Enoch Mankayi Sontonga, a teacher and lay preacher from the Eastern Cape, died in obscurity 106 years ago today, aged just 33. The southern African composer Enoch Sontonga wrote the hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.” Sontonga’s composition became the national anthem of several African countries, including South Africa. [14] During the drafting of the new national anthem, it was requested by South African president Nelson Mandela that it be no more than 1 minute and 48 seconds in length. Banish all famine and diseases; Seën ons, in Afrika Daal neer, o Gees, Heilige Gees The discovery of the grave, now a national monument, ended months of patient and ingenious detective work by city officials, archeologists and historians. Gzota zonk'indlala nezifo; [22], The South African national anthem as it appears specified in the South African, "National anthem of South Africa" (instrumental). And its transgressions and sins, [6] "Die Stem" (English: "The voice of South Africa") was the co-national anthem[7] with "God Save The King"/"God Save The Queen" between 1938 and 1957, when it became the sole national anthem until 1994. Uwasikele Uit die diepte van ons see, de Villiers Since 1997, the South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining the hymn “Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika” and the former anthem “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika”. Descend, O Holy Spirit Kinders van Afrika It is also used in the national anthems of Tanzania and Zambia . British a cappella vocal ensemble The King's Singers released a recording of the song, arranged by Neo Muyanga, on their album Finding Harmony. Maak ons van ons sondelewe vry In South Africa our land. Hoor ons as ons U om vrede vra Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (c. 1873 – 18 April 1905) was a South African composer, who is best known for writing the song "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (English: "God Bless Africa"), which, in abbreviated version, has been sung as the first half of the national anthem of South Africa since 1994. Hear thou our prayers "Nkosi Sikelel' IAfrika" is a hymn which was written by Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (c1873-1905). Neem dan nou die boosheid van ons weg Uit die blou van onse hemel, From the late 1940s to the early 1990s, South Africa was governed by a system known as apartheid, a widely condemned system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was based on white supremacy and the repression of the black majority for the benefit of the politically and economically dominant Afrikaner minority and other whites. Yizwa imithandazo yethu, The South African government adopted both songs as dual national anthems in 1994, when they were performed at Nelson Mandela's inauguration. It is still the national anthem of Tanzania and Zambia and has also been sung in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa for many … "Ishe Komborera Africa" was the Zimbabwean version of "God Bless Africa" sung in the Shona and Ndebele languages and was its first national anthem, adopted after the country gained independence in 1980. Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika, Lord, bless Africa Protect South Africa, South Africa.[22]. 1873 - 18 April 1905) was the composer of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (God Bless Africa), which has been part of the South Africa n national anthem since 1994. Rev. National anthem of South Africa National anthem of Tanzania The South African composer Enoch Sontonga wrote the hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.” The tune became part of South Africa ’s national anthem in 1994. The hymn has appeared in Virsikirja, the hymnbook of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, with lyrics by Jaakko Löytty.[14]. That He may bless them. But soon after, an official contest was organised for a new national anthem. The practice of having two national anthems proved to be a cumbersome arrangement as performing both of them took as much as five minutes. It is the only national anthem in the world that does not finish in the home key. In 1927 seven additional Xhosa stanzas were later added by Samuel Mqhayi, a poet. But he left an indelible legacy. The words of the first stanza and chorus were originally written in Xhosa as a hymn. Seën ons, in Afrika "Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free" is the national anthem of Zambia. Italics denotes unrecognized, partially-recognized, or non-sovereign entities. May they remember their Creator; Yiva imithandazo yethu Hymn originally composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga. Yizwa imithandazo yethu Boom Shaka, a prominent South African kwaito group, formed the anthem in kwaito style, a popular South African genre influenced by house music. Sikelel' ulimo nemfuyo; Your family. Malupnakanyisw' udumo lwayo; Neziggito, Nezono zayo During this period, South Africa's national anthem was "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika", also known as "Die Stem", an Afrikaans language song that chronicled the Voortr… In other African countries throughout southern Africa, the song was sung as part of the anti-colonial movements. His hymn, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (“God Bless Africa”), went on to become Africa’s most famous anthem of black struggle against oppression. "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (English: "The Voice of South Africa") was composed of eight stanzas (The original four in Afrikaans and four in English - a translation of the Afrikaans with a few modifications). [14] The new English lyrics were adapted from the last four lines of the first stanza of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (English: "The Call of South Africa"), with the changes made to reflect hope in post-apartheid South African society. "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (Xhosa pronunciation: [ŋkʼɔsi sikʼɛlɛl‿iafrikʼa], lit. [14] A new verse found in neither song was also added. That they may carry the land with patience, It was also the official African National Congress African National Congress Lines borrowed from the two previous national anthems were modified to be more inclusive, omitting overt reference to specific groups of the country's population groups. Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika During this period, the custom was to play "Die Stem" together with "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" during occasions that required the playing of a national anthem.[10][11][12]. The song's origin dates back to 1897 when Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (1873 - 1905), a Xhosa composer, choir master and teacher from the Eastern Cape of South Africa composed the song. John Langalibalele Dube's Ohlange Zulu Choir popularised the hymn at concerts in Johannesburg, and it became a popular church hymn that was also adopted as the anthem at political meetings. [2], "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" was originally composed as a hymn in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a teacher at a Methodist mission school near Johannesburg. May her glory be lifted high,[22]. Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (ca. The second stanza is sung in Sesotho. Nkosi sikelela, Nkosi sikelela, Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (ca. Lift up all the young girls Lord, bless Africa In 1996, a shortened, combined version of the two compositions was released as the new national anthem of South Africa under the constitution of South Africa and was adopted the following year. ", "Encyclopedia of African History and Culture. While the inclusion of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" celebrated the newfound freedom of most South Africans, the fact that "Die Stem" was also retained even after the fall of apartheid, represented the desire of the new government led by Mandela to respect all races and cultures in an all-inclusive new era dawning upon South Africa. It lies audibly at the interface between European traditions of 'common-practice' harmony and African traditions of communal singing, which gives it an inclusive quality entirely appropriate to the aspirations of the new South Africa ... Enlisting music's ability to shape personal identity, "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" actively contributes to the construction of the community that is the new South Africa. Protect us, protect our nation, SHARE. And also all young women; Azisikelele. In 1927 seven additional Xhosa stanzas[5] were added by the poet Samuel Mqhayi. Sikelela abafundisi The words of the first stanza and chorus were originally written in Xhosa as a hymn. Woza Moya (woza, woza), Thus, lines from the apartheid-era national anthem's first stanza referencing the Voortrekkers' "Great Trek" were omitted, as "this was the experience of only one section of" South African society. [9], In 1994, after the end of apartheid, the new President of South Africa Nelson Mandela declared that both "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the previous national anthem, "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (English: "The Call of South Africa") would be national anthems. O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, According to anthropologist David Coplan: " 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' has come to symbolize more than any other piece of expressive culture the struggle for African unity and liberation in South Africa." Fear Him and revere Him, It was sung to close the Congress meeting in 1912, and by 1925 it had become the official closing anthem of the organisation, now known as the African National Congress. [10] "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" was composed by a Methodist school teacher named Enoch Sontonga in 1897. Seven additional stanzas in Xhoza were later added by the poet, Samuel Mqhayi. Seën ons Here God, seën Afrika Waar die kranse antwoord gee, From the blue of our skies, Lei ons tot by eenheid en begrip (Repeat), Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika, Let us live and strive for freedom, Seën ons, in Afrika Because of its connection to the ANC, the song was banned by the regime during the apartheid era. And bless them. and that Thou mayst bless them. Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (c. 1873 – 18 April 1905) was a South African composer, who is best known for writing the song "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (English: "God Bless Africa"), which, in abbreviated version, has been sung as the first half of the National anthem of South Africa since 1994. understanding Malupakam' upondo lwayo; Morena boloka setshaba sa heso, Lord bless us A decade after Sontonga’s death, the song became the official anthem of the African National Congress while the lyrics were supplemented by the famous Xhosa-language poet Samuel Mqhayi. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika Hear Thou our prayers and bless us. Bemvaba zonke zelilizwe; It includes versions in Chichewa (Malawi and Zambia). It was seldom sung in its entirety; usually, the first stanza was the most widely known and sung sometimes followed by the last stanza. Sikelel' amakosikazi; Thina lusapho lwayo. of all the churches of this land; It was one of many songs he composed, and he was apparently a keen singer who composed the songs for his pupils. "[6] The hymn was taken up by the choir of Ohlange High School, whose co-founder served as the first president of the South African Native National Congress. As a choirmaster in his school, Enoch Sontonga composed the first two stanzas of democratic South Africa’s anthem in 1897. Descend, O Spirit ", "flatint: The South African National Anthem: a history on record", "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News", "The surreal moment when a Harlem choir sings Die Stem for Winnie", "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika named best national anthem in the world", "EFF calls for removal of Die Stem on 120th anniversary of Enoch Sontonga's death", "Die Stem adulterates Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika – EFF", "Official South African government translation", National Anthem of South Africa – Streaming audio, lyrics and information, Brief introduction to the anthem and notation, The South African national anthem in MIDI format, The South African national anthem in MP3 format, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_anthem_of_South_Africa&oldid=994565611, Articles containing explicitly cited English-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 December 2020, at 11:05. When apartheid came to an end in the early 1990s, the future of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" was called into question. A Sotho version was published in 1942 by Moses Mphahlele. Although initially intended for his school choir, “ The third stanza consists of a verbatim section of the former South African national anthem, "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika", and is sung in Afrikaans. (Repeat), Seën ons Here God, seën Afrika and bless it. Yizwa imithandazo yethu And united we shall stand, Nkosi Sikelel ‘iAfrika has been part of the South African national anthem since 1994. Fill the land with good health The English version of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" was less prominent than the Afrikaans version and thus could be changed with little objection or controversy. Awemfundo nemvisiswano Lord, bless Africa [14], In recent years, the South African national anthem has come under criticism for its Afrikaans verse as it was originally part of the national anthem of South Africa that was used during the apartheid era,[16] with some such as the Economic Freedom Fighters calling for the verse to be removed because of this connection. May her spirit rise high up From the depths of our seas, As a choirmaster in his school, Enoch Sontonga composed the first two stanzas of democratic South Africa’s anthem in 1897. SKU: MN0119996 It was also A Swahili version of the hymn with modified lyrics is used as the national anthem of Tanzania under the name of "Mungu ibariki Afrika". though others have called the connection far fetched. For decades, during the apartheid regime, the song became the unofficial national anthem of South Africa though it was naturally banned by the regime. And bless them. Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho Iwayo. Your family. Woza Moya, Oyingcwele. Intervene and end all conflicts, Chorus Lord bless us Bless also the youth “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” means “God Bless Africa” in the Xhosa language. Setshaba sa, South Afrika, South Afrika. The song spread beyond the borders of South Africa and has been translated and adapted into a number of other languages. In 1994,[1] Nelson Mandela decreed that the verse be embraced as a joint national anthem of South Africa, with a revised version including elements of "Die Stem" (the then co-state anthem inherited from the previous apartheid government) adopted in 1997. Lord bless us, Lord bless us. The song became a pan-African liberation song and versions of it were later adopted as the national anthems of five countries in Africa including Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia and Zimbabwe after independence. Hoor ons as ons in gebede vra Awomanyana nokuzaka, Mankayi Enoch Sontonga wrote and composed the South African national anthem, Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica in 1897, a prayer for God’s blessing on the African land and its people. Nkosi Sikelel, Afrika; Zalisa ilizwe nempilo Everybody has to listen to everyone else and move forward together. Sontongaoriginally composed the hymn in B-flat major with a four-part harmon… From the late 1940s to the early 1990s, South Africa was governed by a system known as apartheid, a widely condemned system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was based on white supremacy and the repression of the black majority for the benefit of the politically and economically dominant Afrikaner minority and other whites. 1873 - 18 April 1905) was the composer of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (God Bless Africa), which has been part of the South African national anthem since 1994. The first two lines of the first stanza are sung in Xhosa and the last two in Zulu. … In Finland the same melody is used as the children's psalm "Kuule, Isä taivaan, pyyntö tää" ("Hear, Heavenly Father"). Uwusikilele. (1873–1905). Bless the wives; Nkosi Sikelela Nkosi Sikelela Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo Sikelel' amadol' esizwe, Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika The lyrics are sung in these languages regardless of the native language of the singer. The South African national anthem is often referred to by its incipit of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", but this has never been its official title, which is simply "National anthem of South Africa". Nawo onk'amanenekazi; Nkosi Sikelela Bless our chiefs; Ulitwal' ilizwe ngomonde, Kom woon in ons, Sikelel' amalinga etu Yihla Moya, yihla Moya Enoch Sontonga, a teacher and lay preacher from the Eastern Cape, died in obscurity in 1905 years ago, aged just 33. Translated from the Xhosa, the title means "God Bless Africa". Hear thou our prayers May her spirit rise high up Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a teacher at a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg. Yihla Moya Oyingcwele Choirmaster and photographer Sontonga was also a schoolteacher; his most famous composition was written for his pupils in 1897, and was first sung in public two years later - in similar fashion to the light-hearted " Thina lusapho lwayo. It was first sung as a church hymn but later became an act of political defiance against the apartheid regime. The song spread beyond the borders of South Africa and has been translated and adapted into a number of other languages. Cima bonk' ubugwenza bayo It was one of many songs he composed, and he was apparently a keen singer who composed the songs for his pupils. Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, Lord bless Africa Yizwa imithandazo yethu Endue them with Thy Spirit British musicologist Nicholas Cook states: "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" has a meaning that emerges from the act of performing it. During this period, South Africa's national anthem was "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika", also known as "Die Stem", an Afrikaans language song that chronicled the Voortrekkers and their "Great Trek". In 1994 it … The lyrics employ the five of the most widely spoken of South Africa's eleven official languages – Xhosa (first stanza, first two lines), Zulu (first stanza, last two lines), Sesotho (second stanza), Afrikaans (third stanza), and English (final stanza). The committee responsible for this new composition included Anna Bender, Elize Botha, Richard Cock, Dolf Havemann (Secretary), Mzilikazi Khumalo (Chairman), Masizi Kunene, John Lenake, Fatima Meer, Khabi Mngoma, Wally Serote, Johan de Villiers, and Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph.[2]. Hear our prayers Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika Where the echoing crags resound,[22], Sounds the call to come together, Hou u hand, o Heer, oor Afrika The interpretation was controversial, and it was viewed by some as a commercial subversion of the anthem; Boom Shaka counter by stating that their version represents liberation and introduces the song to younger listeners. [8][9] It was ultimately retained as the national anthem, though "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", a Xhosa language song that was used by the anti-apartheid movement, was also introduced and adopted as a second national anthem of equal standing. In 1927 seven additional Xhosa stanzas were added by the poet Samuel Mqhayi. Usisikelele, Thina lusapho lwayo. Bless our efforts of union and self-uplift, Descend, O Holy Spirit Previous sheet music Next sheet music >> National Anthem of South Africa - God Bless Africa (Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika) Enoch Sontonga. The national anthem of South Africa is a shortened, combined version of “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” (God Bless Africa) and “The Call of South Africa” (known in Afrikaans as “Die Stem van Suid Afrika”). "Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika" Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a Methodist mission school teacher. Over our everlasting mountains, Sikelela kwa nomlisela Nkosi sikelela, [8] For decades during the apartheid regime it was considered by many to be the unofficial national anthem of South Africa, representing the suffering of the oppressed masses. It is still the national anthem of Tanzania and Zambia and has also been sung in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa for many years. It was initially written as a hymn celebrating pan-Africanism against the oppressive regime of the time. In 1927 seven additional Xhosa stanzas were added by the poet Samuel Mqhayi. Enoch Mankayi Sontonga was the composer of Nkosi Sikelel ‘iAfrika (God Bless Africa). VIDEO. Zimbabwe and Namibia have since adopted new compositions for their national anthems. Enoch Sontonga . In 1897, Enoch Sontonga, then a teacher, composed the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (God Bless Africa), which was later adopted by the liberation movement and, after 1994, became part of the national anthem of a democratic South Africa. Chorus His hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” (God bless Africa) went on to become the continent’s most famous anthem of black struggle against oppression. But he left an indelible legacy. MP3 • • • Annotate this sheet music. Sikelela iNkosi zetu; Ubatwese ngoMoya Wako National Anthem of South Africa Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a teacher at a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg. Daal neer, o Gees, Heilige Gees Lord bless us, your children.[22]. Chorus '"Lord Bless Africa"') and the Afrikaans song "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (English: "The Call of South Africa"), which was formerly used as the South African national anthem from the late 1930s[1] to the mid-1990s. South African Idols-winner Elvis Blue recorded an Afrikaans translation of the song with Afrikaans singer Coenie de Villiers entitled "Seëngebed" ("Lord's Blessing") on his third studio album Afrikaans. Some claim the melody is based on the hymn "Aberystwyth" by Joseph Parry, though others have called the connection far fetched.