Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context 8
Fighting with songs ∵ Songs 80 to 96
The 80th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 80th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi‘s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.
Ba Mabuku ulwimbo lwa fibanda
Mama icipempele mayo we
Fwebalanda mama icipempele banangobele mwela
Mabuku, [as to] the nature spirits’ song
Mother, like a butterfly, mother
We, the poor ones, mother, like a butterfly, supporters of the fine spirits’ music
As a daughter of Makonde, Mabuku who is still present in the audience/chorus, belongs to the Makonde group. As said earlier, she skilfully takes over the solo-line for all possessed who have no own helper (kampenga). The image of the butterfly is not positive nor negative in itself. So, the song is not an open reproach or praise. In the whole context of reproaches of the Makonde group by Kansenkele, however, we interpret it as a mild reproach for not refusing to take over Mwami songs at an Ipupo.
The 81st song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 81st song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Iyo bama Muluba eyo
Mayo malimba mayo
Yoyoyoyo, nemulanda mayo malimba ayo bama naya
No, mother Muluba, eyo
Mother, the music, mother
Yoyoyo, I, the poor one, mother, that music, mother, I go now
In this song the performance of the music in the preceding period of the ritual is mildly questioned by Kansenkele. Among the previous ten songs there have been songs that the audience/chorus acclaimed but sang only. That is there was no drumming. And, they all lasted a short time only. The ‘I go now’ means that Kansenkele is prepared to go along with a singing-only phase.
A sequence of these songs has now been started. The connoisseurs are eager to hear what the fountain of new song texts that Kansenkele is brings forth. They have the knowledge and skills (mano) to know what these texts are about without having to repeat them over and over and the drummers deserve a rest. This phase may refer to the rather short periods in the Ipupo of old where the ing’omba informed about the state of the involved family, clan or region.
The 82nd song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 82nd song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.We mwaice uko twaile nimupepi ne fibanda
Kubekala ba Samba mayo
Shololilo cawaya ba Pupe nafwa mayo
You young one where we went it was near the nature spirits
Where Samba lives, mother
Believe it! Dance cawaya, Pupe, I die, mother
Shemu Mambwe‘s farm is near a thickset grove of trees (mushitu) with great mpanga power and, therefore, with many nature spirits (cibanda). Samba is one of them. Pupe is brought in relation with Samba here to underline Pupe’s fierceness. If only there would be kumfwana between Pupe and Shemu, that Pupe would dance through him.
The 83rd song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 83rd song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Balibekata bambi balile
Figelo batamba mayo
Shololilo nimfwiti bamulamu ebalowa bantu
Some are known to practice witchcraft
The full-figured girls are admired, mother
Believe it! Someone close to you is a witch who bewitches people
Someone in the audience is, or could well be, involved in witchcraft. For instance, to beget a beautiful woman already married to another or to prevent another of marrying a beautiful girl. It is also a more general warning against witchcraft practised by those close to you.
The 84th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 84th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Benka/ Eko baba balya benda ne cipingo
Nimfwiti ba mulamu mama
Shololilo nimfwiti ba mulamu balishila bantu
Only those/ Among those who always carry a bible
They are witches, my friend, mother
Believe it! They’re witches, my friend, they kill people
Witchcraft accusations form a very important issue in Chibale. When an accusation is made, solutions may be sought in a small circle or it may be kept hidden on purpose, but often the case is brought to a wider circle via a visit to a shing’anga or to the chief. The chief in many cases will send the accused to a shing’anga to obtain his or her advice before he relegates the case to the local, sometimes district, court. When the accused is a Jehovah’s witness, he can refuse to go to the shing’anga, basing himself on the fact that the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the existence of witchcraft . Even when the chief asks him to do so. This leads to a situation that people start associating Jehovah’s witnesses with witchcraft. They suppose the witches become members to obtain this protection against revelation.
The rude Benka (Only those) in the first line is a reversal of the allegation of some Christians that witchcraft only occurs among ‘non-Christians’.
The 85th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 85th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Buce buce mwebantu bakapenta
Fyenke fi bamayo/ bamulamu owe
Nemulande fyenke fi bama ekulila bantu
Sing really small now, you people, beautiful women
Surely, women/friends owe
I, the poor one, surely, mother, it is the way to mourn people
The intimate singing in this phase is praised. Good music is linked to mourning.
The chorus members are called bakapenta, painted ladies; here meant as: completely up to it, at their best.
The 86th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 86th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Cipi cipi we mwali/ Mukamposeshe ababa kwa Makonde
Mucincile ba Shemu mama
Wayawaya/ Ne mulanda, muncincile ba Shemu nafwa mama
Those who are closely related to the Makonde group/ Go and greet the Makonde group from me
Be serious, Shemu, mother
Wayawaya [dancing]/ I, the poor one, be serious, Shemu, I die, mother
Shemu Mambwe, through his father’s side, is related to Makonde, the group of families into which young Munteta has married. This song testifies to his grudge against the latter. During starting he interludes: Mama yoyoyo mama naya mama mama mama mama mwe bena buko mubule namwela: Mama yoyoyo, mama, I go, mama mama mama mama, you family-in-law let me tell you, wife of the spirit(s), meaning: ‘In this way these Mwami mediums became my in-laws’. The song is directed to the Makonde people some of whom joined the second circle after Chalebaila had stopped his last song in the first circle. They are referred to here as ‘close to Makonde’. Even though you will invite Shemu for an Ipupo, he will not ‘be serious’, even if you ask him to. He will not come anymore.
The 87th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 87th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Boi we twalilwala myaka bana Chibuye / Buce buce mu nanda eyo
Cipale bamulamu mayo
Shololilo cipale yoyo ba Pepa ndeya/ Woyoyo cipale bamulamu nandebo nkoya
Boy you, I have been sick for years, banaChibuye/ It is too silent in the house eyo
Full of themselves, my friends, mother
Believe it! Full of themselves yoyo, Pepa, I leave/ Woyoyo, full of themselves, my friends, I would leave too
Kansenkele mocks the self-centredness of Mwami mediums and the cult of affliction possessed. The first line gives two quotations. The first is the possessed’s catchphrase. They will often refer to their illness or use it as an excuse. The second quotation is from the husband who says it is much too quiet in the house during the night. The possessed wife is either not capable of making love because of illness or restricting rules of life or is away dancing somewhere. The word cipale is used both for self-centredness and for refusing to make love. The song text provides a good example of the use of quotations, so typical for Chibale song texts.
The 88th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 88th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Bama banaNshimbi balipinga na banabamanga oye
Nemulandu/fwebalanda ngabanabamanga balola kwisa/ mwalola kwisa?
My mother banaNshimbi has a serious bond with her cult group oye
I, the poor one/We, the poor ones, now where have these cult group members gone?
A continuation of the message of the previous song. Kansenkele can’t stop denouncing the Mwami possessed. It must be said, though, that only two of bamukaNdubeni‘s cult members are present in this phase of the Ipupo.
The 89th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 89th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Kabali balume bampame nsapato
Pa kushana bamulamu owe
Nemulanda lelo pa kushana bamulamu kanselebenda
Would my husband kick me with his shoes
I would be dancing, my friends, owe
I, the poor one, now today I would be dancing, my friends, while limping
Here we have a funny reference to the problems, also brought forward in the 87th song, that many Mwami adepts have with their husbands because of the restricting rules of life (mushila) they have to follow and the many nights spent dancing. A number of women in the audience/chorus start dancing in the circle during this song.
The 90th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 90th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Wayumfwe fi yalila banababo
Yatota/yalumba ba Shemu mama
Nemulanda yatota/yalumba ba Shemu banaCiwila
Do you hear how it sounds, chorus
It praises Shemu, mother
Me, the poor one, it praises Shemu, the wife of Ciwila
This is self-praise, but also the next ironic reference to Mwami mediums, banaMwami, since the term banaCiwila is never used. The Ciwila and Kaluwe possessed are called baCiwila and baKaluwe.
Between the 90th and the 91st song Kansenkele pleads to the audience/chorus to start singing again in such a way that drumming will be possible: “To you who are present, I am pleading you, now the night turns into dawn, sing for me just for this short while”. All answer: “We will sing for you”. Kansenkele: “No, it is me who will do the singing”. They: “Ooo”. Kansenkele: “Just sing for a while. Because we now are only a few, the singing will sound good (mukoumfwa ubune)”.
The 91st song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 91st song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Aka kaice bapupa kwa Mulilima
Basenda ba Pati mayo/mama
Ati ne mulanda basenda ba Pati kati twakwenda shani
The small child they offered in Mulilima
They took away Pati, mother
I, the poor one, they took away Pati how shall we go on
Pati Kalulanya was the big shopkeeper at Mulilima, the small village at the Great North Road where the road to Chibale starts. He was generally thought to use witchcraft and was shot in 1987 by a hired gunman to stop his witchcraft. The offering of one or more persons when someone died was done in former days only when chiefs had died1They were called musanshiko.. Here it is said that a young child was killed to accompany the killed shopkeeper. The song tells that witchcraft related to this case continues after Kalulanya’s death and it foretells that the witchcraft related to him will be continuing.
With this song the drumming and singing are back in full swing.
The 92nd song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 92nd song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Ayi wo abena ngoma balifyala bwino Maluba
Shakulalingana bama
Nemulanda shakulalingana nebaice bakwe
Ayi wo the drum people have a good offspring, Maluba
Their music will remain on this high level, mother
I, the poor one, their music will remain on this high level through their children
A young drummer, related to a well-known drummer, drummed during the previous song and now is being praised.
The 93rd song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 93th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Nebo kamfwa nkambwelele ndo Maloba/naChibuye
Ningaya mukwikele mayo
Fwebalanda/Nemulanda ningaya/nakuya mukwikele kuli ba Ngosa
If I die, why come back, Maloba/banaChibuye
I would rather stay there, mother
I/we, the poor one(s), I would rather stay there with Ngosa
A mourning song for Ngosa, the deceased father of Shemu. It shows the importance of kupupa.
The 94th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 94th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Boi we bushiku bwaca bamukabayambo/ bamukafibanda
Mucincile ba Pepa/ Calaula mayo
Nemulanda/ Shololilo mucincile ba Pepa nomba tuleya
Boy, you, night turns into dawn, wives of the bayambo/nature spirits
Liven up, Pepa/ Dance the masamba, mother
I, the poor one/Believe it! Liven up, Pepa, now we go
As explained the bushiku bwaca at the Ipupo is the period of transition to the state after mourning. It is getting time for those who have mourned to liven up.
The 95th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 95th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Boi we ndemulaisha amashiwi kwa Makonde
Mukebeko ba Lucele mayo
Nemulanda/fwebalanda mukebeko ba Lucele Shemu alelwala
Boy, you, I am asking you to take this message to Makonde
Go and tell Lucele
I/we, the poor one(s), go and tell Lucele Shemu is ill
A song comparable to the 64th song and similar in its intentions as the 80th song. Lucele is Maseya, son of Makonde, brother of Mabuku and cousin (FaBrSo) of Kansenkele. ‘Shemu is ill’ here means: ‘Shemu succeeded in heating the ritual (and winding up as the only dancer)’.
Although the audience/chorus is relatively small in size, the atmosphere is so lively that Mabuku has to widen up the circle by shouting.
The 96th song
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8.
Text of the 96th song of the Ipupo at banaNshimbi’s, a Ciwila song brought by Kansenkele.Kasuba katula nomba kuya Maloba/ Boi we tushanemo kalaile nomba kuya
Balwele ba Shemu mama
Nemulanda/fwebalanda balwele ba Shemu banangobele
The sun rises now it is time to go, Maloba / Boy, you, we dance the last dances now it is time to go
Shemu is ill, mother
I/We, the poor one(s), Shemu is ill, supporters of fine music
Interpretation of music in Zambia: texts in context, part 8. The sun is still below the horizon but it is getting a little light. We have only a few dances to go.
Continue to the next article in this series: the description and the interpretation of the song texts of this Ipupo.
Footnotes
- 1They were called musanshiko.