Dance of the amadlozi

We offer this music in celebration of the conjoining and meeting of our respective ancestors. Their blood runs in our river. Their skin shades our tree. Their bones are the stones that we walk on. As they dance and make acquaintance, we ask that their combined wisdom guide our way forward and bring us to the place of all understanding.

Madala Kunene - jaw harp and percussion

Syd Kitchen - tenor recorder

Mlisa

The metaphor of a young fat (mafuta) boy (mfana) prancing his way through life thinking he’s a gentleman of style (mlisa) while bullying those around him is here used to shine light on excess. We are all in a better world when those who display excessive use of persuasion in their deliberations are recognized for what they really are; scared, insecure children. The metaphor is not lost when we consider how certain countries; beneath totalitarian ideals of economics or security; strut the Earth imposing their will on others.

Madala Kunene - steel string guitar, backing vocals, percussion

Syd Kitchen - nylon string guitar, lead vocals, percussion

Manje

“all our debts have been paid and our notions have moved away

all the plans that we’ve laid have given us a brand new day

we don’t mind anymore, we’ve got nothing left to say

we don’t mind anymore, we’ve got nowhere left to go

but set sail for the sun and go wherever the winds blow”

manje isikhathi sesifikile

(now is the time and it has arrived)

It is Bafo Bafo’s time. It is Africa’s time.

Madala Kunene - steel string rhythm guitar, vocals, percussion

Syd Kitchen - nylon string lead guitar, vocals, percussion

Jim

In old Apartheid SA, black men were more than often referred to by white people as “Jim” or “John.” The common courtesy of using someone’s birth name was seldom used in verbal exchanges across the races. This derogatory practice only contributed to the dehumanization process of the black man already in force. We wrote this as a parody of a song released in the early 60’s that caricatured a young boy from Zululand called “Jim” who was instructed to kill the chicken (amongst other things). The chicken is a symbol of life to Africa. When “Jim” is told to end the chicken’s life he is being asked to surrender his means to self-sustenance. So while we openly embrace globalization and go about implementing the wishes of “others”, let us not forget “Jim”, the chicken and who we are. Culture too is a symbol of life.

Madala Kunene - steel string rhythm guitar, vocals, percussion

Syd Kitchen - nylon string lead guitar, vocals, percussion

Zimpi zombango

In this song we ask the question “why are we still fighting?” (zimpi zombango). Have we not learned the lessons of war from history? That there are families in rural Zululand still engaging in feuds that have gone on for longer than living memory begs this question. Do they know why they’re fighting? Do the Palestinians and the Jews really know what’s up? We ask that the fighting stop. Stop killing!

Madala Kunene - steel string rhythm guitar, vocals, percussion

Syd Kitchen - nylon string lead guitar, vocals, percussion

Pipe

A 3-legged Afro-Saxon jig complete with Umbilonian vocal chants. For Pedro Espi Sanchis.

Madala Kunene - steel string guitar

Syd Kitchen - hosepipe flute, vocals

ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY BAFO BAFO

AFRO-SAXON FOLK MUSIC FROM ZULULAND!

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