Miriam Makeba used her voice to entertain, but also to give a voice to millions of oppressed fellow South Africans who suffered as a result of apartheid. The price she had to pay for her actions was high, namely her South African citizenship. After she appeared, in 1960, in the an anti-apartheid documentary Come Back, Africa, the South African regime banned her from returning to her home country and took away her citizenship.
This event didn't stop her from continuing to raise her voice against the apartheid regime. Between 1964 and 1975, as a United Nations delegate of Guinea where she was granted asylum, Miriam Makeba addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations regularly on the tragic developments in South Africa.
Meanwhile she carried on singing, a process in which she put South African music on the map. Over the years Makeba worked with artists as Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Arthur Adams, and David T. Walker of The Crusaders. In the late 1980's she joined Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo during their world-wide Graceland tour and in 1990 she worked with Odetta and Nina Simone for the One Nation tour.
Following Nelson Mandela's release from prison, the citizen of the world Makeba returned to South Africa in December 1990; more than thirty years after she went in exile. In April 1991 she performed her first concert in her homeland in three decades.
The years after were busy ones for Makeba. She starred in the South African award-winning musical Sarafina! , about the 1976 Soweto youth uprisings, playing the role of the title character's mother. She then reunited with her first husband, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, for the Tour Of Hope. She also performed at the Vatican's Nevi Hall during the world-wide broadcasted show, Christmas In The Vatican. In 2000 Makeba released the grammy-nominated Homeland, her first studio album in a decade. In 2002 she shared the Polar Music Prize with Sofia Gubaidulina, in recognition of her exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music.
After her return to South Africa Miriam Makeba recorded over ten albums. In 2004, at the age of 72, she relased Reflections honoring the tenth anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa. In that same year Makeba was voted 38th in the Top 100 Great South Africans. She also started a 14 month worldwide farwell tour in 2005, holding concerts in all countries she had visited during her life.
With an impressive career spanning more than four decades Miriam Makeba is, indeed, one of the most respected, loved and cherished treasures in (South) Africa.
On the early morning of 10th of November 2008 she died at the age of 76 after being taken ill near the southern Italian town of Caserta, after performing at a concert against organized crime.
Source: Miriam Makeba, A true South African musical Legend
Discography on last.fm
External links:
Official website
Unofficial website
Movie database
Chicken
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
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Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Vukani madoda sekusile mama (Kikilikiki, kikilikiki)
Vukani madoda sekusile mama
Vukani madoda sekusile mama (Hmm heh hmm)
Vukani madoda sekusile mama (Hmm heh hmm)
Vukani madoda sekusile mama (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Vukani madoda sekusile mama
Vukani madoda sekusile mama
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Hmm heh hmm
Hmm heh hmm
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
The song Kikirikiki by Miriam Makeba is a call to awakening for the people. The repeated phrase “Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda” can be translated as “wake up, wake up the time has come”. The repetition of this phrase throughout the song creates a sense of urgency and importance. The song urges the community to take action and rise up, as the time for change has come.
Additionally, the phrase “Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki” appears several times in the song. It roughly translates to “They laughed and giggled like chickens”. This phrase could be seen as a metaphor for the people who are still asleep, unaware of the urgency of the situation. Their laughter and giggles are compared to the sound of chickens, which in turn implies that they are still unware and not taking the situation seriously.
Overall, Kikirikiki is a powerful and inspiring song that calls for people to wake up and take action. The repetition of the phrases and the rhythm of the song make it easy to listen to and remember, while also conveying the important message that Miriam Makeba is trying to spread.
Line by Line Meaning
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Awake, awake you've slept enough men
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
The dawn breaks and the rooster crows
Kikilikiki, kikilikiki
Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo
Vukani madoda sekusile mama
Awake men, you have slept enough mother
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Cock-a-doodle-doo
Vukani, vukani sekusile madoda
Awake, awake you've slept enough men
Hmm heh hmm
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Cock-a-doodle-doo
Kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
Cock-a-doodle-doo
Lakhal'iqhude lathi kikilikiki (Hmm heh hmm)
The dawn breaks and the rooster crows
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@guguncube2308
Playing it for my mum she still remembers through her dementia and all ❤ love her to the moon
@ronthealmightyratking8206
I love this, I accidentally stumbled while searching for another song, but I like this <33
-Ron, The Almighty Rat King
@brianocen595
This are songs of all time(Mama Africa ,freedom fighter
@yippee2000
My whole body smiles when I hear this song!!!
@kenneththobejane5140
Mamelodi! Late 60s!
@corely91
when i was abt 3yrs old, my favorite songs were hers. I remember refusing to eat if i dint hear it :)
@lekis5975
you had exquisite taste from an early age.
@brunocarryllobruno6172
I lo ve miria makeba free of soul very good forever for all my life
@paolocorelli2222
wonderful ans unforgettable sound, it will never disappear
@sammieakan9115
love how the baseline mimic a chicken