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| African
Lullaby
(continued)
Other
selections offer lyrics that give
the child a sense of security.
The first selection from African
Lullaby, "Thula
Mtwana," recorded in the
Zulu language by Ladysmith Black
Mambazo, expresses a sense of
security through warm music and
soothing lyrics:
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"Thula,
thula, thula, Mtwana
Thula, thula, thula, Mtwana
Ungakhali
Umama akekho
Umama uzobuya"
"Be
still, be still, be still,
my child.
Be still, be still, be still,
my child
Do
not cry
Mother is absent
Mother shall come back."
Yet, a lullaby is sung as much
for the mother as for the child.
When a mother is alone with her
child and she considers problems
that she is facing that are unrelated
to her baby, the moment arrives
for the healing ritual of music.
A song between mother and baby
can soothe the baby and at the
same time calm the adult weakened
by the stresses of the day. "Chitsidzo,"
sung in the Shona language by
Stella Rambisai Chiweshe of Zimbabwe,
expresses the sadness of a mother
who is upset that her husband
is far away looking for work.
In
listening to the gentle rhythms
of the various songs in African
Lullaby, it is difficult
not to be amazed at the talent
available in Africa. These amazing
African musicians make this beautiful
music using instruments, such
as the African harp, koora, mbira,
and bamboo flute -- widely unheard
of in the United States and Europe.
Indeed, upon reflecting on her
work on African
Lullaby, Shana admitted,
"The most interesting aspect
of this project was working with
the various artists…and learning
about the different musical styles,
instruments and the cultural significances
of African music, which is an
inseparable form life."
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November 1, 2000
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