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.
Mantombana
Juluka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(We will fetch the girl I will marry from those hills yonder)
Nginezinsizwa
(For I have young men with me)
Woza nazo Mantombana
(Come with them Mantombana)
Intombi yami ikulezo' ntaba
(The girl I will maryy is in those hills yonder)
The song Mantombana by Juluka is a beautiful love song that depicts a young man's eagerness to fetch his bride from the hills yonder. The song begins with the line "Soyilanda intombi yami kulezo 'ntaba," which means, "We will fetch the girl I will marry from those hills yonder." The young man is accompanied by his friends or young men, as he embarks on this journey to claim his love. The chorus, "Woza nazo Mantombana," which means, "Come with them Mantombana," is an invitation to the young woman to join them as they go back home.
The song Mantombana is not just about the celebration of love between two people. It also reflects the African culture, where matchmaking and arranged marriages were common in the past. It paints a picture of a young man, who is excited to marry the love of his life, and is eager to bring her home to live with him in his community. The song also touches on the importance of community in African culture, where it was customary to seek the approval of the parents and society before getting married.
Overall, Juluka's Mantombana is a beautiful love song that celebrates the African culture and its customs. It is a testament to the importance of family and community, and highlights the significance of love and finding the right partner in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Soyilanda intombi yami kulezo 'ntaba
We will search for the girl I want to marry in those distant hills
Nginezinsizwa
I have young men with me, who will come along to find her
Woza nazo Mantombana
Come with us, Mantombana, and have an adventure
Intombi yami ikulezo' ntaba
The girl I want to make my wife is waiting for us in those hills.
Contributed by Zachary F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gintonic8039
Quant'è bella
@karimouedraogo4285
Belles musiques zoulou
@stevedewitt5214
Dancing to Juluka on Yellow Level, UCT in 1984. The pain from what we've lost is more than the joy from what we have.😓