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English Translations of songs on "Afriki"
“Namania”
I go to my little black girl
My little Moorish girl with ebony skin
The star that shines in the shade of the tomonon *
The unique beauty of the Moorish region
I go to Aiché, the Moorish girl
Oh, thank you God!
To have put her on my path
That all envious pass
Because I do not want to lose her like
I lost the great cailcedras* on the banks of the river Kayidin
I am afraid you will disappear from my sight Where are you then my little ebony girl?
Are you dancing on the festival square?
Namania, despite your aquiline nose, your limpid eyes
Your slenderness, your long neck
Your long arms, your clear skin
You will never equal the little black ebony girl Mama Djombo! guardian of young initiates
Come to my aid… she is so beautiful.
(* types of trees found in Kayes, Mali)
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“Ntessé (I cannot)”
We will find a solution
The problems of a large family are always eventually solved
The preoccupations of a great nation will be resolved
To be strict or rich is not enough to be a good head of family
Because the day you must summon all the members of a great concession for a ceremony
You realise that alone you can achieve nothing
Yes it’s true, I can’t do this alone!
Please, I beg you, dear wives, and also you, children of the large family, come to my aid.
This wedding crowd is too much for me alone Very early tomorrow morning, there will be a baptism
Or funerals on Friday afternoon;
An enormous crowd will arrive from everywhere Come and help me, neighbours, wives and children
We will find the solution
The student worrying about his studies
The musician preoccupied with piracy
The prisoner seeking freedom
Help them!
The driver preoccupied with accidents
Security is a major worry for the police
The president of the Republic meditates on the fate of his people
Help them!
I beg you, good son of this country
Tighten your belt again and come to my assistance Because alone, I can do nothing.
+++++
“Africa”
The sons of Africa wanted to walk
An adventure that took them far away from the frontiers of the continent
An adventure that taught them how things work elsewhere
Before, we welcomed the whole world with our Innate sense of hospitality, in dignity and nobility
We walked but when we wanted to enter their door Those in Ceuta told us:
“We don’t have your innate sense of hospitality”
The sons of Africa returned home, saying:
Better an ugly woman than an empty room Because they’d heard that invaluable help had been offered to them there
But they’ve had enough of empty promises
Poverty will be Africa’s destiny
Corruption will be Africa’s destiny
Governments will always get stuck in the sand Africa is destined for war, for genocide
Until the United Nations in their development programmes
Decide to help Africa to:
Reduce its poverty
Reduce its AIDS pandemic
Reduce the death of its children
Reduce what Mother Africa owes to others
Broken promises, of equity, solidarity
The illusion is false, even if the dream is allowed
Africa will make its own way, after a fashion, because
My black pride will always be called “Mambo” And we are all in the same boat
Help! Enough help for Africa
Africa will make its own way, after a fashion!
+++++
"Fimani"
(INSTRUMENTAL)
Whether he be dark or light skinned
There is a young man in the group of boys
Whom I need to see, to touch
So that I may sleep
Owner of gold or silver
Owner of horses
Source of my hopes
It is necessary that I see you, that I touch you
So that I may sleep
+++++
"NBA" (My Mother)
Mother, you told me
You wished I could live although I already lived You wished that God gave me a long and healthy life You wished that God made my last days happy You wished that God gave me material abundance Mother, what you told me, makes me think too much
Oh, my mother!
When the crowds arrived for the baptism ceremony There was an atmosphere of sympathy
Good intentions reigned
The Marabout read the Koran and the neighbours shared the kola nut
Good faith reigned
Then in a room, the mother and her baby
Received an echo of this sympathy
The mother has but one wish
Best intentions are a mother’s blessing.
I didn’t know this, but I learnt it
We are never too old for a mother’s blessing
The Marabout, the neighbours, the aunts, and the fathers all said
God gives him life, makes sure he has a long life, full of good health
+++++
“Mali Ba”
Abira said that the great Mali is like a bull
A bull with a golden coat
A bull that drinks only clean water
A bull that eats only noble sorghum
Like gold, red gold
Like a domestic bull
This bull will never be sacrificed for a tabaski feast The bull that charges you has only one head, one horn
A firearm protects us from the enemy
This bull can be a frightening weapon
Look at this bull, he is like Mali
Like gold, red gold
Like a domestic animal
Take care
Son of this country
Take care of this bull
Take care
Good son of Mali
Take care of this bull
Take care of your great Mali
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“Barra (Work)”
Good sons of our country, the time has come to get organized
Let’s get up and get to work
We are only good sons of the fatherland through working
We can gain independence thanks to work
We can achieve a good reputation thanks to work Let’s get to work
Let’s get up and do something
Farmers, fishermen, animal breeders, tradesmen of Mali
You have proved yourselves,
But take courage and fasten your seat belts Because the road to development is long
Stop talking so much and let’s get to work
A concrete action is better than a long speech
Let’s get to work
+++++
“N’Teri (My Friend)”
Dear friend, God has spoilt you
If I were in your place, I would have thanked him a hundred times over
But you know only too well, he is capable of everything
You, women to whom he gave the power to procreate
You will one day have a child who will be judged by his fellow beings
They will say that he has charisma, that he has personality
But these are things one observes
I am satisfied and I will follow you everywhere because I love you
The grandsons of “Kamadian Camara” have honoured me
I am satisfied with this good faith
Drissa Camara has put me on a pedestal, I am hopeful
The great Sylla family in Kayes, has too high a regard for me
I love you and I will follow you everywhere
You, Amadou and everyone, have too much respect for me
You met me with a smile; God will return it to you You grasped my hands tightly and filled me with your power
You invited me to sit in the shade of a tree
You gave me tea to drink
And I said to myself: my god, man is capable of wonders
For all those who have showed me a day of respect I love you, follow you, and greet you, acknowledge you
Those who unite the masses, stay in front
Those who look after the masses, stay in front Source of hope and joy,
I will always be grateful to you
Because I am satisfied.
+++++
“Nta Dima (I Will Not Give Her to You)”
Marriage arrangers, know this!
I will not give her to someone who doesn’t know how to farm
Because he who does not farm, must accept hunger I will not give her to a night watchman
Because the night bird only sleeps in the tops of trees
I will not give her to a brawler
Because, if sitting down to discuss a problem doesn’t work
Beating is not a civilised alternative
This concerns my daughter, and if you marry her Know that I will follow you like a hyena follows its prey
If you are a Casanova, I will follow you like a hyena
Thus spoke the horns of the Minianka
+++++
"Massake (The King)"
LYRICS COMING
+++++
“TITATI (Rocking)”
(INSTRUMENTAL)
Try to know those who love you (Mandinka Proverb)
Additional Info
Habib Koité Gets Afriki: Africa’s Musical Ambassador ...
English Translations of songs on "Afriki"
Banning Eyre's interview with Habib Koite
Top of Press Release
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