A Shona poem from Zimbabwe, sung by men hunting game in the bush. The names mentioned are all places, where different types of game are found.
Come on, men, let’s go hunting with the dogs,
Our dogs of Murewa, it’s their lucky day!
For today we’ll hunt kudu,
Hunt kudu down to Usamba,
Down to Usamba to hunt the wild pig.
For today, let’s go to the porcupines,
And leaving the porcupines let’s go to the buck,
And leaving the buck to Mtanargwa,
To Mtanargwa and Mutendahombe,
And away beyond Zumba,
He‑i! He‑i! He‑i!
from Oral Poetry from Africa (1984)
compiled by Jack Mapanje and Landeg White,
Longman
