Back

MR.1970.1.3-B4

Basic facts:

 country   province   region   village   people   group   date   collector 
 Zimbabwe   Manicaland   Chipinga      Ndau      1957   Hugh Tracey 

Language and title:

original language: Ndau
title in original language: Here, mwana-we
title in English: Hey, child

Musical composition:

 type   # performers   instrument (type)   singing voice 
 Solo    1   Mbira Dza WaNdau (lamellaphone)   - 
 Solo    1   -   MALE 

Characteristics:

general:
function: narrative song
length: 3:09 min.

Performers:

Simon Mafiru Sitole

Fragment:

not available online

Remarks:

"The Sound of Africa Series - Sons d'Afrique Series"
Reference AMA. TR-3
Topical song with "mbira dza WaNdau" and "deze" resonator.
"Hey, child - first finish your digging. The mysteries have been listening for me. Mistakes in dancing do not carry as far as home. Listen to the 'Mutanda' drum, but first finish your grinding. Greeting child of the Mudzatsa Tree."
There is a double meaning in ngoma mutanda. In the first instance it means a "mystery" or "magic," an unknown force, and in the second the plain literal translation of the Mutanda drum, a conical hollow wooden drum made of Mutanda wood, "Child of Mudzatsa Tree", refers to the eerie noise of the cracking beanpods of this tree, especially at night, and a person called by this name is only half a creature, a sprite or gnome.


Tempo: help

tempo
average150.2
median150
minimum117.65
maximum176.47
standaard deviation8.23
regression factor0.01

Pitch: help

Tessitura

pitch tess

Octave reduced tone scale

pitch scale

All pitch candidates

pitch allpitch

Melodic progress (fragment)

pitch melo