A cinsengwe of the ing’omba Musoka

Song 36

A cinsengwe made by the ing’omba Musoka as sung by Mika Mwape Chungwa, 1986.
It was sung during an analytical recording of the ilimba ensemble (played on wooden containers) that turned out to be a commemorative session for Musoka.
Text spoken by Mika Mwape Chungwa is followed by a number of stanzas within one musango. Mika Mwape Chungwa had never heard Musoka, who died before 1940, sing himself but was possessed by the spirit that possessed Musoka and said to have acquired the song from that spirit.

Text of Song 36 ∵ Go on singing, Kalunga of ours

“Ico catampa nomba balisha ecibitiku ekuti bebe ati citaila
Ekuti umumbulu engo witati ndindi ndindi
Malimba alile fyo
Esho twalalisha
Kanshi inyimbo twalaimba niba Musoka balikwimba
Ishi nyimbo sha mu cinsengwe, tabalelishamo ngoma iyoo
Kano mu cinsengwe balenwo bwalwa
Nangu elo batendeka ukulaimba,
Nomba ne nyimbo eshi batampako nomba baleimba ati:”

“The instrument that has started is the cibitiku [the pattern of] which they say as ‘citaila’
Now comes the mumbulu (wild dog) that says ‘ndindi ndindi’
The ilimba sound like that
This is what we are going to play
Now the songs we are to sing, it is Musoka who used to sing them
These songs are of the cinsengwe, no drums were played, no
It was in the cinsengwe while they were drinking beer
And when they started singing
These were the songs which they started singing, like this:”

Mwebakashi munsunge bwino – Nilika na bakoswe
Kabili mwaikalila kumwinshi – Mwebali kupinga makani
Mwalikulye fiweme – Muntina kununka
Kamwimbeni kabinda wesu
Iyaya lele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

You, my wife, look after me properly – Before I am eaten by rats
Again, you are sitting in the doorway – You are brooding
You were eating nice foods – Don’t fear my smell
Go on singing, youngest child of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Mwebakashi munsunge bwino – Nilika na bakoswe
Yo kabili mwaikalila kumwinshi – Mwebalikupinga makani
Mwalikulye fiweme – Bentina kununka
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya lele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

You, my wife, look after me properly – Before I am eaten by rats
Again, you are sitting in the doorway – You are brooding
You were eating nice foods – They shouldn’t fear my smell
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Mwebakwasu abakashi besu – Inya nabo ba Miselo
Balya baye li basananga ku nika – Ne nongo ya menda
Ekulo kutapilila’ti likanda Miselo
Kamwimbeni kabinda wesu
Iyaya lele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

O friends, my wife – Yes, that is Miselo
Has gone to the river boastfully – With a water clay pot
As if watering in the pit, Miselo
Go on singing, youngest child of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Cipungu’upalale mulemba – Koyo ukanshimike
Kabuleko ba Mangalita – Wati umwana ulisambile
Woyo kosemaila’ti ya mwela
Kamwimbeni kabinda wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

You, big bird, fly high – Go and inform them about me
Inform Mangalita – That the child has learnt
Is now possessed by the wind [spirit]
Go on singing, our youngest child
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Mwebakwasu abalume besu – Inya nabo ba Miselo
Miselo tekuceba nakunumoko – Ba noko bafwile limbi
Paliyo mutima pakuceba pamitumba
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

O friends, my husband – Yes, that is Miselo
Miselo can’t even look back – Where his mother had died
His heart [only focussing on hunting] strongly needs looking at dead game
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Koswe wambala pando nemwine – Cilinjipeye
Tengu wandile citonga – Munshiku bakwimbila malaila
Bakukuteye ciliba ba Lunguye
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wanji
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

Hey, you rat, what makes you provoke me – I am killed/injured
Here he eats my maize – In the days to come when you are rejoicing
A trap for you will be put by Lunguye
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, my Kalunga
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Fwe balokwenda Mwape wesu – Mu cilubaila
Baine mwatubwena kumauni – Amakubi akuntule cisumba
Ba cimbwi bantwale ku malengo
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

We who move/wander about, our Mwape – In the unknown [country]
So, you knew about our presence because of birds – The big birds have broken the branch
The hyenas were taking me in the thick forests
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Yo bamama ndabalila – Bakali kumalambila
Mpalya pakufuma ne canda ca mafumo, kabawama nokwenda
Bwela cibinda wesu ulishe limba
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni Kalunga wanji
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

O how I cry for my mother – The fierce one in the thick bush
Especially when coming out with a bundle of spears looking beautiful while walking
Return hunter of ours who plays the ilimba
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, my Kalunga
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Mwebakwasu icandilo mwana – Cilamfwaya
Ndokupampanta nkalang’ongo – Kalunga bwela eyo
Monse mwebamanga mwakukandaulwa
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni Kalunga wanji
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

O friends what ate [killed] my child – Still hunts for me
As I look for the scorpion – Kalunga kindly come back
All of you with witch charms will be punished
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, my Kalunga
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Mwebakwasu abakashi besu – Inya nabo ba Miselo
Mbalya baye li basananga ku nika – Ne nongo ya menda
Ekulo kutapilila’ti likanda
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni Kalunga wanji
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

Friends, my wife – Yes that is Miselo
Has gone to the river boastfully – With a water clay pot
As if watering in a ditch [in the process of moulding bricks]
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, my Kalunga
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Mwebakwasu abakashi besu – Inya nabo ba Miselo
Yo lulya lupwa lwa cipunda nasalile – Umo ndubwenene
Teti kalya kanwa kabakashi banji Miselo
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

Friends, my wife – Yes that is Miselo
Yo what a worthless family I chose – Why didn’t I see it?
With that mouth my wife Miselo has
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Yo nyina-nsha akociliba bwino mungole mwatanta
Balifwa ba Mangalita – Baliya mukutebele culu
Bamama wesu bali kumanda
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni kabinda wanji
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

Yo how good the female duiker jumps in the far plains
Mangalita has died – She went to fetch firewood for the anthill [the grave, her new home]
O my mother is at the grave
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Yo, go on singing, my youngest child
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Yo batata ndabalila – Bakali kumalambila
Mpalya pakufuma ne canda ca mafumo kabawama nokwenda
Bwela cibinda wesu mulishe limba
Kamwimbeni Kalunga wesu
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu
Yo kamwimbeni Kalunga wanji
Iyaya elele – Yo banaKalunga mwimbe lukumbu

O how I cry for my father – the fierce one in the thick bush
Especially when coming out with a bundle of spears, looking beautiful while walking
Return, hunter of ours, to play ilimba
Go on singing, Kalunga of ours
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow
Yo, go on singing, my Kalunga
Iyaya lele – Oh, mother of Kalunga, sing with sorrow

Owe lelo twabona bai bama/ bata
Iye elele niba Mwape bakoimba

Owe now today we see, o mother/father
Iye elele it is Mwape singing