your songs Nandi.😙😚
Kivuruge is on point .vocals video everything is just perfect.
You going places girl.😍"
-snip-
"On point" is an African American Vernacular English term that means that something is done perfectly; with no mistakes

**
40. daisy love
"I don’t understand what she is saying but I love this song
Love from Nigeria 🇳🇬"

**
41. yustino mbwaner
"Ngoma kali"

**
42. beriee benson
"I discovered her through yemi alade page,her voice can kill I have watched the video over 100 times, please you and yemi should do something together love from Nigeria"
-snip-
Yemi Alade is a popular Nigerian Afrobeats singer.

**
43. Simon Mayala
"itz gud song
Keep it up🙌🙌"

**
44. Nimrod Taabu
"Anyone suffers a heartbreak,it doesnt have to be the rich and flashy...this one is dope"
-snip-
The African American Vernacular English meaning of "dope" is "very good"; excellent.

**
45. Sarah Mshana
"Much love my Tz sisy....Love from Toronto babes"
-snip-
"Tz" here means "Tanzania".

"Sisy" means "sissy" (sister)

Toronto= Toronto, Canada

**
46. maurice Algorithm
"men stop doing these to women.so sad"

**
47. salma hajara
"Wow lot's of love from +256 n +968"
-snip-
"256" country (telephone) code = Uganda

"n" = and

"968" country (telephone) code = Oman

**
48.Eddy Meshack
"This song is soooo dope."

**
49. mbelege mwamotto
"Hongera Dada👌"
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "dada" = sister

**
50. Fresh Prince
"Love from Finlande 🔥🔥🔥"

**
51. elijah nyakunndi
"Sometimes, decisions have to be made so that you can move on with your life without any "vivuruge""
-snip-
Does "vivuruge" also means "regrets?".

**
52. Wa Iga Dhab
"I love this music from Somaliland"

**
53. TheRobdobdob
"@Nandy you better stay natural on your videos. Great song. Nice Afro beat excellent rhyme pattern."
-snip-
stay natural on [in] your video probably means "Don't change and become fake and pretentious."

"Nice Afro beat" probably means "[a] nice African beat". [In the United States "afro" refers to a natural hairstyle for Black people.

**
54. Fatmah OMAR UG
"No i like this song sana.. lakini video haija tokea vizuri.. infact it needed a mordern setting sababu many of the couples actually suffering are the mordern ones because the guys think are rich and have it all... Please Nandy think about it dear. But still kivuruge Number 1 i love this song alot, inspires me to walk out of my toxic relationship."
-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English = I like this song a lot but the video didn't come off well. ...no doubt many of the couples actually suffering are the modern ones."...

**
55. 0481797312 Bonnere
"Mashallah I'm here just on voice from Australia +61 gonga like kama wamkubali nandy A.K.A Africa Queen"
-snip-
Here's a definition for "mashallah" from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mashallah
""Mashallah" or "Mash'Allah" is an Arabic phrase used to show appreciation for a person or happening. It shows respect, and also reminds that everything is achieved by the will of God. The closest English translation is "God willed it." It is used to show joy and praise, and is evoked upon hearing good news.

The phrase has found its way into the language of non-Arabs, including Turks and peoples of the Balkans, including some who are not of the Islamic faith.
A: I just got an A+ on my exam.
B: "Mashallah!"
#mash'allah#arabic#islam#mashallah#god
by Nick Spontini November 21, 2007"

Google translation from Swahili to English "kama wamkubali" = as they have agreed

One standard way of saying this in American English is "as they all say" Nandy is known as (aka) "the African Queen".

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56. Happness Gaspary
"Umeipenda xana"

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57. Alliy Mkobe
"Big up Nandy"

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58. Mary Gathoni
"Nice Song Nandy....i really like the song..all the best in the music industry..young star"

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59. B.I The king
"All the way from America me loving this song it’s a hit 💪💪"

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60. Didaz Nureisa
"🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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61. MAKAKA WILLYS
"Very soothing voice, a nice melody to have as background for a whole day and night. BIG love from Nairobi, Kenya"

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62. Mary Waithera
"The song is soo gud nyc one"

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63. Lumiere Mbilizi
"Girl you're fire, You're a true Princess. Video kali sana"

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64. George Ogbonna
"This lady is indeed the queen of Africa, since I saw her at afrima I have not stopped playing her song and promoting her music, here in America also I play her songs Everytime,her voice is just so angelic,@nandy you are awesome"

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65. I love Jesus
"Nandy my current princess! Love your voice na KIZOMBA in your songs. Lit lit litttt👌👌👌👌👌👌💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖"
-snip-
"Kizomba" is a contemporary Angola dance and "na" is a Nigerian Pidgin English word which can mean "is". Is "na" also a word in Swahili or in Tanzanian/Kenyan Pidgin languages?

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66. JoJOY ME
"U coming up very strong...Nandy gives us more of that"
-snip-
"U coming up" = [a comparable way of saying this in vernacular American English is "You are moving up" [in your career]; i.e. "You are becoming successful".

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67.shem otina
"I don't know how I got here but i ain't leaving, this song is litttttt... A big tune. Ngoma tulivu, video safi na realistic
-snip-
From https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the-meaning-of/swahili-word-3ff473b82a780c86b314b0bd6e6d517e159d074b.html "English words for the Swahili word shwari/-tulivu
calm / -tulivu restful"
-snip-
Does Ngoma tulivu mean a soothing or sweet sounding dance (party) song?

I'm not sure what "safi na" means

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68. Faiha Mohammed
"cant stop listening to thiz song...nzuuuuuurrrrrrr sanaaaa"
-snip-
Read my comment after #14 for the new? custom [in Tanzania, and/or in Kenya and other East African countries?] of substituting "z" for the letter "s".

nzuuuuuurrrrrrr sanaaaa" = very very good

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69. Adianie Meno
"Love from Cameroon dear I don’t really understand it above from Asante but I can feel in my heart keep it up u deserve more view"
-snip-
The swahili word "asante" translates to "thank you" in English.

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70. Omar Khamis
"Big Up Sis ! 🇦🇪All Da Way From Dubai"

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71. Careen Erneus
"tz xo dope lyrics dr coz it carries a lot of meaning"
-snip-
"tz"= Tanzania
"xo"= x replacing “s”? = so
"dope"= very good
dr= ?
"coz"= because
-snip-
If substituting a "z" for "s" is really a vernacular custom in Tanzania, was that custom influenced by the abbreviation "tz" for Tanzania?

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Visitor comments are welcome.

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

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision: December 26, 2024

This pancocojams post provides information about Teresa Jennings' 2002 song "O Kwanzaa" and showcases video examples of that song.

An instrumental version of that song is also included in this post along with the song's lyrics and information about the meaning of the Swahili words in that song.

The Addendum to this post provides information about the Kwanzaa holiday and information about KiSwahili ("Swahili") language.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Teresa Jennings, the composer of this song, and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES

Example #1: O Kwanzaa



jennsahy, Published on Dec 22, 2008

2008 Prairie Hill School Holiday Program - 2nd Grade, Song 3

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Example #2: Singing o kwanza



poodinker, Published on Dec 14, 2012

Xmas concert

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Example #3: Oh Kwanzaa ,,,



Jonathan Perrin, Published on Dec 16, 2014

My son Rylen and his third grade class performing kwanzaa in there Christmas concert. 2014

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Example #4: O Kwanzaa

Karen Dubiner, Dec. 12, 2016

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INFORMATION ABOUT TERESA JENNINGS' SONG "O KWANZAA"
Judging from the number of YouTube videos of this song YouTube, and the comment from those videos' discussion threads, Teresa Jennings' 2002 composition "O Kwanzaa" is by far the most widely sung Kwanzaa song (for children, and perhaps also for adults) in the United States.

As demonstrated in these videos, "O Kwanzaa" is sung in elementary schools by young children of all races/ethnicities during these school's Christmas (or winter holiday) programs.

Here's information about that song from https://www.musick8.com/html/mk8_fullimage.php?volumeid=V13_2 Music K-8,
The Resource Magazine For Elementary And Middle School Music Teachers (Volume 13, Number 2, Plank Road Publishing, November 2002)
" O Kwanzaa by Teresa Jennings

To help you bring Kwanzaa to your students, consider using the song in this issue, "O Kwanzaa." It is a unique blend of hip hop, gospel, and African styles which students will enjoy. A pronunciation guide is included on the music for the Swahili words. The division of part 2 is optional (as is part 2 itself), but it adds distinctly to the flavor of the piece. Be sure students emphasize the crescendo/descresendo for the best results in all parts. Have them listen to the recording for reference. Also let them play along on their own Orff/percussion instruments using our suggested rhythms (see page 64) or creating their own. See if they can identify the African percussion used on the recording."
-snip-
Click https://www.musick8.com/html/tjbio.php for biographical information about Teresa Jennings. Please share any additional information that you know about this composer. Thanks!

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LYRICS: O KWANZAA
(Teresa Jennings)

O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa!

O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
O-o-o Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa!

O-o o
Seven days of celebration
Nguzo Saba
Seven days of celebration
Habari gani

Seven days of celebration
Nguzo Saba
Seven days of celebration
Habari gani
Harambee!

[repeat the entire song again]
-snip-
The second and third "o" in this song are elongated].

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PRONUNCIATION GUIDE TO THE KISWAHILI WORDS (AND THE MODIFIED KISWAHILI WORDS) IN THIS AFRICAN AMERICAN SONG

Kwanzaa:
pronounced KWAN-zah

Kwanzaa is an annual winter holiday that occurs December 6 - January 1. Each day of Kwanzaa showcases one "principle" for good living. These seven principles are collectively called "the Nguza Saba". [phonetically pronounced N-goo-sah SA-bah]

The Kwanzaa holiday was created in 1966 by African American activist Maulana Karenga. (The Arabic word "Maulana" is pronounced mawl-LAH-nah) and means "religious teacher". However, Kwanzaa isn't a religious holiday and Maulana Karenga wasn't the leader of a religious organization.)

The word "Kwanzaa" is based on the KiSwahili (Swahili) word "kwanza" which means "first". The longer name for this holiday is "Kwanzaa ya Matunda" (mah-TOON-dah) meaning "First Fruits". Kwanzaa is a partly patterned after African harvest festivals. (Notice the symbols of corn and other fall vegetables that are traditionally laid on the Kwanzaa mat representing "crops".)

Singing songs about Kwanzaa helps reinforce awareness of and appreciation of multiculturalism by presenting additional opportunities to learn about and celebrate African American culture. African cultures, and other Black cultures throughout the world.

Additional comments about incorporating information and songs about Kwanzaa in schools' curriculum are found in the Addendum below.

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Habari gani:
(pronounced hah-BAH-ree GAH-nee)

A lot of articles about Kwanzaa give the English translation of the Swahili words "Habari gani" as "What's the news?"*. However, the English translation for the Swahili words "Habari gani" actually is "How are you?" Among African Americans (and, by extension, other people in the United States) an informal way of asking "How are you?" are "What's happening"*. A somewhat more formal way of saying "What's happening?" is "What's the news?" Other  informal African American greetings that have the same meaning are "What's up?", "What's going on" and "How [are] you doing?"

*In the late 1960s and the 1970s the African American Vernacular (informal) English greeting "What's happening?" was relatively widely used among African Americans. For example, that phrase was the title of a nationally televised sit-com (situation comedy) series about an African American family. That sit com aired on ABC (one of the three major television channels ABC, CBS, & NBC, given in no particular order) from August 5, 1976, until April 28, 1979. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27s_Happening!! for information about that series.

Among African Americans (if not people who speak Swahili in East Africa and Central Africa), the response to "Habari gani" is the Swahili word "Njema" (meaning "good".) However, during  the week of Kwanzaa, people are "supposed"* to use another greeting strategy- a person is "supposed to" greet other people with the words "Kwanzaa Furaka" (KWAN-zah foo-RAH-hah) meaning "Happy Kwanzaa". In response, people are supposed to respond with the name of the particular Kwanzaa (Nguza Saba) day. For instance, on the first day of Kwanzaa, when someone says "Kwanzaa Furaha" to another person, that person responds by saying "Umoja". This pattern continues throughout the week and on the last day of Kwanzaa, when someone says "Kwanzaa Furaha" to another person, that person replies "Imani".

*I recall using this greeting custom in the late 1960s shortly after (African American) Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa. However, I'm not sure if Maulana Karenga was the one who created this Kwanzaa greeting custom. Kwanzaa was celebrated by very few African Americans people in the 1960s and 1970s and very few African Americans actually celebrate Kwanzaa now (in 2022). Furthermore, in my experience, very few people who actually celebrate/d Kwanzaa are/were aware of and/or use/d this greeting custom that I've described above. This description is based on my affiliation in 1967-1969 with the Newark, New Jersey cultural nationalist organization Committee For Unified Newark (CFUN).CFUN was the first cultural origination in the east coast of the United States to celebrate Kwanzaa.(in 1967 or 1968). Maulana Karenga's Oakland, California Black nationalist organization "US" was the first organization to celebrate Kwanzaa (in 1966).

In my adopted hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania there are some people who still use these Kwanzaa greetings. However, I often forget to use the "Kwanzaa Faraha"/ Nguza Saba day response.

. 

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Nguzo Saba [pronounced n-GOO-zah SAH-bah]
Swahili words which are given the English meaning "seven principles" [refers to the principle (such as "unity" and "purpose") that is celebrated each day of the Kwanzaa holiday.

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Harambee:
[pronounced hah=RAH-bay], usually with the last syllable elongated]

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE KISWAHILI WORD "HARAMBEE"

From http://www.dictionary.com/browse/harambee
harambee
"Harambee
noun
1.
a work chant used on the E African coast
2.
a rallying cry used in Kenya
interjection
3.
a cry of harambee

Word Origin
Swahili: pull together"
-snip-
Among culturally afrocentric African Americans (meaning: African Americans who are interested in the the cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora and incorporate some of those cultural indices into their lives), "Harambee" is considered and used as an exclamation meaning "All pull together!" (Work together. Be unified.)

The motion that is "traditionally" used for "the Harambee! salute" is:
"...the elder leads the guests in the Harambee (ha-RAM-bee) salute. Each person raises their right fist about as high as their shoulder, then pulls down forcefully until the elbow is next to next to their torso, saying “Harambee!” This is done seven times in unison." http://www.holidays.net/kwanzaa/7days.htm

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I57I2Vhag20 [at around 1:21] for a clip of this motion.

-snip-
Added December 28, 2017]
I recall chanting "Harambee! All pull together!" (repeated one or more times and then ending in "Harambeeee!") when I was a member of the Black cultural nationalist organization The Committee For Unified Newark in the late 1960s.

While chanting "all pull together" we imitated pulling a rope toward our body like in the "tug of war" game.

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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-swahili-terms-are-used-for-african.html for the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Why Swahili Terms Are Used For The African American Originated Holiday Kwanzaa."

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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harambee
"Harambee is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, e.g. fundraising or development activities. Harambee literally means "all pull together" in Swahili, and is also the official motto of Kenya and appears on its coat of arms.

Harambee events may range from informal affairs lasting a few hours, in which invitations are spread by word of mouth, to formal, multi-day events advertised in newspapers. These events have long been important in parts of East Africa, as ways to build and maintain communities.

Following Kenya's independence in 1963, the first Prime Minister, and later first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta adopted "Harambee" as a concept of pulling the country together to build a new nation. He encouraged communities to work together to raise funds for all sorts of local projects, pledging that the government would provide their startup costs. Under this system, wealthy individuals wishing to get into politics could donate large amounts of money to local harambee drives, thereby gaining legitimacy; however, such practices were never institutionalised during Kenyatta's presidency.

A popular etymology deriving the term from the name of a Hind goddess, Amba Mata (a form of Durga riding a Tiger) has been proposed, supposedly via Hindu railway linesmen carrying loads of iron rails and sleeper blocks who would chant "har, har Ambe!" ("praise Amba") when working. The first president, Jomo Kenyatta has been said to have witnessed such a railway line team as it worked in cohesion and harmony and derived the term from there. This has led to criticism against the official use of the term on the part of Kenyan Christians. The actual etymology of the term is, however, cited as genuinely Bantu, from the Miji Kenda term halumbe "to pull or push together".[1] The objections have also been dismissed based on the that even if the supposed derivation were true, it has become irrelevant to the term's modern usage and meaning.[2]"
-snip-
Also, read the information about Swahili in the Addendum below.

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ADDENDUM - INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ORIGINATED HOLIDAY "KWANZAA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa
"Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the West 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.

History and etymology
Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday,[2] (but see also Juneteenth). According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits of the harvest",[3] although a more conventional translation would simply be "first fruits". The choice of Swahili, an East African language, reflects its status as a symbol of Pan-Africanism, especially in the 1960s, although most of the Atlantic slave trade that brought African people to America originated in West Africa.[4]

Kwanzaa is a celebration that has its roots in the black nationalist movement of the 1960s and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the "seven principles of African Heritage" ...

Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.[8]

Principles and symbols

Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy," consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili word meaning "common". Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, as follows:[9]

Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.

Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.

Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Kwanzaa celebratory symbols include a mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed: a Kinara (candle holder), Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), mazao (crops), Muhindi (corn), a Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup) for commemorating and giving shukrani (thanks) to African Ancestors, and Zawadi (gifts). Supplemental representations include a Nguzo Saba poster,[10] the black, red, and green bendera (flag), and African books and artworks – all to represent values and concepts reflective of African culture and contribution to community building and reinforcement.[11] Corn is the primary symbol for both decoration and celebratory dining.

Observance
... A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast (karamu). The greeting for each day of Kwanzaa is Habari Gani?[16] which is Swahili for "How are you?"[17]

At first, observers of Kwanzaa avoided the mixing of the holiday or its symbols, values, and practice with other holidays, as doing so would violate the principle of kujichagulia (self-determination) and thus violate the integrity of the holiday, which is partially intended as a reclamation of important African values. Today, many African American families celebrate Kwanzaa along with Christmas and New Year's.[18] Frequently, both Christmas trees and kinaras, the traditional candle holder symbolic of African American roots, share space in Kwanzaa-celebrating households. For people who celebrate both holidays, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to incorporate elements of their particular ethnic heritage into holiday observances and celebrations of Christmas.

[...]

Popularity
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. In a 2006 speech, Maulana Karenga asserted that 28 million people celebrate Kwanzaa. He has always claimed it is celebrated all over the world.[1] Lee D. Baker puts the number at 12 million.[22] The African American Cultural Center claimed 30 million in 2009.[23] In 2011, Keith Mayes said that 2 million people participated in Kwanzaa.[23]

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 as of 2009 between 500 thousand and two million people celebrated Kwanzaa in the US, or between one and five percent of African Americans. Mayes added that white institutions now celebrate it.[12]

The holiday has also spread to Canada and is celebrated by Black Canadians in a similar fashion as in the United States.[24] According to the Language Portal of Canada, "this fairly new tradition has [also] gained in popularity in France, Great Britain, Jamaica and Brazil".[25]

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,[26][27] having little to do with the celebration as it was originally conceived."...
-snip-
Italics added to highlight those sentences.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT ABOUT THE INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION & SONGS ABOUT KWANZAA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Kwanzaa is an annual winter holiday that occurs December 26 - January 1. Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, an African American activist.

My position is that the main purpose of incorporating a song or songs about Kwanzaa into elementary school's music and "social studies" curriculum is to help reinforce awareness and appreciation of multiculturalism by presenting additional opportunities to learn about African American cultures and Black African cultures.

However, it's important to teach that Kwanzaa is an African American created holiday which isn't traditionally celebrated in African nations. However, the idea for Kwanzaa partly comes from African harvest festivals such as the Homowo [ho-MOH-woh] festival in Ghana. (Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/ghanaian-harvest-festival-homowo.html for a pancocojams post about that festival.)

It appears to me that only a small percentage of African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. My sense is that those people who celebrate Kwanzaa usually combine that celebration with their observances of Christmas and New Years. The colors for the African American flag are red, black, and green and pan-African colors are red, green, and gold. All of thee colors, and in particular red, black, and green are considered the colors for Kwanzaa. The fact that these colors are very similar to the red and green Christmas decorations makes it quite easy to combine Christmas decorations with Kwanzaa decorations.

It also should be noted that December 26th is also the first day of Hanukkah. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah for information about Hanukkah whose candle holding symbol and multiple days of celebration were used as a model for the Kwanzaa holiday.

Also, click these links below for two other pancocojams post about Kwanzaa:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-swahili-terms-are-used-for-african.html Why Swahili Terms Are Used For The African American Originated Holiday "Kwanzaa"

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/12/teddy-pendergrass-happy-kwanzaa-video.html Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa (video & lyrics)

Additional pancocojams posts about Kwanzaa can be found by clicking the Kwanzaa tag below.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-history-meaning-of-red-black-and.html for a related pancocojams post entitled The History And Meaning Of The Red, Black, And Green Flag
-snip-
My comments about the concept of Kwanzaa being patterned after African "first fruits" harvest festivals are based on internet sources as well as my memories as an early celebrant of Kwanzaa (in 1967-1969) when I was a member of the cultural nationalist organization The Committee For Unified Newark (CFUN), based in Newark, New Jersey.

CFUN, led by Imamu Amiri Baraka (formerly known as LeRoi Jones), was the first organization in the East Coast to celebrate and promote the African American holiday Kwanzaa (in 1967 or 1968) . Maulana Ron Karenga's Oakland, California cultural nationalist organization named "Us" (which had some significant differences from CFUN) was the first organization in the United States to promote and celebrate Kwanzaa (in 1966).

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INFORMATION ABOUT SWAHILI (KISWAHILI) LANGUAGE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language
"Swahili, also known as Kiswahili (translation: coast language[7]), is a Bantu language and the first language of the Swahili people. It is a lingua franca of the African Great Lakes region and other parts of eastern and south-eastern Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)...

Estimates of the total number of Swahili speakers vary widely, from 50 million to over 100 million.[2] Swahili serves as a national language of four nations: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and the DRC.[citation needed] Shikomor, the official language in Comoros and also spoken in Mayotte (Shimaore), is related to Swahili.[10] Swahili is also one of the working languages of the African Union and officially recognised as a lingua franca of the East African Community.[11]

A significant fraction of Swahili vocabulary is derived from Arabic through contact with Arabic-speaking Muslim inhabitants of the Swahili Coast.[12]"...

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