He sang in the languages of his youth, Swahili and Acholi, the languages of the lost country, the 'clear green land' of Uganda, and he also sang in English and French.
Oryema earned his international reputation on the release of his second album, Beat the Border. He had collaborated with Peter Gabriel and others, and was backed by French musicians including Jean-Pierre Alarcen (guitar) and Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, backing vocals), touring with WOMAD in Australia, the USA, Japan, Brasil and Europe. In 1994 the band performed at Woodstock 94 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary festival.
Gabriel's record label, Real World, helped with the first three of Oryema's albums, before his move to Sony International, a label established in France, where Oryema had lived since his exile.
In July 2005, he performed at the LIVE 8: Africa Calling concert in Cornwall, and with 1 Giant Leap at the Live 8 Edinburgh concert.
Discography
Exile (1990)
Beat the Border (1993)
Night to Night (1996)
Spirit (2000)
The Odysseus/Best Of (2002)
Words (2004)
From The Heart (Released on Long Tale Recordings) (2010)
Makambo
Geoffrey Oryema Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ngatholi nzondo
Ngibathe Ngecelu thando ma, ah oh
Yiningathi yini ngomhlaba
Yini Singa Funu Zwano? ah oh
Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo
Ngatholi nzondo, ah oh
Washu mathambo espoki wathi
Africa, Umhlaba ubolile
Abantu bane nkohla kalo
Umhlaba ubolile
Umhlaba unengozi
Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Malawi, Liberia, Zaire
Stop the killing
Phansingo dlame
South Africa: war is never good
Phansingo dlame
So why?
So why?
So why?
Africa, Africa will sing - so why?
The sun in your heart is your smile - so why?
Wozani bizanu tula - So why?
In Makambo by Geoffrey Oryema, the lyrics are a cry for peace, love, and unity in Africa. The song begins with the line "Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo," which means "I plead for peace." This line sets the tone for the rest of the song, which calls for an end to violence, war, and suffering on the African continent. The next line "Ngatholi nzondo" means "I found a broken arrow." This line can be interpreted as a metaphor for the damage that has been done to Africa's people by years of conflict.
As the song continues, Oryema lists several African countries where violence and war have occurred, including Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Malawi, Liberia, and Zaire. He then urges everyone to "Stop the killing" and "Phansingo dlame," which means "Bring an end to war." The song ends with Oryema asking why Africa must suffer and calling on the continent to come together in peace and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo
I offer a peaceful request
Ngatholi nzondo
I have found a thorn
Ngibathe Ngecelu thando ma, ah oh
I offer a request of love
Yiningathi yini ngomhlaba
What is happening in the world?
Yini Singa Funu Zwano? ah oh
What can we do about it?
Washu mathambo espoki wathi
The bones of our ancestors say
Africa, Umhlaba ubolile
Africa, the world is wounded
Abantu bane nkohla kalo
People are in great suffering
Umhlaba ubolile
The world is wounded
Umhlaba unengozi
The world is in danger
Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Malawi, Liberia, Zaire
Countries that have suffered from war and strife
Stop the killing
We need to stop the violence
Phansingo dlame
Put down your weapons
South Africa: war is never good
South Africa knows that war is never the answer
So why?
Why is there so much suffering and violence?
Africa, Africa will sing - so why?
Despite the pain, Africa will continue to sing - why not?
The sun in your heart is your smile - so why?
We should strive to find joy even in difficult times - why not?
Wozani bizanu tula - So why?
Come together, let's be quiet - why not?
Contributed by Maria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@juniorocira8726
Thanks so much @Murielle Mobengo.. I used to wonder what the Lingala part meant. I am an Acoli so I will add the translation for the Acoli part..
Lutuwa wun wuwek lweny ---- > My people stop fighting
Wun wupara ki leb Acoli ba lutuwa ------> You worried about me in Acholi language
Wun wupara ki leb Munu ba lutuwa -----> You worried about me in using the white man's (munu) language (leb)
Lutuwa lutuwa lutuwa ..... ---------> My people, my people my people
It is worth noting that Mr. Oryema had to flee the country to exile at such a very young age, Only God knows the problem he went through knowing your father was murdered and now you in a foreign land, only God knows how tough those times was, our people could not do anything to save him, they only could worry and hope God would keep him. This is why he says his people worried about him in Acoli language and also the white man's language. Mr. Geoffrey Oryema is also telling his people to stop fighting, stop fighting.. because during this time, Northern Uganda was undergoing war (rebellion) that turned to the killings of local people and most of the people involved in this killing were fellow tribes men.
The Acoli culture has alot in common with what you have said about Lingala.. The tone of how a word is sang and emphasized makes it very important with emotions and cut deeper into the soul.. Most of the world's problems can't be well articulated, they can only be felt.. And music is the way we can save the emotions that can speak to generations across time and space.
@thiswestafrican-americanli6655
Here's a rough translation I found in case anyone besides me was looking:
I've been asking for Peace
But all I got was war
I've been looking for love
But I didn't find togetherness
What is wrong with the world?
What is wrong with the people?
Why don't we want peace? ...
@JohnnyEMatos
O na ma kanguwe
O na ma kanguwe
O na ma kanguwe
Ni na ma kanguwe
U lu pa la ki lé ba tu li ba lu kuwa
Lu kuwa
Lu kuwa u lu we (we)
Lu kuwa u lu we (we)
O na ma kanguwe
Hié ééé
Ni na ma kanguwe (ééé)
O na ma kanguwe
Hié ééé
Ni na ma kanguwe
U lu pa la ki lé ba tu li ba
(lu kuwa) x 21
O na ma kanguwe
Ni na ma kanguwe
Zandi zanbi ba lé koé
Ni na ma kanguwe iééé
O na ma kanguwe
U lu pa la ki lé ba tu li ba lu kuwa
Lu kuwaaa
Lu kuwa u lu we (we)
Lu kuwa u lu we (we)
O na ma kanguwe
Ni na ma kanguwe (ééé)
Ni na ma kanguwe (ééé)
U lu pa la ki lé u lu pa lu kuwa
U lu pa la ki lé ba tu li ba lu kuwa
Lu kuwaaa
Lu kuwa u lu we (we)
(lu kuwa) x 21
O na ma kanguweééé
Ni na ma kanguweééé
O na ma kanguwe
Ni na motema
U lu pa la ki lé u lu pa lu kuwa
Lu kuwa
Lu kuwaaa
Lu kuwaaaaa uenluwe
O na ma kanguweééé
Zandi zanbi ba lé koé
Dé kambo la motene
Ni na motema
U lu pa la ki lé u lu pa lu kuwa
Ni na ma kanguwe
@user-pt2ne5fh7d
Tonight I accidentally found this song, it's late and everybody is sleeping. It's just me and the moon enjoying this moment which will pass and forever fade away, since it can't be never again repeated in the same way. Greetings from Serbia
@crowdedcrow3098
Hold those moments inside your heart, hold them tight. I can imagine such an interlude, we never want them to pass, do we? Your post is beautiful, I'm glad I happened to see it. By fate or happenstance, I am grateful. Greetings from Oregon, United States. 💕
@holymoly8915
There will be more times like this for you
@ayotadhiambo
It indeed just sets the mood to help one to sleep...
@missyme4238
Not TRUE
@captikus78
Here I am sitting in Costa Rica in the afternoon listening to the birds in the trees and this song and thinking about the moon shining over Serbia.
@revuerevolution
Makambo is taken from lingala, a language spoken in Congo-Brazza and Kinshasa by Bantu people and that has strange common resonance with Zulu sometimes. Lingala is very emotional, a very poetic language where few words say it all and this is exactly what Geoffrey Oryema does, here. Hardly translatable. That said, the song is a lament from someone who is sad because people are gossiping about him and badmouthing him (a common human, destructive exercize). He feels heaviness in his heart: he has a lot of problems (makambo), he is all his problems. So for the lingala part, here are the lyrics:
Oh ngai na makambo eh → Oh, I am deep in trouble
Ngai na makambo eh → I am deep in trouble
Likambo na motema → There's a problem in my heart
Songui-songui bandeko → People keep badmouthing me, my friends
RIP Geoffrey Oryema and thank you for this beautiful piece. Kende malamu (means "May you go in peace" in lingala)
@lisafeldmann9863
Thank you for this translation and explanation Murielle.
@revuerevolution
@@lisafeldmann9863 Glad I could help, Lisa :)
@donnanbyabazaire67
@@revuerevolution Kende malamu indeed.