Thandolwethu Mamba "Ngiyayishaya Indvuku" by Eswatini composer Dominic Gamedze

Thandolwethu Mamba, baritone
Neill Campbell, piano

Recorded at Opera America Studios. February 2024.

It brings me joy to share a slice of my Swati heritage 🇸🇿 with you all, my friends.

Ng’yay’shaya indvuku,
ng’yay’shaya intfonga,
ng’yay’shaya indvuku kugobe siqhwaga.
Ng’yay’khulumis’ intfonga mine
iteke tindzaba kugiqik’imiqemane.

Lonemandl’akasondzele, lonenkhan’akete lapha,
akete, akete ngitomkhomba bantfu.
Ng’yay’shay’indvuku ngay’fundza
ku Jab’las’eSigwe,
ngay’fundza ku Mnyakam’eNgudzeni.
Ngay’nikwa nguMjingi, loMabhanga,
longangelutsi lwemshanyelo.
BoMlobokazana, boMngayi, naboMbovana.

Yabusiswa nguMadlenya, yabusiswa nguMdlaka,
yabusiswa ng’Mavubelane ka Vik’iziqula.
NgiliQhawe lendvuku mine,
ngiliQhawe lendvuku mine.
Yankanjwa boMadlenya,
boMdlaka, na Vik’izijula.

Ngitsi nguban’ lonembango?
Nguban’ lobangako?
Angagadla ngifile,
hhay’! ngisaphila.
Ngaw’yatiyenga, ngaw’yatilutsa.
Angaphambana nemvula aye kagoqanyawo.

Waw’yephi nanginikwa lenandvuku,
waw’yephi nak’kanjwa lenandvuku?
Nay’kanjwa boMadlenya,
boMdlaka naVik’izijula!

I can wield the cane,
I can make the stick dance,
When I do I can make even the bravest tremble.
I can make the stick tell stories that make
strong men roll in agony.

Anyone who dares and is confident must come,
let them come, so I can teach them a lesson.
I can wield the stick, as I was taught
by Jab’las of Sigwe,
I was taught by Mnyakama of Ngudzeni.
It was given to me by Mjingi, loMabhanga,
he who is as lanky as a broom stick.
[More people from his lineage].

It was blessed by Madlenya, blessed by Mdlaka,
and blessed by Mavubelane of Vik’izijula.
I am a master of the cane,
I am a virtuoso of the stick.
It was blessed by Madlenya,
by Mdlaka, and Vik’izijula.

I say to you, who here is a troublemaker?
Who is instigating chaos?
They would strike over my dead body,
not while I still have air in my lungs.
If they think otherwise, they are fooling themselves.
They would swiftly bite the dust and join the dead.

Where were you when I was receiving this cane?
Where were you when it was being blessed?
When it was being blessed by Madlenya,
by Mdlaka, and Vik’izijula!

Text by Dominic Gamedze
Translated by Thandolwethu Mamba