Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides a brief excerpt from Ruth Finnegan's 2012 book Oral Literature In Africa (Open Book Publishers, United Kingdom). This post also showcases two videos of Jessica Mbangeni's South African praise poetry.
The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Ruth Finnegan and all others who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to praise poet Jessica Mbangeni who is featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
EXCERPT FROM "ORAL LITERATURE IN AFRICA"
From http://archive.org/stream/OralLiteratureInAfrica/OralLiteratureInAfrica_djvu.txt
"The Social, Linguistic, and Literary Background [pp.65-67]
..."Linguistically Africa is one of the complex areas in the world. The exact number of languages to be found is a matter of dispute, but the most often cited figure is 800, if anything an underestimate (Greenberg 1962, 1963). These, let it be stressed, are languages in the full sense of the term and not mere 'dialects'. They can, however, be grouped together into larger language families. The exact composition and relationships of these are, again, a matter of controversy, but the overall picture is clear. The best-known group is that made up of the Bantu languages (these include such languages as Zulu, Swahili, and Luba), which extend over a vast area, practically all of south and central Africa. In the opinion of some recent scholars, even this large Bantu group is only one sub-division within a much larger family, the 'Niger-Congo' group, which also includes most of the languages of West Africa. 10 Another vast family is the Afro-Asiatic (also called Hamito-Semitic), a huge language group which not only includes Arabic but also, in the form of one language or another, covers most of North Africa, the Horn of East Africa (including Ethiopia), and an extensive area near Lake Chad (where it includes the well-known and widely spoken example of Hausa).
The Central Saharan and Macrosudanic families are two further groupings, the former covering a large but mostly sparsely inhabited region north and east of Lake Chad (including Kanuri), the latter various Sudanic languages around the Nile-Congo divide and eastwards in the Nilotic and Great Lakes region of East Africa. Finally there is the Click (or Khoisan) family covering the Bushman and Hottentot languages which, in the south-west of Africa, form a separate island in an area otherwise dominated by Bantu. Besides these indigenous languages we should also mention the more recently arrived language of Arabic and, more recently still, European languages like English, French, or Afrikaans.
In spite of the differentiation into separate language families, there are nevertheless certain distinctive features which the indigenous languages tend to have in common. These, Greenberg writes, result from later contacts among the languages of the continent, on a vast scale and over a long period. Practically none of the peculiarities listed ... as typical are shared by all African languages, and almost every one is found somewhere outside of Africa, but the combination of these features gives a definite enough characterization that a language, not labelled as such for an observer, would probably be recognized as African (Greenberg 1962: 22)
Besides the basic structure of Bantu languages in vocabulary and morphology there are some further linguistic features which add to its resources as a literary instrument. Perhaps most important among these is the form usually called the ideophone (sometimes also called 'mimic noun', 'intensive noun', 'descriptive', 'indeclinable verbal particle', etc.). This is a special word which conveys a kind of idea-in-sound and is commonly used in Bantu languages to add emotion or vividness to a description or recitation. Ideophones are sometimes onomatopoeic, but the acoustic impression often conveys aspects which, in English culture at least, are not normally associated with sound at all— such as manner, colour, taste, smell, silence, action, condition, texture, gait, posture, or intensity. To some extent they resemble adverbs in function, but in actual use and grammatical form they seem more like interjections. They are specifically introduced to heighten the narrative or add an element of drama. They also come in continually where there is a need for a particularly lively style or vivid description and are used with considerable rhetorical effect to express emotion or excitement. An account, say, of a rescue from a crocodile or a burning house, of the complicated and excited interaction at a communal hunt or a football match— these are the kinds of contexts made vivid, almost brought directly before the listener's eyes, by the plentiful use of ideophones:
They are used by accomplished speakers with an artistic sense for the right word for the complete situation, or its important aspects, at the right pitch of vividness. To be used skilfully, I have been told, they must correspond to one's inner feeling. Their use indicates a high degree of sensitive impressionability (Fortune 1962: 6, on Shona ideophones) …
The Rhodesian Shona have a wide range of ideophones whose use and syntax have been systematically-analysed by Fortune (1962). Among them are such terms as
k'we— sound of striking a match.
gwengwendere— sound of dropping enamel plates.
nyiri nyiri nyiri nyiri— flickering of light on a cinema screen.
dhdbhu dhdbhu dhdbhu—oi an eagle flying slowly....
go, go, go, ngondo ngondo ngondo,
pxaka pxaka pxaka pxaka pxaka — the chopping
down of a tree, its fall, and the splintering of the branches.
...Also very striking are the praise names of Bantu languages. These are terms which pick out some striking quality of an object and are used for inanimate objects, birds, animals, and finally, in their fullest form, as names for people. We meet compound names that could be translated as, for instance, 'Forest-treader', 'Little animal of the veld', 'Crumple-up-a-person-with-a- hardwood-stick', or 'Father of the people'. Other examples are the Ankole 'He Who Is Not Startled', 'I Who Do Not Tremble', 'He Who Is Of Iron', 'He Who Compels The Foe To Surrender', or 'He Who Is Not Delirious In The Fingers' (i.e. who grasps his weapons firmly) (Morris 1964: 19ff), and the Zulu 'He who hunted the forests until they murmured', 'With his shields on his knees' (i.e. always ready for a fight), or 'Even on branches he can hold tight' (i.e. able to master any situation) (Cope 1968: 72). Sometimes the reference is to more recent conditions and formulations, a type which occurs in Kamba praise names for girls in popular songs. These include Mbitili (from English 'battery'): car-batteries are said to provide heat just as the girl's attractiveness heats up her admirers; Singano (needle), praising the sharpness of the girl's breasts; and Mbynki (from English 'Buick'): as Buicks are famous for their high-gloss black finish, this is effective praise of the beauty of the girl's skin (Whiteley 1963: 165) Praise names, it is clear, provide a figurative element in the literature in which they appear and, like the Homeric epithet in Greek epic, add colour and solemnity. In panegyric poetry the use of praise names is one of the primary characteristics (see Ch. 5), but in all contexts the use of praise names can add an extra dimension to speech or literature and continue to flourish amidst new conditions (further comments on praise names in Ch. 16)....
Strongly-marked dynamic stresses, occurring in more or less regular positions in all words of the same language, and the fairly regular incidence of long syllables also usually in the same positions, give to Bantu utterance a rhythmic quality and a measured and balanced flow not met with in languages with irregular stresses and more staccato delivery (Lestrade 1937: 303).
The particular genius of each language gives rise to various possibilities in the structure of verse. The type of 'prosody' often used exploits the grammatical and syntactical possibilities of the language, which is not, as in English, bound by a fixed word order. Alliterative parallelism is easily achieved. Thus in the Zulu proverb
Kuhlwile I phambili II kusile I emuva
It is dark / in front // it is light /behind ('it is easy to be wise after the event'). 14
(quoted Lestrade 1937: 307)"
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
These videos are posted in chronological order based on the date that they were published on YouTube. The videos with the oldest dates are posted first.
Example #1: Jessica Mbangeni - Praise Poet, Singer and Actress
MarieGreySpeakers1, Published on Oct 2, 2012
Jessica Mbangeni made her mark as a praise-singer when she joined Soweto Gospel Choir in 2002 and toured the world in Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and North American States. She has performed at prestigious events such as the 46664 concert in Cape Town and the South African President, Thabo Mbeki's second inauguration. Jessica recently released her first single, "iGoli", to great acclaim.
-snip-
Commenters indicated that Jessica Mbangeni's language is Xhosa [isiXhosa]
****
Example #2: *Jessica_Mbangeni
BadilishaPoetry Badilisha, Published on Feb 28, 2013
-snip-
This is the same praise poem to Nelson Mandela that is given above.
****
BONUS VIDEO :7 year old Izibongo Praise Singer
blacfoundation, Uploaded on Sep 2, 2009
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread from GrumpyTinashe1 (2013)
"He is hailing Zuma as well as praising [President of South Jacob Zumas'] ancestors. Akin to what Muhammad Ali used to do, proclaim he is the greatest and all that only this time its done by a third party. Was done for and to kings/chiefs at gatherings back in the day and still is. Among other things he says indoda emadodeni meaning J.Z is a man among men. Like Gunman gunner says below its hard to get the flavour of it in translation. Imagine a rap battle dissing each other only this time you are praising someone lol"
-snip-
In addition to the flow of the oratory, it's interesting to note the audience's responses to those spoken words.
****
RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/south-african-praise-poet-zolani-mkiva.html
South African Praise Poet Zolani Mkiva - Transcript: Praise Poetry Is Essential Part Of African DNA
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label praise singers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label praise singers. Show all posts
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
South African Praise Poet Zolani Mkiva - Transcript: Praise Poetry Is Essential Part Of African DNA
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides my transcript of a September 6, 2013 South African television show's interview of praise poet Zolani Mkiva, and my transcription of a poem that Zolani Mkiva recited during that program. This post also includes information about this renown South African praise poet.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, sociological, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ZOLANI MKIVA
"Zolani is one of the youngest practitioners of one of the oldest oral traditions in africa, ukubonga (praise singing). Hailing from Dutywa a small town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, Zolani rose to prominence in 1990 when, barely a year after becoming a fully-fledged Imbongi Yesizwe (Poet of the Nation), the schoolboy was called upon to salute with a red hot rendition the recently released Nelson Mandela at his Welcome Home Rally in Transkei....
1991 saw Zolani complete his matriculation, and during the same year, consolidated his role as Imbongi through extensive work at community projects. The role of an Imbongi is a responsible one in African society, for it involves articulating the feelings of the community, and encapsulating these sentiments in concise poetic phrases. Not only does Imbongi praise, but must also ponder, even offer criticism.
Especially at this time of political transition and nation building in South Africa, Zolani felt the need to broaden his knowledge and analytical tools, and decided to pursue studies in Social Sciences at the University of the Western Cape. His studies included oral traditions, history and cultural issues, and in this way, he became a dual practitioner and scholar of African Poetry as well as Traditional Music. This opened a new path of a wonderful combination as he employed his poetry for musical compositions.
Zolani Mkiva participates in events either as an Imbongi, or alternatively as a Compere. Unlike other performers, he will ordinarily have to give careful consideration before participating in an event, and frequently research the topic at hand, maybe prepare a specific framework for a recital. Like a jazz musician, the lines of an Imbongi are never fixed – they are improvised, at times melodic and at times melancholy. And not always guaranteed to please with tame platitudes - A lion must Roar !"
-snip-
Click http://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/poet/item/477/10/Zolani-Mkiva for more information about Zolani Mkiva.
****
FEATURED VIDEO: Praise poetry essential part of African DNA
eNCAnews, Published on Sep 6, 2013
For more on this and other stories please visit http://www.enca.com/
September 6-Zolani Mkiva speaks to eNCA about African heritage and praise poetry and recited a part of a poem.
****
TRANSCRIPTION: eNCAnews - Praise poetry essential part of African DNA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGf-mc26JXk
[This transcription was made from the video found above. Words that I'm unable to decipher are represented by dashes. Words that I'm unsure of are written in italics. This transcription doesn't capture the intonation that the praise poet used. I represented to emphasized words by capitalizing them. I also am including a few notes after this transcription about the program setting, about clips that were shown during the program, and about certain South African language words in the poem. Additions and corrections are welcome.]
Female host [fh]: September is heritage month and oral traditions are a big part of South African’s heritage. Zolani Mkiva is one of the most famous praise singers in the country. He joins us now.
Zolani, thank you very much for coming in this morning. It’s very good to be with you. Now, I must ask you- what is the place that praise poetry currently enjoys in our country. Does-is there a space for it in our country?
Zolani Mkiva [ZM]: Certainly, there is a huge space for praise poetry. Remember that praise poetry is essentially part of our DNA as a people, that is as Africans in general because we’ve got clan names which form the basis of our identity. And therefore, each and every clan therefore has a praise poet, so to say, what we call imbongis so that the people will articulate thus clan names and they are able to place them back from time immemorial. Because they are the ones that carry the knitting, the lace that laces our history and heritage that dates back from many, many centuries ago. And praise singers therefore are the oral librarians, if you like, of African history and heritage.
fh: How, how are you groomed within your, your clan to become a praise singer?
ZM: It’s a very systematic way of grooming children in general, because it’s not only one child that gets picked up to articulate the clan names and the history of the family, and the history of the community and the nation. It’s something that is done systematically from storytelling, folklore, music, and you infuse all the cultural ceremonies __ __. So you systematically, systematically coached to understand broadly and you are also given the specifics. And therefore one out of those children in that particular community will then rise up and be, you know, the one who carries the flag, ah, of that particular clan, community, nation, and so on.
fh: It’s an amazing tradition. We are celebrating heritage month in the country in September. Of course, the, the bombardment of other media now that South Africa has joined the global village. Is praise poetry becoming obsolete? Or , do, do you think it has had the opposite effect?
ZM – Well, yes and no. You know, that’s how I can answer. It, it depends on what you do with media and what you do with technology. The technology must not lead you. You must guide it to do what you want to communicate. Once you allow yourself to be led by technology, then you will be led behind. So, at all material times as Africans, let’s appreciate the development and integration of the technology but let them happen under our own stewardship. So that at all material times we guide what we mean to happen and what we want to communicate. We take and learn from the best in the world, but it must happen under us-As long as we do that, we will not lose hope as we will be able to communicate what is right according to our values. Once we allow technology and media to tell us what to do, then we will sink.
Fh: That is a very interesting point __. Ah, Zolani, I believe that you’ve been working on a piece of praise poetry for us. And I’m going to ask that you share that with our viewers this morning. Won’t you go ahead and do that for us.
ZM:
A child was born some time ago.
De-socialized and disorientated
Bad mannered and bad natured.
Today is the rebirth of the African child.
Today the African child is born again
Ready to be issued with a new birthday certificate
The lotion for motion has been issued.
Let us be the thinkers of the great thoughts.
Let us be the doers of the great deeds.
Achievement never yet was given to the people as a gift
But as a reward.
Bring the end through [all of us] at work.
Let us tell the whole world that Africa
IS the mother continent.
Tell them. Them tell.
Tell them that. That them tell.
Them that tell.
Tell them that
Africa IS the continent of the future.
Let us program our heritage.
Let us mainstream our Africanness.
Yes, Africa maluju
Africa Harambee.
Africa Uhuru
Fh – I love that Zolani.
AM – Thank you.
fh- Thank you so much for coming in to join us. Much much appreciated.
****
NOTES:
Setting: Zolani Mkiva and the female television host [no name given] are seated at a desk in a television studio.
The female host is dressed in Western clothing. Zolani Mkiva is also dressed in Western clothing [The camera only shows his upper body]. He is wearing a red short sleeved shirt and a beaded pendant necklace that looks very similar to a circular Native American beaded pendant with small strings of beads hanging from it. Zolani Mkiva also has a thin red and white beaded band on his head. He is also carrying a thin wand-type object which I can’t identify and which isn’t mentioned in that segment.
When Mkiva was responding to the question about how he was groomed as praise poet, the program showed a silent clip of young South African males and females dressed in traditional Xhosa? Zulu? clothing dancing as they move down the street as part of an urban street parade. Another silent clip follows of young males dressed up in three piece Western suits with fedora hats doing tap dances as part of the same? street parade.
When asked the third question, Zolani Mkiva is shown responding to that question in an inserted small box, while a larger silent clip shows Mkiva dressed in traditional clothing at some public event where he is singing praises to an elderly Madiba [Nelson Mandela} who is escorted onto the stage as Mkiva is talking.
-snip-
English translation of certain South African language words:
Imbongis - Xhosa term for traditional praise poet. Click http://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php/Imbongi for information about imbongis.
**
Maluju- [I think it's a Zulu word that means "calm or plea for peace".
I found that definition in the summary statement of this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JhGAtURewQ
Maluju Africa [Lolo Rollins] Published on Aug 4, 2013
Also, from http://entertainment.iafrica.com/artzine/theatre/previews/44294.html
"The phrase 'Maluju Zulu' means 'it is enough'. It is usually said when an opponent indicates that they want a cease-fire".
**
Harambee - Kiswahili word meaning "pull together"
**
Uhuru - KiSwahili word meaning "freedom"
****
Thanks to Zolani Mkiva for his creativity and his insightful comments. Thanks also to the featured television program and its host. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post provides my transcript of a September 6, 2013 South African television show's interview of praise poet Zolani Mkiva, and my transcription of a poem that Zolani Mkiva recited during that program. This post also includes information about this renown South African praise poet.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, sociological, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ZOLANI MKIVA
"Zolani is one of the youngest practitioners of one of the oldest oral traditions in africa, ukubonga (praise singing). Hailing from Dutywa a small town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, Zolani rose to prominence in 1990 when, barely a year after becoming a fully-fledged Imbongi Yesizwe (Poet of the Nation), the schoolboy was called upon to salute with a red hot rendition the recently released Nelson Mandela at his Welcome Home Rally in Transkei....
1991 saw Zolani complete his matriculation, and during the same year, consolidated his role as Imbongi through extensive work at community projects. The role of an Imbongi is a responsible one in African society, for it involves articulating the feelings of the community, and encapsulating these sentiments in concise poetic phrases. Not only does Imbongi praise, but must also ponder, even offer criticism.
Especially at this time of political transition and nation building in South Africa, Zolani felt the need to broaden his knowledge and analytical tools, and decided to pursue studies in Social Sciences at the University of the Western Cape. His studies included oral traditions, history and cultural issues, and in this way, he became a dual practitioner and scholar of African Poetry as well as Traditional Music. This opened a new path of a wonderful combination as he employed his poetry for musical compositions.
Zolani Mkiva participates in events either as an Imbongi, or alternatively as a Compere. Unlike other performers, he will ordinarily have to give careful consideration before participating in an event, and frequently research the topic at hand, maybe prepare a specific framework for a recital. Like a jazz musician, the lines of an Imbongi are never fixed – they are improvised, at times melodic and at times melancholy. And not always guaranteed to please with tame platitudes - A lion must Roar !"
-snip-
Click http://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/poet/item/477/10/Zolani-Mkiva for more information about Zolani Mkiva.
****
FEATURED VIDEO: Praise poetry essential part of African DNA
eNCAnews, Published on Sep 6, 2013
For more on this and other stories please visit http://www.enca.com/
September 6-Zolani Mkiva speaks to eNCA about African heritage and praise poetry and recited a part of a poem.
****
TRANSCRIPTION: eNCAnews - Praise poetry essential part of African DNA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGf-mc26JXk
[This transcription was made from the video found above. Words that I'm unable to decipher are represented by dashes. Words that I'm unsure of are written in italics. This transcription doesn't capture the intonation that the praise poet used. I represented to emphasized words by capitalizing them. I also am including a few notes after this transcription about the program setting, about clips that were shown during the program, and about certain South African language words in the poem. Additions and corrections are welcome.]
Female host [fh]: September is heritage month and oral traditions are a big part of South African’s heritage. Zolani Mkiva is one of the most famous praise singers in the country. He joins us now.
Zolani, thank you very much for coming in this morning. It’s very good to be with you. Now, I must ask you- what is the place that praise poetry currently enjoys in our country. Does-is there a space for it in our country?
Zolani Mkiva [ZM]: Certainly, there is a huge space for praise poetry. Remember that praise poetry is essentially part of our DNA as a people, that is as Africans in general because we’ve got clan names which form the basis of our identity. And therefore, each and every clan therefore has a praise poet, so to say, what we call imbongis so that the people will articulate thus clan names and they are able to place them back from time immemorial. Because they are the ones that carry the knitting, the lace that laces our history and heritage that dates back from many, many centuries ago. And praise singers therefore are the oral librarians, if you like, of African history and heritage.
fh: How, how are you groomed within your, your clan to become a praise singer?
ZM: It’s a very systematic way of grooming children in general, because it’s not only one child that gets picked up to articulate the clan names and the history of the family, and the history of the community and the nation. It’s something that is done systematically from storytelling, folklore, music, and you infuse all the cultural ceremonies __ __. So you systematically, systematically coached to understand broadly and you are also given the specifics. And therefore one out of those children in that particular community will then rise up and be, you know, the one who carries the flag, ah, of that particular clan, community, nation, and so on.
fh: It’s an amazing tradition. We are celebrating heritage month in the country in September. Of course, the, the bombardment of other media now that South Africa has joined the global village. Is praise poetry becoming obsolete? Or , do, do you think it has had the opposite effect?
ZM – Well, yes and no. You know, that’s how I can answer. It, it depends on what you do with media and what you do with technology. The technology must not lead you. You must guide it to do what you want to communicate. Once you allow yourself to be led by technology, then you will be led behind. So, at all material times as Africans, let’s appreciate the development and integration of the technology but let them happen under our own stewardship. So that at all material times we guide what we mean to happen and what we want to communicate. We take and learn from the best in the world, but it must happen under us-As long as we do that, we will not lose hope as we will be able to communicate what is right according to our values. Once we allow technology and media to tell us what to do, then we will sink.
Fh: That is a very interesting point __. Ah, Zolani, I believe that you’ve been working on a piece of praise poetry for us. And I’m going to ask that you share that with our viewers this morning. Won’t you go ahead and do that for us.
ZM:
A child was born some time ago.
De-socialized and disorientated
Bad mannered and bad natured.
Today is the rebirth of the African child.
Today the African child is born again
Ready to be issued with a new birthday certificate
The lotion for motion has been issued.
Let us be the thinkers of the great thoughts.
Let us be the doers of the great deeds.
Achievement never yet was given to the people as a gift
But as a reward.
Bring the end through [all of us] at work.
Let us tell the whole world that Africa
IS the mother continent.
Tell them. Them tell.
Tell them that. That them tell.
Them that tell.
Tell them that
Africa IS the continent of the future.
Let us program our heritage.
Let us mainstream our Africanness.
Yes, Africa maluju
Africa Harambee.
Africa Uhuru
Fh – I love that Zolani.
AM – Thank you.
fh- Thank you so much for coming in to join us. Much much appreciated.
****
NOTES:
Setting: Zolani Mkiva and the female television host [no name given] are seated at a desk in a television studio.
The female host is dressed in Western clothing. Zolani Mkiva is also dressed in Western clothing [The camera only shows his upper body]. He is wearing a red short sleeved shirt and a beaded pendant necklace that looks very similar to a circular Native American beaded pendant with small strings of beads hanging from it. Zolani Mkiva also has a thin red and white beaded band on his head. He is also carrying a thin wand-type object which I can’t identify and which isn’t mentioned in that segment.
When Mkiva was responding to the question about how he was groomed as praise poet, the program showed a silent clip of young South African males and females dressed in traditional Xhosa? Zulu? clothing dancing as they move down the street as part of an urban street parade. Another silent clip follows of young males dressed up in three piece Western suits with fedora hats doing tap dances as part of the same? street parade.
When asked the third question, Zolani Mkiva is shown responding to that question in an inserted small box, while a larger silent clip shows Mkiva dressed in traditional clothing at some public event where he is singing praises to an elderly Madiba [Nelson Mandela} who is escorted onto the stage as Mkiva is talking.
-snip-
English translation of certain South African language words:
Imbongis - Xhosa term for traditional praise poet. Click http://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php/Imbongi for information about imbongis.
**
Maluju- [I think it's a Zulu word that means "calm or plea for peace".
I found that definition in the summary statement of this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JhGAtURewQ
Maluju Africa [Lolo Rollins] Published on Aug 4, 2013
Also, from http://entertainment.iafrica.com/artzine/theatre/previews/44294.html
"The phrase 'Maluju Zulu' means 'it is enough'. It is usually said when an opponent indicates that they want a cease-fire".
**
Harambee - Kiswahili word meaning "pull together"
**
Uhuru - KiSwahili word meaning "freedom"
****
Thanks to Zolani Mkiva for his creativity and his insightful comments. Thanks also to the featured television program and its host. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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