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From: "sharon marshall" <>
Subject: Re: [ZA] The Click Song
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 17:32:27 +0200
References: <BAY16-F40kr75J1GjOx000d7df9@hotmail.com>


I know Miriam Makeba sang it (1950s/60s?) - and on the album my dad used to
have (can't remember name but it had a goldish brown background featuring
her in a long blue dress in case anyone has it) she definitely implied that
it was a traditional song - wish I could remember her exact words, but in a
short preamble she said it was a favourite sung at...why do I think it was
weddings...and I'm sure she mentioned something about 'lobola' and a
grandmother and rain
(Margaret Singana also sang it - was it Ipi Tombi?)
Not much help, I'm afraid, but it's just such a beautiful song I would love
to know the answer myself...

Aha, did a bit of a surf and I'm not far wrong - long explanation at
http://users.iafrica.com/p/pl/playa/xhosae2.htm

Xhosa lyrics:
Igqira lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Igqira lendlela nguqo ngqothwane
Sebeqabele gqi thapha bathi nguqo ngqothwane
Sebeqabele gqi thapha bathi nguqo ngqothwane

Translation:
Igqirha Lendlela - NguQongqothwane
Diviner of the roadways - the knock knock beetle
Diviner of the roadways - the knock knock beetle

Sebeqabele gqi thapha bathi nguqo ngqothwane
It just passed by here - the knock knock beetle
It just passed by here - the knock knock beetle

The story 'Vusi & the Knock, Knock Beetle' is about Vusi who lives with his
granny, maMbhele (from the Mbhele tribe) his mother, maMtolo (from the Mtolo
tribe), and his sister Ntombekhaya. They are a Xhosa family and livein the
Eastern Cape in Queenstown (ALL ROADS LEAD TO QUEENSTOWN, MANSELL).
(This was posted by someone living overseas on an ex-pats newsgroup)

Someone asked: But what I don't understand is why Miriam Makeba is
introducing this song with
"in my native village in Johannesburg we are singing this song when a young
girl gets married". (That's the preamble I was referring to). Having read
the long version in which the 'knock knock beetle' (tok tokkie we used to
call them) was a sign of rain and good fortune, someone said this was the
reason. Another said the legend went that it was a ladybird (which
dictionary says is Coccinelidae - could there be...no!) which became
inseparable from the shepherd boy and which used to lead him out of danger.
Also looke dup toktokkie beetle in SA pocket Oxford and its 'a large black
beetle which knocks its abdomen on the ground as mating call' - so maybe
that's the reason!
I wonder if it was a traditional song invented partly to
demonstrate all the clicks? It would seem so.

Veva
Sharon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mansell upham" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 4:08 PM
Subject: [ZA] The Click Song


> Dear Listers:
>
> Although not stricto sensu genealogy, can someone provide an English
> translation of the song Qongqothwane also known as The Click Song. Is it
a
> traditional song or was it written and composed by known individuals?
Also,
> is the song especially sung at weddings?
>
> Much obliged
> Mansell Upham
>
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