Zwikumbu Zwingana? How many Calabashes? (2010)

I often think of songs as containers of some kind, somewhat like calabashes that were used many years ago to store water and food. In our songs we keep and share ideas, experiences, memories, identities, and so much more. I was fortunate to grow up in a home filled with singing. My mother sang to us with her beautiful voice and encouraged us to sing. She taught us many songs, and we sang them often. This composition was written specially for her, to say thank you.

Like several other compositions of mine, this work is a collection of lullabies. Since they are based on lullabies, they were analysed by Catrien Wentink whose article Inspired by Lullabies: Folk Song Arrangements by Hannes Taljaard can be downloaded here.

The South African soprano Deidré Blignaut-Rautenbach published an article in 2011 in a Journal called The Phenomenon of Singing (Volume 8). Her article is titled A Rainbow of Songs: An Appreciation of the Texts of Selected South African Folk and Art Songs. Her article treats notions of cultural transfer, and publishes an interview that expresses many thoughts that are important to me. She sang a vocal version of these three compositions during a lecture recital. A link to her article can be found here.

1. Ihi (c. 2’00”)
2. Siembamba (c. 30”)
3. Thula Thu’ (indefinite; c. 4’00”)

Total duration c. 6’30”, but indefinite

Ihi

This lullaby has an ambiguous text but a very simple melody consisting mostly of prolongations of the tonic triad. The text is in tshiVenda, the language that is spoken in the region of South Africa where I was born. Mrs Selinah Raluswinga’s performance of the song was recorded by Mrs NS Mualaudzi in July 1992. It is published in Venda Lashu, a collection of tshiVenda Songs edited by Jaco Kruger.

Ihi, Ihi.

Mainda, mainda
Nangwe ndo fura, ndi a la.
Ndi a la, ndi a la.
Thumbu ya tsixele mainda.

Vhomme vho ya fhi?
Vho ya mulamboni.

Zwikumbu zwingana?
Zwikumbu zwiraru.
U lilela ni?
U lilela u la.

Be quiet.
It is early summer.
I continue eating, even though I am sated.
I am eating.
Early in summer, the stomach of the babysitter.

Where has the mother gone?
She has gone to the river.

With how many calabashes?
With three.
Why does the baby cry?
She cries because she is hungry.

Siembamba

This lullaby is very well-known among Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. It is thought that the text might refer to events during the Anglo-Boer War, but there are also other ideas on what the text could mean. I have known this song ever since I can remember. It is one of the lullabies that my mother sang to us.

Siembamba, mamma se kindjie.
Siembamba, mamma se kindjie.
Draai sy nek om, gooi hom in die sloot.
Trap op sy kop, dan is hy dood!

Siembamba, mommy’s little Darling.
Siembamba, mommy’s little Darling.
Break his neck, throw him in the ditch.
Step on his head and he’ll be dead!

Thula Thu’

This well-known lullaby is often sung in South Africa and has a rich history. I know it from hearing and I often used it when teaching. I also arranged it for choir, and it was the inspiration for another choir composition of mine.

Thula thu’ thula mntwana,
thula sana.
Thul’ umam’ uzofika ekuseni.a

Khukh ‘inkanyezi eholol’ ubaba,
Imkhanyisel’ indleziy’ ekhaya.

Hush hush my child, hush my dearest.
Quiet now, your mother will be here
in the morning.

There is a light drawing you,
Showing you the way home.