Iindonga zaJeriko (Zulu folk/anti-apartheid song)
from Raising the Bar: Traditional South African Choral Music II by Created by Mollie Stone & Patty Cuyler
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At first glace, this religious song appears to be a straightforward retelling of the Old Testament story of the battle of Jericho. During apartheid, South Africans gave the song a double-meaning, using the walls of Jericho to symbolize the walls of Pretoria—the seat of the apartheid government.
This version of Iindonga zaJeriko is a great example of how South Africans found ways to sing protest songs without putting themselves in danger of being arrested. They never changed a single word—but instead, showed the power of their spirit in the dance movements. One will notice that in the first section of the song, the singers drop their arm repeatedly, like the falling of the walls. But in the B section the movement changes: the singers mime taking down the walls, rather than simply watching them fall. Many versions of this song are sung all across South Africa.
This version of Iindonga zaJeriko is a great example of how South Africans found ways to sing protest songs without putting themselves in danger of being arrested. They never changed a single word—but instead, showed the power of their spirit in the dance movements. One will notice that in the first section of the song, the singers drop their arm repeatedly, like the falling of the walls. But in the B section the movement changes: the singers mime taking down the walls, rather than simply watching them fall. Many versions of this song are sung all across South Africa.
lyrics
The walls of Jericho fall to pieces!
They fall!
They fall!
credits
from Raising the Bar: Traditional South African Choral Music II,
released April 15, 2015
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all rights reserved
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