UPDATE: Do you like my songs and want to support my music?
Please make a donation (any amount counts) to our Books 4 Africa project.
E-mail me at info@garthprince.com if you have any questions.
Please make a donation (any amount counts) to our Books 4 Africa project.
E-mail me at info@garthprince.com if you have any questions.
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Please use the following introduction when performing:
“Dumela kaufela” is a folk song from the Kavango region in the north of Namibia. The Kavango is one of thirteen provinces in Namibia and borders with Angola and Botswana. Music from the region is typically communal and relates to daily or seasonal functions. Wedding songs, greeting songs and working songs are common examples. Dumela Kaufela is a greeting song commonly sung in Namibia and in neighbouring countries. The term “dumela” is a common greeting phrase in languages across South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. It means “good day” and can therefore be used at any time of day. |
TEACHER NOTES:
I've tried this song with Div 1 and 2 students and it generally works very well for performance. This Namibian folk song might even be the most successful song and my highest recommendation for live performances. If you perform this one without me, you will need your own soloists. Practise with the track until you are ready for a live performance. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the Orff (xylophone or marimba) sheet music score. |
Step 1: Listen to Example Track |
TEACHER NOTES:
The dance step for younger grades can be simplified to: (Right foot) Forward and back The dance step for advanced dancers: Forward step back step "Forward" and "back" is the right foot "step" is the left foot which steps on the spot |
Step 2: Learn the LyricsVerse 1 (Kavango):
Dumela kaufela dumela ho Dumela kaufela-a-a (repeat) Verse 2 (Herero mixed with other languages):
Moro keniva kwetu Moro keni Moro keniva kwetu-u-u (repeat) Go up, go down, go right, go left.
Turn around, to the ground, freeze! Go up, go down, go right, go left. Turn around, to the ground, go down, go up... freestyle! Verse 3 (English): Greetings to you from Afrika Greetings to you from all of us Oosh! Oosh! Oosh! Verse 4 (French): Bonjour à vous du Canada. Bonjour à vous de nous tous. (eh!) |
TEACHER NOTES:
Read the words and listen to the audio and video recordings to practice the pronunciation. Feel free to translate into other languages and send me an audio file so I can give you some feedback on the melodic component. E-mail: info@garthprince.com I will ask my wife to record the French verse as a spoken word practice file soon. Please use the video in the meantime. Posted on 27 March 2023 |