ANTHEM
National anthem of South Africa
Since 1997, The South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining
new English lyrics with extracts of the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the
old South African anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika/The Call of South Africa". It
is the only neo-modal national anthem in the world, by virtue of being the only
one that starts in one key and finishes in another. The lyrics employ the five
most populous of South Africa's eleven official languages - Xhosa (first stanza,
first two lines), Zulu (first stanza, last two lines), Sesotho (second stanza),
Afrikaans (third stanza) and English (final stanza). The full anthem can be
heard here:
Nkosi Sekelel' iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a Methodist
school teacher. It was originally sung as a church hymn but later became an act
of political defiance against the apartheid government. Die Stem van Suid-Afrika
was written by C.J. Langenhoven in 1918. Die Stem was the co-national anthem
with God Save the King/Queen from 1936 to 1957, when it became the sole national
anthem until 1995. The South African government under Nelson Mandela adopted
both songs as national anthems from 1995 until they were merged in 1997 to form
the current anthem.
Below are the various versions and translations of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.
Classic Xhosa Version |
God Bless Africa (Original Lovedale English Translation) |
Current Xhosa Version |
Morena Boloka Sechaba sa Heso (Sesotho Version)
|
Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika;
Chorus
Sikelela iNkosi zetu;
Sikelel' amadod' esizwe,
Sikelel'amakosikazi;
Sikelela abafundisi
Sikelel'ulimo nemfuyo;
Sikelel'amalinge etu
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika;
|
Lord, bless Africa;
Chorus
Bless our chiefs
Bless the public men,
Bless the wives
Bless the ministers
Bless agriculture and stock raising
Bless our efforts
Lord, bless Africa
|
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
Chorus
|
Morena boloka sechaba sa heso
O se boloke, o se boloke,
Ma kube njalo! Ma kube njalo!
|
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrikaZulu Version
|
Lord Bless AfricaCurrent English Version
|
Seen ons Here God, Seen AfrikaAfrikaans Version
|
|
Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika,
Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika,
Woza Moya (woza, woza),
|
Lord, bless Africa
Lord, bless Africa
Chorus
|
Seen ons Here God, seen Afrika,
Daal neer o Gees, Heilige Gees,
Hou U hand o Heer oor Afrika,
Seen ons Here God, seen Afrika,
|
"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem_of_South_Africa