Nhemamusasa
Chiwoniso Lyrics


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Hiya
Hiya Hah
Hoo-horendere hiya
Hiya
Hiya Hah
Hoo-horendere hiya
Hiya
Hiya Hore
Hoo-horendere hiya

Nhemamusasa
Nhemamusasa
Wakaringe zuva nhamoichauyaiwe
Iwe Nhemamusasa
Nhemusasa
Wakaringe zuva nhamo ichauya iwe
Pereka, pereka, pereka
Pereka, pereka, pereka, pereka, pereka mvura mukarangaiwe
Pereka, pereka, pereka
Pereka, pereka, pereka, pereka, pereka mvura mukarangaiwe

Iwe nhemamusasa,
Nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa
Nhemamusasa,
Nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa

Haiya, horendendeiye-iye
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe
Haiwa, horendendeiye-iye
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe
Iye horendendende iyewohere ndende
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe
Haiwa, horendendeiye-iye
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarimeiwe

Iiiiweee

Hoiye iye aha
Hoiye iye ehi
Hoiye iye aha
Hoiye iye ehi

Hoiye iye aha
Eiye ehi
Hoiye iye aha
Hoiye iye ehi

Hoiye iye aha
Hoiye iye ehi
Hoiye iye aha
Hoiye iye ehi

Hoiye iye aha
Eiye ehi
Hoiye iye aha
Hoiye iye ehiye

Iyere iye
Iyere iyerere
Iyere iyere
Iyere iyerende

Werere iye
Iye hoiyendende
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe mukaranga iwe

Werere iye
Iye hoiyendende
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe mukaranga

Werewu, werewu, werewu, werewu
Iya hoeyere
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe mukaranga

Werere iye
Iye hoiyendende
Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe mukaranga

Nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa
Wakaringe zuva nhamo ichauyaiwe mukaranga

Nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa
Wakaringe zuva nhamo ichauyaiwe mukaranga

Iwe, nhemamusasa, yereu iye hoyere
Wakaringe zuva nhamo ichauyaiwe mukaranga




Nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa
Wakaringe zuva nhamo ichauyaiwe mukaranga

Overall Meaning

The song โ€˜Nhemamusasaโ€™ by Chiwoniso Maraire is sung in the Shona language of Zimbabwe. The lyrics are an ode to the traditional mbira music of Zimbabwe and its important role in the cultural and spiritual life of Zimbabweans. The repeated use of the word โ€˜Nhemamusasaโ€™ pays homage to the well-known traditional mbira piece of the same name.


The first verse describes the importance of the mbira music in the life of the people. The song declares that the mbira music โ€˜wakes up the soul in the morningโ€™. The chorus is a call to the mbira player to play the music slowly and to offer water to the ancestors. The repeated phrase โ€˜Pereka, pereka, perekaโ€™ is a call for the player to offer water. The second verse of the song talks about the importance of the mbira in connecting the living with the ancestors. The lines โ€˜Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iweโ€™ translate to โ€˜Your mother's sister calls out to youโ€™. This refers to the belief in African spirituality that the ancestors can communicate with the living through the mbira music. The song concludes by repeating the chorus.


Line by Line Meaning

Hiya
A traditional Shona greeting


Hiya Hah
Continuation of the greeting


Hoo-horendere hiya
A call to dance and sing


Nhemamusasa
The name of a traditional Zimbabwean mbira song about the Nhema tree


Wakaringe zuva nhamoichauyaiwe
The Nhema tree has been cut down and we are mourning its loss


Iwe Nhemamusasa
Addressing the Nhema tree directly


Pereka, pereka, pereka
A call to bring water


Pereka, pereka, pereka, pereka, pereka mvura mukarangaiwe
Bring water to quench our thirst and mourn the loss of the Nhema tree


Haiya, horendendeiye-iye
A call to dance and sing


Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe
Aunt, take care of your children


Iye horendendende iyewohere ndende
Dance and sing until the morning comes


Iiiiweee
Expressing joy and excitement


Hoiye iye aha
An exclamation of excitement


Hoiye iye ehi
An exclamation of excitement


Iyere iye
An exclamation of excitement


Iyere iyerere
An exclamation of excitement


Iyere iyere
An exclamation of excitement


Iyere iyerende
An exclamation of excitement


Werere iye
An exclamation of excitement


Hanzvadzi yamai vako zvaisingarime iwe mukaranga iwe
Aunt, take care of your children and the land


Werewu, werewu, werewu, werewu
The sound of the mbira, a traditional Zimbabwean instrument


Nhemamusasa, nhemamusasa
A call to remember the Nhema tree and its significance


Wakaringe zuva nhamo ichauyaiwe mukaranga
We mourn the loss of the Nhema tree and the impact it has on the land


Iwe, nhemamusasa, yereu iye hoyere
Oh Nhema tree, let us dance and sing in your honor




Writer(s): Traditional

Contributed by Hunter J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@garimudzudzu4537

2022 we here... still enjoying this sweet sweet voice and the amazing arrangement of the great song Nhemamusasa.

@blessingmakurira9269

Hauite hauite

@yurungai5459

SIM

@andymucharwa3735

We're here now in 2023 ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ

@blessingmavhura191

Who is here with me 2019 we lost such a beautiful LEGEND may her soul rest in peace. You music lives forever

@denzelliboetz2018

๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’š

@meritatechnologies3045

:(

@blessingmandima4454

I love this song by her cause my Marimba team in high school and I played it

@friesiamans1966

2021 and still loving her - this song is immaculate!
love and respect from germany ๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™‚๏ธ

@friesiamans1966

@@blessingmandima4454 what a pity, that we canยดt hear a recording of that...

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