Oral Poetry from Africa
Praises of the Shava clan of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. Clan Praises are addressed not to specific kings, as in the Zulu tradition, but to the whole lineage. Every member of the clan deserves praise after rendering some important service.
Thank you, Shava,
The Great Eland bull, The Runaway.
A Shona children’s song from Zimbabwe. “Zinjanja”, mentioned in the chorus, refers to a hill to the east of Harare where the ruins of an ancient temple are located. This is believed to have been built by the Torwa Rulers who lived there from approximately 1450 to 1693 AD.
There were once some girls,
There were once some girls,
Let’s go to Zinjanja…
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!..
Mzilikazi was one of the chiefs who came to prominence in Natal in the 1820s, in reaction to the area’s growing trade in slaves. Shaka (see Shaka’s Praises) was the most important of these, and when Mzilikazi clashed with him in 1822, he led a small group of warriors on an 800km trek, finally settling at Bulawayo in what is now western Zimbabwe.
The varicoloured one with a black mouth,
praised in tears of men…
Recited in Ndebele by imbongi Mtshede Ndhovu to T.J. Hemens c.1970. Mtshede Ndhlovu was born when Mzilikazi was still on the throne, that is, before 1868, making him some 105 years old. His son, Bova Ndhlovu, acted as interpreter, assisting Hemans with the translation.
It roared like a calf.
He who has books is at the river crossing…
