Zɔkri of Nalerigu, Ghana is a soothsayer but also plays a two-stringed banjo and flute that his late father passed down to him. The guitar is made of goat skin over a gourd with the strings being rubber strips.
We visited him on July 17, 2017 with musicologist Sarai Brinker and our language teacher Philip Jangdow. He performed several folks songs for us and we recorded him. Then we went through the recordings with Philip and translated them.
It was fascinating to see the layers of complexity packed into their seemingly short and simple songs. So much context is needed to understand the meaning of the songs as is a familiarity with local proverbs. It was great to have Philip guide us through the lyrics so that we could document these songs for others to hear and understand.
Click the titles below to watch the videos and read the lyrics.
My Heart is Happy
Mampruli
Di bɛ sa’azugu ka bɛ tiŋŋa
Kumnila wunni
Di bɛ sa’azugu ka bɛ tiŋŋa [response]
Di bɛ tiŋŋa ni ka bɛ sa’a
Kumnila wunni
Di bɛ sa’azugu ka bɛ tiŋŋa
N sufu maaiya, n sufu maaiya,
Wa n-kpalim
N pu maaiya, n pu maaiya,
Wa n-kpalim [2x]
N sufu maaiya, gɔsima, n sufu maaiya,
Wa n-kpalim
N sufu maaiya, Ma mi n sufu maaiya,
Wa n-kpalim
N-dɔ’ai bii ka u niŋni nŋɔ
ŋɔn dɔ’ai ŋɔn laama
I di pɔ’a ka u deaai i yuubu
ŋɔn dɔ’ai ŋɔn laama
I kuli doo ka u deaai i yuubu
ŋɔn dɔ’ai ŋɔn laama 2x
ŋɔn dɔ’ai ŋɔn laama [response]
Ka u niŋi I yuubu
ŋɔn dɔ’ai ŋɔn laama
U dɔ’ai bii ka u deaai u yuubu
ŋɔn dɔ’ai ŋɔn laama
English
It’s in the sky and in the earth
Crying to the gods
It’s in the sky and in the earth
It’s in the earth and in the sky
Crying to the gods
It’s in the earth and in the sky
My heart is happy, my heart is happy
Dancing remains
My belly is happy, my belly is happy
Dancing remains
I’m happy! Look! I’m happy!
Dancing remains
I’m happy! I know I’m happy!
Dancing remains
I have a child and he does this
She who birthed him should smile
You married a woman who obeys your will
She who birthed her should smile
You married a man who obeys your will
She who birthed him should smile
She who birthed him should smile
And he obeys your will
She who birthed him should smile
She births a child and he obeys her will
She who birthed her should smile
My Father’s Footsteps
Mampruli
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
Nɔbkura ka n dɔla
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
U nyɛ la Yilaan nira ka n dɔla
Nɔbkura ka n dɔla
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
U nyɛ la Zaadaari nira ka n dɔla
Nɔbkura ka n dɔla
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
U nyɛ la yoo ni nira ka n dɔla
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
U nyɛ la yani nira? Ka n dɔla
Nɔbkura ka n dɔla, nɔbkura. [response 5x]
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
Kunduŋŋu za’a yuuri dima
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
??? [di tɔ] ???
Kambonbiisi, ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
Nɔbkura ka n dɔla,
Nɔbkura ka n dɔla,
N ba nɔba ka n dɔla,
Saa daari boori niriba ka n dɔla
English
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
I’m following old footprints [response]
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
He’s from Yilaana and I’m following
I’m following old footprints
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
He’s a Judgement Day person* and I’m following
I’m following old footprints
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
He is a wilderness man and I’m following
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
Where is from that I’m following?
I’m following old footprints, I’m following. 5x
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
Hyena refuses naming
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
???[unclear]???
Warriors’ children, father’s footsteps that I’m following
I’m following old footprints,
I’m following old footprints,
I’m following in my father’s footsteps
Rainy day wants people and I’m following
* aka, he’s dead
Our Spirits
Mampruli
Ti wunni, ti wunni,
ka za’a wuna n-diri pɔ’aba
Ti wunni, ti wun, ti wunni,
ka za’a wuna n-boori ligri
Ti wunni, ti wun, ti wunni,
ka za’a wuna n-diri naam
Ti wunni, ti wun, ti wunni,
ka za’a wuna n-dɔ’ai biisi
Ti wunni, ti wun, ti wunni,
ka za’a wuna n-diri kpaya
English
Our spirits, our spirits,
we reject the spirits and go marry women
Our spirits, our spirits,
we reject the spirits and search for money
Our spirits, our spirits,
we reject the spirits and search for chieftaincy
Our spirits, our spirits,
we reject the spirits and birth children
Our spirits, our spirits,
we reject the spirits and eat malt *
* to “eat malt” is an expression meaning to drink beer
Two Hunting Songs
This is actually two songs with the same tune.
Mampruli
Bɔ, n-bɔ n bu nya n-ku
N niŋi wula ka di maai ma?
Bɔ, n-bɔ n bu nya n-kuli
N niŋi wula ka di mara?
Bɔ, n-bɔ n bu zi n-kuli
N niŋi wula ka di maai ma?
English
Search and search and didn’t find to kill,
What’ll I do to be happy?
Search and search and didn’t find to come home,
What’ll I do to be happier?
Search and search and didn’t carry to come home,
What’ll I do to be happy?
Song #2
M ba nyɛ la Yoonaaba, yee
ka niŋi yoo bumbilla
N-dɔli ba…
Kyɛ ka n-dɔli ba n-baŋŋi yoo
Ya kur kyɛ ka n-dɔli ba n-baŋŋi yoo
N-dɔli ba, Yilaana nira,
n-dɔli ba n-baŋŋi yoo
N-dɔli ba, yanliri nira,
n-dɔli ba n-baŋŋi yoo
My father is the chief of the wildness, ooo
and I become the wildness child
I follow them…
Allow me to follow them and know the wilderness
Ya’ll just allow me to follow them & know the bush
Follow them, Yilaana people*
and follow them & know the bush
Follow them, yanliri people**
and follow them & know the bush
* Yilaana is a village
** yanliri are those with magical vanishing powers
Footsteps Don’t See Feet
This is actually two songs with the same tune.
Mampruli
Ka nɔpongu bu nya nɔ[ba],
Tingbana wuri ma ni
English
Footsteps don’t have/see feet,
Earth spirits love me.