She was born in Bulawayo, (Southern Rhodesia, nowadays Zimbabwe), the fourth of seven children, and her mother was Zulu while her father was a Zambian hotel chef. Still, she attended a Catholic school deemed good by the standards of education allowed blacks. Her family moved to South Africa when she was 12 due to her health. By the time she was 19 she was touring in South Africa with singers she had admired as a girl.
Masuka's music was popular in South Africa throughout the 1950s, but when her songs became more serious, the government began questioning her. Her song "Dr. Malan," mentioning difficult laws, was banned and in 1961 she sang a song for Patrice Lumumba, which led to her exile. This exile lasted 31 years in total during which she lived in Zambia and worked as a flight attendant. She returned to Zimbabwe in 1980 after independence. Many of her songs are in the Ndebele language or Sindebele languages.
In August 2011, Dorothy Masuka and Mfundi Vundla, creator of the popular South African soap opera Generations, confirmed plans to make a film of Masuka's life. The film would concentrate on the years 1952 to 1957.
On 27 April 2017 she featured in the concert "The Jazz Epistles featuring Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya" at The Town Hall, New York City, opening the show and delivering "one passionate performance after another, warming up and winning over the crowd".
Mama La Wenea
Dorothy Masuka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mamela bhuti
Mamela wena
Mamela bhuti
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Unganditsheli
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
Mamela wena
Iyo mamela bhuti
Mamela wena
Iyo mamela bhuti
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Unganditsheli
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
Ndizibonele
Mamela wena
Mamela bhuti
Mamela wena
Mamela bhuti
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Unganditsheli
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
Ndizibonele
Mamela wena
Iyo mamela bhuti
Mamela wena
Iyo mamela bhuti
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Unganditsheli
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
Ndizibonele
Mamela wena
Mamela bhuti
Mamela wena
Mamela bhuti
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Unganditsheli
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
Ndizibonele
Mamela wena
Iyo mamela bhuti
Mamela wena
Iyo mamela bhuti
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Unganditsheli
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
Ndizibonele
The lyrics to Dorothy Masuka's song "Mama La Wenea" are simple yet powerful. The repetitive phrases "Mamela wena" and "Mamela bhuti" can be translated to "Listen to me, my sister" and "Listen to me, my brother" respectively. The song is expressing a longing to be heard and understood by someone close, questioning why they are being ignored and pleading for them to communicate the truth of a love that has supposedly ended.
The repeated line "Kutheni undilahla nje?" which translates to "Why are you ignoring me now?" portrays the frustration and confusion of the singer who is left in the dark regarding the reasons for the change in their relationship. They are desperately seeking answers, asking the person to reveal that love has indeed faded away so that they can finally see and accept the truth.
Overall, "Mama La Wenea" is a heartfelt plea for communication, understanding, and acceptance in the context of a fading love. It reflects the universal human desire for open and honest communication, as well as the pain and confusion that can arise when that communication breaks down.
Line by Line Meaning
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Mamela bhuti
Listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Unganditsheli
You won't tell me
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
That love has run out
Ndizibonele
I will find out
Iyo mamela bhuti
Oh, listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Iyo mamela bhuti
Oh, listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Unganditsheli
You won't tell me
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
That love has run out
Ndizibonele
I will find out
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Mamela bhuti
Listen, brother
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Mamela bhuti
Listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Unganditsheli
You won't tell me
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
That love has run out
Ndizibonele
I will find out
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Iyo mamela bhuti
Oh, listen, brother
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Iyo mamela bhuti
Oh, listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Unganditsheli
You won't tell me
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
That love has run out
Ndizibonele
I will find out
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Mamela bhuti
Listen, brother
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Mamela bhuti
Listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Unganditsheli
You won't tell me
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
That love has run out
Ndizibonele
I will find out
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Iyo mamela bhuti
Oh, listen, brother
Mamela wena
Listen to me
Iyo mamela bhuti
Oh, listen, brother
Kutheni undilahla nje?
Why do you ignore me?
Unganditsheli
You won't tell me
Ukuth'uthando luphelile
That love has run out
Ndizibonele
I will find out
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daliwami
on Into Yami (Ngiyayithanda)
Could anyone please share lyrics?