7 pryslied – Antjie Krog
praise song
1 in die sandkliphart
in the sandstone heart
2 vandag
today
3 staan hy
he stands
4 kop en skraal skouers staan hy bo almal uit
head and thin shoulders above everyone else he stands
5 houtskool en as is sy hare
charcoal and ash is his hair
6 hy, die sandkleurige seun van uNosekeni
he, the sand-coloured son of uNosekeni
7 UNosekeni die ma van Mandela
uNosekeni the mother of Mandela
8 hy, die man met die vlesige palmkussings
he, the man with the fleshy palm cushions
9 hier staan hy
here he stands
10 uit die gevestigde familie van uNgubengcuka
from the established family of uNgubengcuka
11 die seun van Dalindyebo
the son of Dalindyebo
12 die seun van Mandela
the son of Mandela
13 hy van die rivieroewers by iNqunu
he of the river banks at iNqunu
14 heelmaker uit die Thembu-stam
64b
, healer from the Thembu tribe
15 ʼn klein swart ster priem sy bolip
a small black star pierces his upper lip
16 ons prys hom
we praise him
17 hy wat nie lag nie en nie huil nie
he who doesn’t laugh or cry
18 eerste ratelaar van Umkhonto we Sizwe
first leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe
19 die swart pimpernel
the black pimpernel
20 hy wat nie lag nie en ook nie huil nie
he who doesn’t laugh and doesn’t cry
21 hier staan hy dan nou voor ons
here he stands now before us
22 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
23 getrokke tak van lank gelede
drawn branch from long ago
24 die sleepsel van sy blare lê wyd
the trail of his leaves spreads widely
25 legendaries is hy – opspoorder van harte
legendary he is – tracker of hearts
26 hy maak die pante bymekaar
he folds the pieces together
27 van ʼn verskeurde land
of the torn land
28 hy draai ons na mekaar toe vir mekaar
65b
, he turns us towards each other for each other
29 hy, heelmaker van mense
he, healer of people
30 hy stig vrede
he establishes peace
31 vrede, die ma van groot nasies
peace, the mother of great nations
BACKGROUND
a praise song can also be kind of a poem.
It is not sung but lectures are taught in an oral manner.
The biographical data (life description of a person) of the person being
sung are often included in detail in the poem.
o The prise song is usually a summary of the important personal
characteristics and information of the person being praised.
It is a tradition in African cultures to praise the leaders with praise songs.
A praise singer is called an Imbongi.
o In the past, he was the mediator between the king and his people.
o He announces the needs of the people to the king.
The only person who may explicitly / unequivocally criticize the
king.
o The imbongi lived near the king / leader's place.
o He attended important events with the leader.
o The imbongi is almost always male. He tells about the good and the
bad things the leader has done and can sometimes predict what will
happen.
o
The praise song contains many proper names and the ancestors of the leader are
mentioned (genealogy is given).
This suggests that the generations have learned together.
o There is communication between the living and the dead.
o All of them are part of the story of the person being sung.
66b
praise song
1 in die sandkliphart
in the sandstone heart
2 vandag
today
3 staan hy
he stands
4 kop en skraal skouers staan hy bo almal uit
head and thin shoulders above everyone else he stands
5 houtskool en as is sy hare
charcoal and ash is his hair
6 hy, die sandkleurige seun van uNosekeni
he, the sand-coloured son of uNosekeni
7 UNosekeni die ma van Mandela
uNosekeni the mother of Mandela
8 hy, die man met die vlesige palmkussings
he, the man with the fleshy palm cushions
9 hier staan hy
here he stands
10 uit die gevestigde familie van uNgubengcuka
from the established family of uNgubengcuka
11 die seun van Dalindyebo
the son of Dalindyebo
12 die seun van Mandela
the son of Mandela
13 hy van die rivieroewers by iNqunu
he of the river banks at iNqunu
14 heelmaker uit die Thembu-stam
64b
, healer from the Thembu tribe
15 ʼn klein swart ster priem sy bolip
a small black star pierces his upper lip
16 ons prys hom
we praise him
17 hy wat nie lag nie en nie huil nie
he who doesn’t laugh or cry
18 eerste ratelaar van Umkhonto we Sizwe
first leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe
19 die swart pimpernel
the black pimpernel
20 hy wat nie lag nie en ook nie huil nie
he who doesn’t laugh and doesn’t cry
21 hier staan hy dan nou voor ons
here he stands now before us
22 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
23 getrokke tak van lank gelede
drawn branch from long ago
24 die sleepsel van sy blare lê wyd
the trail of his leaves spreads widely
25 legendaries is hy – opspoorder van harte
legendary he is – tracker of hearts
26 hy maak die pante bymekaar
he folds the pieces together
27 van ʼn verskeurde land
of the torn land
28 hy draai ons na mekaar toe vir mekaar
65b
, he turns us towards each other for each other
29 hy, heelmaker van mense
he, healer of people
30 hy stig vrede
he establishes peace
31 vrede, die ma van groot nasies
peace, the mother of great nations
BACKGROUND
a praise song can also be kind of a poem.
It is not sung but lectures are taught in an oral manner.
The biographical data (life description of a person) of the person being
sung are often included in detail in the poem.
o The prise song is usually a summary of the important personal
characteristics and information of the person being praised.
It is a tradition in African cultures to praise the leaders with praise songs.
A praise singer is called an Imbongi.
o In the past, he was the mediator between the king and his people.
o He announces the needs of the people to the king.
The only person who may explicitly / unequivocally criticize the
king.
o The imbongi lived near the king / leader's place.
o He attended important events with the leader.
o The imbongi is almost always male. He tells about the good and the
bad things the leader has done and can sometimes predict what will
happen.
o
The praise song contains many proper names and the ancestors of the leader are
mentioned (genealogy is given).
This suggests that the generations have learned together.
o There is communication between the living and the dead.
o All of them are part of the story of the person being sung.
66b
