Mama Tembu's Wedding
Mama Tembu's Wedding Celebration
Lyrics
Tonight’s tonight’s the wedding feast
Tonight marks the celebration of Mama Tembu's wedding feast
The men arrive with the slaughtered beast
Men bring the slaughtered beast for the feast
A wail a chant soon fills the air
A wail and a chant fill the air in celebration
For miles around the people hear
The celebration is so joyous that people miles away can hear it
Mama Thembu’s getting married here tonight
Mama Thembu is getting married, spirits are ecstatic
All the spirits looking shouting their delight
Spirits express their joy and excitement
Mama Thembu’s getting married here tonight
Reiteration of Mama Thembu's joyous wedding
The bones are thrown and mama's happy shining bright
Bones are thrown, symbolizing happiness and fortune for Mama
Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
Repetition of celebratory phrases, possibly in a local language
Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-The maiden's kneel and kiss the bride
Maidens show respect and celebrate by kissing the bride
The warrior waits he’s filled with pride
The warrior groom waits proudly
The drummer starts to pound the drum
The drumming begins, marking the start of the ceremony
For miles around they hear the sound
The sound of the drum reaches far and wide
Mama Thembu’s getting married here tonight
Reiteration of the joyous wedding of Mama Thembu
All the spirits looking shouting their delight
-Mama Thembu’s getting married here tonight
-The bones are thrown and mama's happy shining bright
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
More celebratory phrases, describing the bride's entrance
Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-(Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya) And I sighed and I called in the deep of the night)
-(Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya) Because never before have I seen such a sight)
-(Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya) As the bride Mama Tembu walks out through the door)
-(Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya) And the valleys still echoes the sound of the roar
-Mama Thembu’s getting married here tonight
Reiteration of Mama Thembu's happiness and the thrown bones
All the spirits looking shouting their delight
-Mama Thembu’s getting married here tonight
-The bones are thrown and love mama's happy shining bright
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
Repetition of celebratory phrases, expressing the deep impact of the wedding
Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
-Ela gqirha lagqita laqabela phaya
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