Mumbi
Rising from Earth to Mountains: Wanja Wohoro's Mumbi Journey
Lyrics
Straight from the earth you rose and gave her everything,
Suggests the emergence of a person from the natural world and their dedication to someone else.
Straight from the mountains toes, she gave him her everything,
Highlights a reciprocal gesture of giving everything from a woman's perspective, emphasizing a strong commitment.
Always squashed by a man's tall orders,
Describes a history of being oppressed or overwhelmed by the demands of men.
Always pushed right until our borders,
Expresses the continuous pressure experienced, potentially from societal norms or restrictions.
Mother please let this red earth feed me,
Requesting nurturing and sustenance from the earth, akin to a plea for support and growth.
Mould us all like the holy fig tree,
Desires to be shaped and molded positively, akin to the growth of a sacred tree, seeking spiritual guidance.
Nine daughters in an ancient blessing,
Refers to a blessing consisting of nine daughters, implying the power and significance of feminine influence.
Matriarch from the mountain dwelling,
Recognizes the authority and leadership of a female figure originating from a mountainous area.
I am learning.
Indicates an ongoing process of acquiring knowledge or experience.
They stole away our truth, and turned it evil,
Highlights the distortion or theft of a cultural truth, turning it into something negative.
Ancestral homes made new, but I see no evil,
Reflects on the changes in ancestral homes while acknowledging a lack of evident wrongdoing.
Built myself from a milky timber,
Symbolizes personal growth, likening it to the process of constructing oneself from a valuable yet raw material.
Polished up to look like silver,
Implies refinement and enhancement of oneself to appear more valuable or presentable.
But now I'm learning
Reiterates the ongoing process of gaining knowledge or insight.
Mumbi, mumbi.
Repetition of the name "Mumbi," potentially representing a cultural or personal significance.
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