The choir was the surprise hit of the 2003 Edinburgh Festival: they were the fourth-highest selling act out of 1,600 acts booked for the festival, putting on extra shows to meet the demand and eventually performing 29 concerts in the space of a month - delighting the reviewers as much as the audiences.
The choir's debut album, Voices from Heaven, appeared in 2005 from Shanachie Records, followed that same year by Blessed, also on Shanachie. African Spirit was released two years later in 2007 on the same imprint.
Africa
Soweto Gospel Choir Lyrics
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Wareya (Ho)
Wareya (Ho)
Ge o sa re shate o wa duma
Tlase sechabeng sa ntate Morena rre Makhubane
Naledi ya meso e phatlalatsaneng
E itseng ha e tikela ba e tlhaba ka mochabelo
Ke re tsatsi la tswa bochabela ke le ngwana Mosotho
Ke ikana ka Bataung ba Rampai ya Mathibela
Ha ba hapa dikgomo nehela bo radikonelo dingaka
Bao bas a jeng sengwathelwano sa maobane
Bao bo ntja ba lla senyenyeo
Nna ke le ntja ya mafisa ngwana Mosotho
Ke re ha nkabe ke tseba ho ngola
Ke be ke tla ngolla ha Mampepe
Ke ba bolelle ho mabele a matshweu panyapanya
(haha haha haha wo haha)
(haha haha haha wo haha)
(Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
(Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
(haha haha haha wo haha)
(haha haha haha wo haha)
(Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
(Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
Ke bana ba thari e ntsho (Ke bana ba Afrika)
Ke bana ba thari e ntsho (Ke bana ba Afrika)
Hlokomelang thari e ntsho (Hlokomelang baAfrika)
Hlokomelang thari e ntsho (Hlokomelang baAfrika)
Ke bana ba thari e ntsho (Ke bana ba Afrika)
Ke bana ba thari e ntsho (Ke bana ba Afrika)
Hlokomelang thari e ntsho (Hlokomelang baAfrika)
Hlokomelang thari e ntsho (Hlokomelang baAfrika)
(haha haha haha wo haha)
O yelele (haha haha haha wo haha)
O yelele (Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
O yelele (Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
Mmala ga se Bothata lelota le le teng
Ga re kopaneng sechaba sa gesho
Re hodiseng bana ba rena
Lerato, botho le tlhompho
Juha ithate, juha itlhokomele
Juha ithate, juha moAfrika
(Naha ya thari e ntsho lefatshe la rena)
(Naha ya thari e ntsho lefatshe la rena)
(Naha ya thari e ntsho lefatshe la rena)
(Naha ya thari e ntsho lefatshe la rena)
(Tlhokomelang baesho lefatshe la rena)
(Tlhokomelang baesho lefatshe la rena)
(Tlhokomelang baesho lefatshe la rena)
(Tlhokomelang baesho lefatshe la rena)
O yelele (haha haha haha wo haha)
O yelele (haha haha haha wo haha)
O yelele (Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
O yelele (Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
The song "Naha Ya Africa" by the Soweto Gospel Choir speaks to the beauty, unity, and strength of Africa and its people. The lyrics begin by referencing specific places and people, such as "sechabeng sa ntate Morena rre Makhubane" and "Bataung ba Rampai ya Mathibela," which are meaningful to South Africans but also hint at the diversity and richness of the continent. The song then goes on to describe the singer's personal connection to Africa, highlighting the commonalities and shared experiences of its people, especially through the repeated refrain "Ke bana ba thari e ntsho" (I am a child of Africa) and the phrase "botho le tlhompho" (love, humanity, and compassion).
Overall, "Naha Ya Africa" is a celebration of Africa and its people, both as individuals and as a collective whole. It reminds its listeners of the power and beauty of diversity, while also emphasizing the importance of unity and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Wareya (Ho)
An exclamation used to energize and uplift spirits.
Ge o sa re shate o wa duma
When you struggle, remain determined and strong.
Tlase sechabeng sa ntate Morena rre Makhubane
Come down to the community of father Morena rre Makhubane.
Naledi ya meso e phatlalatsaneng
Stars shining brightly in the sky.
E itseng ha e tikela ba e tlhaba ka mochabelo
Standing in a place where it's peaceful, away from those causing trouble.
Ya dumedisa kwena
A blessing upon us.
Ke re tsatsi la tswa bochabela ke le ngwana Mosotho
I come from the southern region as a Mosotho child.
Ke ikana ka Bataung ba Rampai ya Mathibela
I am descended from the Bataung of Rampai and Mathibela.
Ha ba hapa dikgomo nehela bo radikonelo dingaka
Where cattle roam, and the sound of the horn signifies lunacy.
Bao bas a jeng sengwathelwano sa maobane
Those who compare themselves to a pot lid don't understand their true significance.
Bao bo ntja ba lla senyenyeo
Those who are like a dog that chases after crumbs.
Nna ke le ntja ya mafisa ngwana Mosotho
I am a Mosotho child, yearning to explore the world.
Ke re ha nkabe ke tseba ho ngola
I don't give up, even when I don't know what tomorrow brings.
Ke be ke tla ngolla ha Mampepe
I'll continue to strive, even when the road gets rough.
Ke ba bolelle ho mabele a matshweu panyapanya
I want to bring hope to those who are hopeless.
(haha haha haha wo haha)
An exclamation used to energize and uplift spirits.
(Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
An exclamation used to energize and uplift spirits.
Ke bana ba thari e ntsho (Ke bana ba Afrika)
We are children of the soil (of Africa).
Hlokomelang thari e ntsho (Hlokomelang baAfrika)
Protect our land (Africa).
Juha ithate, juha itlhokomele
All the more reason to love and protect one another.
Juha ithate, juha moAfrika
All the more reason to love and protect Africa.
(Naha ya thari e ntsho lefatshe la rena)
(This land of ours, the soil we come from).
(Tlhokomelang baesho lefatshe la rena)
(Protect our nation, the land we come from).
(O yelele)
An exclamation used to energize and uplift spirits.
(Iyelele Iyelele Iyelele wo haha)
An exclamation used to energize and uplift spirits.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lange Bohui Chou
on Emlanjeni (Yelele)
j'ai besoin des paroles de emlanjeni/Yelele svp merci car le chant me plait et soweto gospel choir va me teuh!
Michael P Gomez
on Emlanjeni (Yelele)
Beautiful
Njiah Derick Tata
on Emlanjeni (Yelele)
Soweto Gospel choir is excellent beyond words can express.