"Zangaléwa"
Song by Golden Sounds
LanguageCameroonian Pidgin
Douala
French
Released1986 (1986)
GenreMakossa

"Zamina mina (Zangaléwa)" was a hit song in 1986, by the Cameroonian makossa group Golden Sounds[1],later known as "Zangalewa" after the success of that song.

Background

The languages present in the song's lyrics (Douala, French, Jamaican Patois, and the pidgin English of some parts of West Africa)[2] make clear the song originates from the area of Cameroon, but the circumstances surrounding the time of the song's origin are less clear. Some sources indicate that the lyrics are a lament from the point of view of a single soldier.[2]

Other aspects of the song, including its frequent performances, have led to conflicting claims that the song is a tribute to African soldiers of World War II or a criticism of Africans who collaborated with European colonial authorities.[2]

The song is still used today in Africa by soldiers, policemen, boy scouts, sportsmen, and their supporters, usually during training or for rallying.[1] It is particularly popular in Cameroon, where it is used as a marching song or rallying cry.[3]

The song was popularized in Colombia under the name "the Military" and "El sacalengua" ("he who sticks out his tongue"), due to the similarity to the phrase, "Saca la lengua" which means "stick out your tongue")[4] by DJs fond of African music based in Barranquilla and Cartagena.[5]

Cultural context

In the music video for the 1986 release, and in other performances of the song, performers often dress in military uniforms. The performers wear pith helmets and stuff their clothes to give the appearance of being well-off and associated with European colonial authorities. This appearance and the lyrics, according to some music historians, are a criticism of African military officers who were in league with the Europeans and profited from the oppression of their own people during the era of European imperialist colonization.

Some elements of the song incorporate Cameroonian slang and Cameroonian military jargon from World War II.

According to Jean Paul Zé Bella, the lead singer of Golden Sounds, the chorus came "from Cameroonian sharpshooters who had created a slang for better communication between them during the Second World War"; the band initially recreated the fast pace of military communication in their first arrangements of the song.

Variants, covers, and sampling

The song became popular worldwide when the international pop star Shakira released a variant (as a tribute to African music) titled "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" in anticipation of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.[6][7]

Before "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" was released in 2010, the song was sampled or covered by other artists, including:

References

  1. 1 2 NYT: Shakira Remixes African Hit for World Cup
  2. 1 2 3 "Emile Kojidie: The Golden Voice of the Golden Sounds."
  3. ↑ "GOLDEN SOUNDS - Zamina Mina (Zangalewa)". Loungecore.com. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  4. ↑ "Check out the translation for "saca la lengua" on SpanishDict!". SpanishDict. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
  5. ↑ "The global roots of South Africa's World Cup song". The Independent. 2010-06-04. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
  6. ↑ Freshlyground – Official blog
  7. ↑ "Zangalewa – the original song from which Waka Waka borrows chorus". World2010Cup.com. May 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  8. ↑ Trafassi – Waka Waka on YouTube
  9. ↑ Video on YouTube
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