Baxabene Oxamu (Miriam Makeba) - South African Lyrics

This document summarizes and compares two versions of the song "Baxabene Oxamu" - the original by Miriam Makeba and a version by Busi Mhlongo. There are some differences between the pronunciations and meanings of certain phrases between the two versions. The document also notes that the song highlights differences between Nguni dialects, as the word for kudu means rooster in isiZulu but is the name for the antelope in isiXhosa. It suggests the original lyrics said "iqhotho" but this was mispronounced as "iqhatha" and carried through to later versions.

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Baxabene Oxamu (Miriam Makeba) - South African Lyrics

Uploaded by

Andrea Coppini

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South African Lyrics

Baxabene Oxamu (Miriam Makeba)

May 31, 2014

Uncategorized

baxabene, busi mhlongo, ingxuba kaxaka, iqheya, miriam

makeba, oxamu, qhatha, qhotho, qhude, xabana, xhosa, zulu

Baxabene Oxamu
Miriam Makeba
Baxabene oxam
Bexabene ngengxoxo
Bexakwe ingxuba xaka
Hayi-ke-le-gqi! iQheya
Laxing eqhingeni
Beliqhatha ngeqhotho leqhude

[English Translation]:
The monitor lizards in an argument
They are in a heated debate
They are puzzled by a dilemma
Then (all of a sudden) a Khoi person
Got caught in the middle (of the matter)
Each was bribing him
With a piece of kudu meat

[Editors Note: My original intention was to transcribe and translate Busi Mhlongos version of the
song from her UrbanZulu. In trying to find lyrics online, I stumbled across Miriam Makebas (the earlier) version, which I had never heard. There are a few interesting things to note about the different
versions: 1) There is a difference in the pronunciation of certain phrases. It is quite certain that Mhlongos pronunciation is a deviation from the original, as it changes (and sometimes completely removes) the meaning and coherence of some of the lines. 2) For me, this song really highlights the fact
that there are actually some significant differences between the various Nguni dialects. For example,
in isiZulu iqhude is a rooster. Only now have I learnt that the name kudu is an anglicisation of the
same word, which in isiXhosa is the word for that antelope. It makes sense! 3) While all online transcriptions I have seen show iqhatha (a piece of meat), both Makeba and Mhlongo clearly say
iqhotho (a belt?). Online dictionaries list iqhatha as a piece of meat, which makes more sense in
the context of the story. It may be that Makeba mispronounced the word; a mistake that carried
through to Mhlongos rendition.]

[Busi Mhlongo Lyrics]:
Kwaxabana oxamu
Bexabana ngengxoxo
Bexakwe ingxuba xaka
Hayi-ke-le-gqi! iQheya
Laqhing eqhingeni
Beliqhatha,
Liqhatha ngeqhotho leqhude

[Busi Mhlongo English Translation, as a Zulu-speaker might understand it]:

Some monitor lizards once argued
Arguing about/through a discussion
They were puzzle by a dilemma
Alas! A Khoi person
Had devised a scheme
He was causing (the) conflict
Causing conflict with a piece of roosters meat

ingxuba kaxaka = crisis/dilemma/trouble

iqheya = Khoi-san/light-skinned person
ukuxinga = to be stuck
ukuqhatha the deceive/fake/cause conflict?

Links
http://youtu.be/Rq9mU8inMr0
http://issuu.com/highresaudio/docs/pumeza_matshikiza_-_voice_of_hope_b
http://www.learnxhosa.co.za/oxamu-song-translation/

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