About this song
Sam Mangwana delivers a pan-Africanist address to African women (penned by Dino Vangu). Amused and alarmed that some abandon African customs the moment they see Paris, he urges discernment: take what's good abroad, leave what's bad, and don't blindly imitate the West. A proverb anchors it — however big the spoon, it can't lift the whole leaf — before the ringing refrain: Africa, wake up.
Nayoki bakomi ko boya bo nKoko Y'Africa na basi Ya mboka n'a biso
I hear the women of our lands now reject our ancestral customs
Oyo somo Ya likambu naseki eh
what a startling thing — it makes me laugh
Nayoki bakomi ko kima bo nKoko Y'africa na basi y'a mboka na biso
I hear the women of our lands now flee our ancestral customs
Soki amoni paris eh Ă changer oh
the moment she sees Paris, she changes
Moyindo ako bota Mondele, Mondele ayebi ko bota moyindo te oh, zwa nde mayele ba maman eh
a Black woman can bear a white child, but a white woman can't bear a Black one — so be wise, mamas
Tozali bikelamu nzambe asala liboso Ya Mondele, ba bomba vérité oh, zala nde mayele bana Africa eh oh oh
we are God's creation, made before the white man; they hid the truth — so be wise, children of Africa
Baninga basi Ya Africa bokeba bokeba n'a mentalité
my friends, women of Africa, beware, beware of the mindset
Oyo bo komi Ko defa tangu mobali aye no na poto
that you borrow when your husband brings you to Europe
Olingi lisusu ko tosa mibeko Ya mobali na ndaku te oh
you no longer want to obey your husband's rules at home
Mobali aloba olobi pouvoir Ya mobali etikala na Africa
when he speaks, you say a husband's authority stayed back in Africa
Solo kuta ba loba bizaleli na mboka mopaya oh
true, you'll meet all sorts of ways in a foreign land
Kasi ebongi opona oyo esengeli ya mabe otiya pembeni
but you must choose the good and set the bad aside
Ba maman Ya Africa eh eh eh
mothers of Africa
Basi Ya Africa oh oh oh
women of Africa
Bo yoka message Ya muana vangu
hear the message of Vangu's son
Dino vangu ayeli bino toli liloba n'a nzembo
Dino Vangu brings you counsel in a song
Ndenge bo komi ko imiter Mondele suka suka na yango boko kota molongo ya Zoba
the way you imitate the white man, in the end you'll join the ranks of fools
Striptease partouse lesbienne ko sambwisa nzoto eloko Ya soni na bana Africa
striptease, orgies, degrading the body — shameful things for Africans
Ko tekisa nzoto lokola lipa na ba vitrine eloko Ya butshafu na bana Africa
selling the body like bread in a shop window — filth for Africans
Ko liyana lolemo kati Ya bala bala, ko kangana pamba pamba na ba metro ebongi na biso te oh
kissing in the street, groping carelessly in the metro — that's not for us
Ezaleli Ya mindele ebonga se na bango
the ways of white folk suit only themselves
Na rythme ya bo Koko n'a bango moyindo ko mi kosa ye oh
to the rhythm of their ancestors — Black man, don't fool yourself
Ba maman Ya Africa eh eh eh
mothers of Africa
Basi Ya Africa oh oh oh
women of Africa
Monene Ya lutu etokaka lokasa te
however big the spoon, it can't lift the whole leaf
Bo nkoko nayo ko buaka te oh
don't throw away your heritage
Bo nkoko Ya bana Africa ezali nano Ko tosa bible
the tradition of Africa's children is still to heed the Bible
Mondele amemela biso bible abengama naye ko landa ye te
the white man brought us the Bible, then walked away from it — don't follow him
Africa met toi debout
Africa, stand up
Basi ya africa lamuka nde na pongi
women of Africa, wake from your sleep
Oyo ezali message aux femmes africaines oh bo lamuka
this is a message to the women of Africa — wake up
Bo lamuka Africa eh bo lamuka
wake up, Africa, wake up
Bo lamuka Africa eh bo lamuka
wake up, Africa, wake up
Kumbele kumbele kumbele
kumbele, kumbele, kumbele
Bo lamuka Africa eh bo lamuka
wake up, Africa, wake up
Ohhhh bana maman
ohhh, children of the mother
Bo lamuka Africa eh bo lamuka
wake up, Africa, wake up
Boyoka message Ya muana vangu
hear the message of Vangu's son
Dino vangu ayeli bino toli eh liloba na nzembo
Dino Vangu brings you counsel in a song
Bo lamuka Africa eh bo lamuka
wake up, Africa, wake up
Africa lamuka
Africa, wake up
Africa lamuka
Africa, wake up
Africa lamuka
Africa, wake up
Africa lamuka
Africa, wake up
Oye oye Africa lamuka
oye oye, Africa, wake up
Africa lamuka
Africa, wake up
Bana Africa ba maman lamuka
children of Africa, mothers, wake up
Africa lamuka
Africa, wake up