Born in 1936, Joseph Nangalambe was a prolific composer, guitar player and singer who disguised the underlying meanings of his songs through coded metaphors and allegory.
A lot of his satirical songs were banned on the public broadcasting station of Malawi during the rule of President Banda as they were considered too politically-sensitive. As a result only about a tenth of his vast collection of songs were ever aired.
In the following track, Nangalambe sings in the Yao language about a mysterious man called Che Poison. The singer describes travelling to stay overnight in different districts of Malawi, knowing that when he awakes he will find Che Poison there. But who is this mysterious man Che Poison?
Waliko Makhala of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation notes that this tradition of banjo playing is rapidly being lost in Malawi. You no longer find these musicians playing in the streets, market places or drinking joints as they used to in the past. Sadly, many of these skilled banjo players are gone.
My thanks to Waliko Makhala for the transcript and translation that follows.
Che Poyi, makes me wonder, makes me wonder (1)
Poison makes me wonder,
Makes me wonder, take care boy
Wake up, let’s see Poison,
Lets get up, wake up, lets see Poison, Che boy.
At Chiradzulu (2)
Makes me wonder, makes me wonder
Makes me wonder, makes me wonder
Wake up, let’s go see Poison
Lets get up, wake up, lets see Poison, Che boy.
At Msanja, makes me wonder, makes me wonder (3)
At Msanja, makes me wonder, makes me wonder
Let’s go to Limbe (4)
To see Poison
Wake up, let’s see
Che Poison.
Che Poison, makes me wonder, makes me wonder
Che Poyi, makes me wonder, makes me wonder
Let’s go to Limbe
To see Poison
Wake up, let’s see
Che Poison.
Here are the lyrics in the original Yao.
Che Poyi, ndimadodo, ndimadodoma
Poison, ndimadodoma,
Ndimadodoma, yelele mwana
Galawukani mwalole a Poisoin,
Nabo galawukani mwalole a Poison, Che boy mwana.
Ku Chiradzulu
Ndimadododoma ndimadodoma ine
Ndi madodoma ine ndi madodoma elele Mama
Galawukani ndimwalole a Poison
Galawukani ndimwalole a Poison Che boy mwana.
Pa Msanja, ndimadodo, ndimadodoma
Pa Msanja, ndimadodo, ndimadodoma
Njawule ku Limbe
Ngalole a Poison
Nambo galawukan I mwalole
Che Poison awa
Che Poyi, ndimadodo, ndimadodoma
Che Poyi, ndimadodo, ndimadodoma
Njawule ku Limbe
Ngalole a Poison
Nambo galawukan I mwalole
Che Poison awa.
from the Malawi Broadcasting Corporations archives,
recorded in Chiradzulu District, Malawi
translated and transcribed by Waliko Makhala.
Footnotes
- Che Posion: The name of a mysterious individual.
- Chiradzulu: A district in Malawi.
- Msanja: A district in Malawi.
- Limbe: A district in Malawi.
