Juluka was a South African music band formed in 1969 by Johnny Clegg and Si… Read Full Bio ↴Juluka was a South African music band formed in 1969 by Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu. Juluka means "sweat" in Zulu, and was the name of a bull owned by Mchunu. The band was closely associated with the mass movement against apartheid.

At the age of 14, Clegg met Zulu street musician Charlie Mzila, who taught him Zulu music and dancing over the following two years. In 1969 Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu met in Johannesburg when young sipho went there to find work. The 18-year-old Mchunu challenged the 16-year-old Clegg to a guitar contest, and the two became friends. Soon, they were performing together on the streets and in what few other unofficial venues a multi-racial band could safely play in under apartheid. They were forced to keep a low profile and their success came from word of mouth instead of through traditional publicity. Clegg himself was arrested and beaten up by the police on several occasions for his activities and also for the band's lyrics. For some commentators, Juluka was the band that had the greatest success in challenging the racial separateness of Apartheid. When performing, both black and white band members would appear on stage in traditional Zulu dress and perform the traditional Zulu war dance together while singing in Zulu and English.[1]

In 1976, they released their debut single, "Woza Friday", followed three years later by a critically acclaimed album, Universal Men.[2] The album's poetic lyrics were strongly influenced by John Berger's A Seventh Man as well as Pablo Neruda and Jean-Paul Sartre.[citation needed] Expanding to a quintet, they released a second album, African Litany, in late 1981. The album's lead single, "Impi", with its pointedly political lyrics about a defeat of the colonial British army by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana, was banned by South African radio but became an underground hit. In contemporary South Africa it is often associated with national sports teams. The album garnered them their first international attention, and they were able to successfully tour in Europe and North America in 1982 and 1983. However, in June 1983, the British music magazine, NME, reported that they were initially banned by the Musicians Union as, ..."since it would not be possible to approve one of our bands working in South Africa, there is no possibility of an exchange". The ban was eventually lifted, with the group donating their fees to charity.[3]

In South Africa, Juluka was also banned by Radio Bantu, a government approved radio station for the black population, which allegedly refused to play Juluka's music, because Clegg's efforts were seen as "an insult to the Zulu and their culture".[4]

The group disbanded in 1985 when Mchunu moved back to the farm where he was born in Natal to take care of his family. Clegg went on to form a new band, Savuka, with whom he achieved even greater international success. In 1997, however, the two friends came back for a final album together. It did not receive the critical acclaim of early Juluka albums like Universal Men, African Litany, Work for All and Scatterlings.

Baba Nango
Juluka Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'mm travelleing light, I'm going to Baba Nango
I'm leaving tonight, I'm going to Baba Nango
I'm leaving my crying behind, I'm going to Baba Nango
And when my people see me they will say
"Halala! It's the child of the hungry earth"

Wo! Halala halalo halalal!
Halala Halalo halalal ingane yakithi (halala child of ours)

I'm going back to find my eyes blinded by the night
I know a star that shines above Baba Nango
Im going back to find a lost child calling
And when my people see me they will say
"Halala! It's the child of the dark morning"

Wo! Halala halalo halalal!
Halala Halalo halalal ingane yakithi (halala child of ours)

Woodsmoke clinging to the evnings in Baba Nango
Warm bodies curled in a fireplace in Baba Nango
My name is on the lips of an old woman mourning

Wo! Halala halalo halalal!
Halala Halalo halalal ingane yakithi (halala child of ours)

Wo buye ingane yakhiti (Oh return child of ours)
Kwelezontaba ezakithi (return to the mountains of our home

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Juluka’s “Baba Nango” describe the singer’s journey back to their homeland, to a place called Baba Nango. The song expresses the emotions and excitement of returning home after being away for some time. The lyrics talk about leaving behind sadness and crying and traveling light, indicating that the singer is eager to move on and leave the past behind. The singer believes that when their people see them, they will rejoice and welcome them with open arms. The use of the words “child of hungry earth” and “child of dark morning” shows the singer’s deep connection with their homeland and the recognition of the struggles their people face.

The chorus, “Halala Halalo halalal ingane yakithi” and “Wo buye ingane yakhiti, Kwelezontaba ezakithi,” is sung in the Zulu language, and it translates to “halala child of ours” and “Oh return child of ours, return to the mountains of our home.” It shows that the singer genuinely feels that they belong there and that their people welcome them back with open arms. The lyrics paint a picture of a warm, welcoming home filled with love, community, and remembrance.

Overall, the song’s message is about the struggle of leaving home and returning to it, the emotions that come with it, and the sense of belonging that arises upon returning. The lyrics are a testament to the deep connection between people and their homeland, and they evoke emotions of nostalgia, pride, and love.

Line by Line Meaning

I'mm travelling light, I'm going to Baba Nango
I am going to Baba Nango without much baggage.

I'm leaving tonight, I'm going to Baba Nango
I will depart tonight for Baba Nango.

I'm leaving my crying behind, I'm going to Baba Nango
I'm leaving behind my sorrow and sadness and going to Baba Nango in search of peace.

And when my people see me they will say "Halala! It's the child of the hungry earth"
When my folks see me, they will call me the one who belongs to the earth and whose hunger has been intense.

Wo! Halala halalo halalal! Halala Halalo halalal ingane yakithi (halala child of ours)
Wow, our child, the one we cherish, will be praised and celebrated in Baba Nango!

I'm going back to find my eyes blinded by the night
I'm returning to Baba Nango to find my way when it is dark.

I know a star that shines above Baba Nango
I know a celestial object that illuminates the skies over Baba Nango.

Im going back to find a lost child calling
I'm going back to Baba Nango to get the child that went missing in the past.

And when my people see me they will say "Halala! It's the child of the dark morning"
When they see me, they will say, 'It's the child who belongs to the dawning shadows.'

Woodsmoke clinging to the evnings in Baba Nango
Smoke from burning wood hangs in the air during evenings at Baba Nango.

Warm bodies curled in a fireplace in Baba Nango
Folks at Baba Nango keep themselves warm by gathering around a fireplace.

My name is on the lips of an old woman mourning
An elderly woman, grieving, will speak my name.

Wo! Halala halalo halalal! Halala Halalo halalal ingane yakithi (halala child of ours)
Wow, our child, the one we cherish, will be praised and celebrated in Baba Nango!

Wo buye ingane yakhiti (Oh return child of ours) Kwelezontaba ezakithi (return to the mountains of our home)
Oh, child of ours, come back! Return to the mountains of our homeland.

Contributed by Connor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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