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
Iphi Ndilela
Miriam Makeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Iph'indlela?
Iph'indlela?
Salani mawethu (Thananana)
Sendiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela? (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela? (Awu yelele)
Salani mawethu (Ngiboniseni)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya bo (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Sesiyobonana mama (Ngiboniseni)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela mama? (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela? (Awu yelele)
Salani mawethu mama (Ngiboniseni)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya bo (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Sesiyobonana mama (Ngiboniseni)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iph'indlela? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iyo mama iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iyo mama iph'indlela? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Salani mawethu (Ngiboniseni)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya mama (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Sesiyobonana mama (Ngiboniseni)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
Hmm thananana (Awu yelele)
Thananana (Awu yelele)
Thananana (Awu yelele)
Thananana (Awu yelele)
Thananana (Awu yelele)
Thananana (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iyo mama iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iii yona iph'indlela? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Salani mawethu (Ngiboniseni)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya mama (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Sesiyobonana bo (Ngiboniseni)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela? (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela? (Awu yelele)
Salani mawethu (Ngiboniseni)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya bo (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Sesiyobonana mama (Ngiboniseni)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela? (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela ma? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela bo? (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela bo? (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni)
Iph'indlela bo? (Awu yelele)
Salani mawethu (Ngiboniseni)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
Ngibheka phesheya bo (Ngiboniseni)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
Sesiyobonana mama (Ngiboniseni)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iyo mama iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Iyo mama iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
The song Iphi Ndilela by Miriam Makeba is sung in Xhosa, one of South Africa’s official languages, and the lyrics roughly translate to "Where is the way?". The repeated phrase "Iph'indlela" can be interpreted to mean "the way" or "the path". Makeba is asking for guidance and direction as she travels along this path. As she walks, she invites her companions to join her, urging them to come along.
The line "Salani mawethu" means "stay with us, brothers". Here, she is calling on others to come together and walk with her along the path, promoting unity and togetherness. She reinforces this sense of community through the repetition of the phrase "Sesiyobonana mama" which means "we'll see each other, mother", suggesting that they will meet again at some point along the way. The final line "Mhla ngabuya" means "when I come back", which indicates that the journey along the path is a continuous and ongoing one.
Overall, the song Iphi Ndilela is a call for guidance, community, and perseverance as one traverses the path of life. Through its use of Xhosa language and its emphasis on unity and togetherness, the song reflects the spirit of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement.
Line by Line Meaning
Iph'indlela?
Where is the road?
Salani mawethu (Thananana)
Come on my brothers (Singing)
Sendiyahamba (Awu yelele)
I am traveling (Oh yeah)
Ngibheka phesheya (Ngiboniseni)
I am looking ahead (Show me)
Kwelabamhlophe (Awu yelele)
To the land of whiteness (Oh yeah)
Iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni)
Where is the road, mother? (Show me)
Salani mawethu (Ngiboniseni)
Come on my brothers (Show me)
Sengiyahamba (Awu yelele)
I am traveling (Oh yeah)
Ngibheka phesheya bo (Ngiboniseni)
I am looking ahead over there (Show me)
Sesiyobonana mama (Ngiboniseni)
We will see each other again, mother (Show me)
Mhla ngabuya (Awu yelele)
One day when I return (Oh yeah)
Iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni)
Where is the road there? (Show me)
Iph'indlela mama? (Awu yelele)
Where is the road, mother? (Oh yeah)
Salani mawethu mama (Ngiboniseni)
Come on my brothers, mother (Show me)
Ngibheka phesheya mama (Ngiboniseni)
I am looking ahead, mother (Show me)
Hmm thananana (Awu yelele)
Hmm singing (Oh yeah)
Iyo mama iph'indlela bo? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Yes mother, where is the road there? (Show me, oh yeah)
Iyo mama iph'indlela? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Yes mother, where is the road? (Show me, oh yeah)
Iii yona iph'indlela? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Is this the road? (Show me, oh yeah)
Sesiyobonana bo (Ngiboniseni)
We will see each other again there (Show me)
Iph'indlela ma? (Ngiboniseni)
Where is the road, mother? (Show me)
Iph'indlela bo? (Awu yelele)
Where is the road there? (Oh yeah)
Iyo mama iph'indlela mama? (Ngiboniseni, hawu yelele)
Yes mother, where is the road, mother? (Show me, oh yeah)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mfundo Piti
on To Those We Love (Nongqongqo)
At the time the song was composed and released all the people mentioned ((Mangaliso) Sobukhwe, (Albert) Luthuli, (Nelson) Mandela, and (Walter) Sisulu were alive. While the three were in prison at Robben Island, Luthuli was not in prison, hence the question to Luthuli asking what "will you do?". Luthuli was the president of the banned African National Congress (ANC). Sobukhwe the president of Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Mandela and Sisulu occupied executive leadership positions within the ANC at the time of their sentencing to serve life sentences in prison (1964). The same question is asked to all Africans.
Mfundo Piti
on To Those We Love (Nongqongqo)
The lyrics of "To Those We Love" by Miriam Makeba are about the struggles, sacrifices, and resilience of great African leaders who fought for freedom, justice, and equality. The repetitive chorus, "Bahleli bonke entilongweni, Bahleli bonke kwaNongqongqo" refers to how all these leaders, including Sobukwe, Luthuli, Mandela, and Sisulu, are resting in peace or buried in their respective homes. The verses pose questions about their legacy and the continuation of their work, asking "Why, Baba Luthuli? What will you do?" and "What will happen to us, MaAfrica?" These questions are a call to action for listeners to carry on the struggle for freedom and justice.
Junior
on Soweto Blues
The melancholy in her voice
Junior
on Mama
It makes me cry I could not bury my mother cause I was in prison when I ask prison authorities to allow me an opportunity to go and attend the funeral they refused. We always underestimate the role of women
no
on Beware, Verwoerd! (Ndodemnyama)
no
hi! i enjoted. this song. i loved it
Matt Olomu
on Noweva
This is your challenge, South Africans who understand the lyrics of NOWEVER. Do yourselves and Africa a favour. Interpret it.