What an unusually interesting request! Thanks for the opportunity; I had a lot with it. Better late than never, I hope.

The song is South African, sung in Zulu as well as Xhosa (two very closely-related languages, along with Swazi).

Nelson Mandela isn't returning my phone calls currently, so I can't offer much certainty on the song's historical significance. Some sources have listed it as a planting song, but I get the impression that's a garbage designation for any folksong of unknown origin sung by black people. "Just print it. They'll never know." Only my own suspicion, though. It's said by other sources to have enjoyed some popularity during Apartheid, among mothers and daughters who had lost sons and fathers and husbands.

Following are some of the versions I was able to track down, as they appeared, correct or not, as well as some translation. Keep in mind there's no ONE correct way to transliterate languages from non-Roman alphabets --or in this case, no native alphabet.


Sinje nje nje nge mi than da zo = things are as they are because of prayer
Ooh mama bagu da la babe than da za = our mothers/ancestors used to pray

-----------------


Babethandaza They were praying

Sin nje nje nje ngemi thandazo (x2) We are like this, like this, like this because of prayer(x2)

Ngemi thandazo, Ngemi thandazo (x2) Because of prayer, because of prayer (x2)

Oo mama bagudala, Babethandaza (x2) Even forefathers would pray (x2)

Babethandaza, Babethandaza (x2) They were praying, they were praying.



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Sin nje nje nje
geme tandezo
sin nje nje nje
geme tandezo
geme tandezzo geme tandezo
geme tandezo geme tandezo
Oh mama bagu dala babe tandeza
oh mama bagu dala babe tandeza
babe tandeza babe tandeza
babe tandeza babe tandeza

-----------------

PLANTING
Lyrics from a traditional Xhosa song

Sin nje nje nje ngemi tandazo
Sin nje nje nje ngemi tandazo
Ngemi tandazo
Ngemi tandazo

Oo [mama] bagadula [bakudala] babethandaza
Oo [mama] bagadula [bakudala] babethandaza
Oo babethandaza
Oo babethandaza

Sin nje nje nje ngemi tandazo
Sin nje nje nje ngemi tandazo
Ngemi tandazo, ngemi tandazo
Ngemi tandazo, ngemi tandazo


zuvqwyx3, May 15, 2006; 4:12 PM

There is a recording of Babethandaza by Sweet Honey in the Rock from their album, In This Land.

It's wonderful! I think Amazon has a sample of the song on their site if you'd like to give it a listen.

My boys loved this song when they were small. I'm so pleased to finally have the interpretation of it, thanks!

Janaru, May 12, 2009; 10:04 PM