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Siyahamba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Siyahamba is a South African hymn that became popular in North

American churches in the 1990s. The title means "We Are Marching" or
"We are Walking" in the Zulu language.

Contents
1 History
2 Lyrics
Singing Siyahamba with the former
2.1 Afrikaans
moderators at the United Reformed
2.2 Zulu
Church General Assembly 2007,
2.3 Swahili
Manchester
2.4 English
2.5 French
2.6 Spanish
2.7 Portuguese
2.8 Icelandic
3 Notes

History
"Siyahamba" originated in South Africa. It is said to have been composed c. 1950 by Andries van Tonder, an
elder of the Judith Church.[1] The original composition was in Afrikaans (with the title "Ons marsjeer nou in die
lig van God") and was subsequently translated into Zulu by Thabo Mkize. In 1978, the Swedish choral group
Fjedur toured South Africa at the invitation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa. Afterwards,
Fjedur's musical director, Anders Nyberg, returned to Cape Town to record traditional choral music. It was
during this year that he heard and recorded "Siyahamba" at a girls' school in Appelsbosch, Natal. Subsequently
this song has been used around the world by schools in their prayers.

In 1984, Nyberg arranged "Siyahamba" for a Western four-voice setting and published it in a songbook and
recording called Freedom is Coming: Songs of Protest and Praise from South Africa. In 1994, GIA Publications
included the song (under the title "We Are Marching in the Light of God") in Gather Comprehensive[2], a
hymnal widely used in American Catholic parishes. A year later, the United Church of Christ included the song,
under the same title, in The New Century Hymnal .[3]

Today, "Siyahamba" is often performed by children's groups in both sacred and secular environments.
Occasionally, the translated lyrics are modified for a secular performance: for example, the English translation
"We are marching in the light of God" becomes "We are standing in the light of peace."

Lyrics
The structure of the song is cyclic, rather than sequential: the lyrics consist of one phrase, repeated with

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permutations. Hawn[4] notes that cyclical forms tend to emphasize a spirit of community and allow for physical
response during the performance. This cyclical form, along with the meaning of the lyrics, may explain the
song's popularity as a processional and offertory as well as a protest or marching song.

Afrikaans Zulu Swahili English French Spanish Portuguese Icelandic

Ons Siyahamba Twatembea We are Nous Caminamos Caminhamos Við

marsjeer ekukhanyeni nuruni walking in marchons en la luz sob a luz göngum í
nou in die kwenkos', mwake, the light dans la de Dios, de Deus, ljósi Guðs
lig van of God, lumière de
God, Siyahamba twatembea Dieu, Caminamos Caminhamos já, við
ekukhanyeni nuruni We are en la luz sob a luz göngum í
Ons kwenkos'. mwake. walking in Nous de Dios. de Deus. ljósi Guðs
marsjeer the light marchons
nou in die Siyahamba Twatembea of God. dans la Caminamos Caminhamos Við
lig van ekukhanyeni nuruni lumière de en la luz sob a luz göngum í
God. kwenkos', mwake, We are Dieu. de Dios, de Deus, ljósi Guðs
walking in
Ons Siyahamba twatembea the light Nous Caminamos Caminhamos já, við
marsjeer ekukhanyeni nuruni of God, marchons en la luz sob a luz göngum í
nou in die kwenkos'. mwake. dans la de Dios. de Deus. ljósi Guðs
lig van [ekukhanyeni [nuruni We are lumière de [en la luz [sob a luz
God, kwenkos'] mwake] walking in Dieu, de Dios] de Deus] Við
the light göngum,
Ons Siyahamba... Twatembea... of God. Nous Caminando... Caminhando...
marsjeer ooh ooh [in the marchons ooh ooh já við
nou in die [Siyahamba, [Twatembea, light of dans la [Caminando, [Caminhando,göngum
lig van hamba, tembea, God] lumière de vamos vamos
God. Siyahamba, twatembea, Dieu. caminando, caminhando, Úww, já
hamba] tembea,] We are vamos] vamos] ,við
[in die lig [dans la
walking... göngum í
van God] lumière de
Siyahamba Twatembea ooh Dieu] Caminando Caminhando ljósi Guðs
Ons ekukhanyeni nuruni [We are en la luz sob a luz
kwenkos'. mwake. de Dios. de Deus. Við
marsjeer walking, Nous
[ekukhanyeni [nuruni göngum,
nou... ooh walking, marchons... [en la luz [sob a luz
[Ons kwenkos'] mwake] we are ooh de Dios] de Deus]
já við
marsjeer walking, [Nous göngum
nou, Siyahamba... Twatembea... walking,] marchons, Caminando... Caminhando...
marsjeer ooh ooh marchons, ooh ooh
Úww, já
nou, ons [Siyahamba, [Twatembea, We are nous [Caminando, [Caminhando,
,við
marsjeer hamba, tembea, walking in marchons, vamos vamos
göngum í
nou, Siyahamba, twatembea, the light marchons,] caminando, caminhando, ljósi Guðs
marsjeer hamba] tembea,] of God. vamos] vamos]
nou,] [in the Nous
Siyahamba Twatembea light of marchons Caminando Caminhando
Ons ekukhanyeni nuruni God] dans la en la luz sob a luz
marsjeer kwenkos'. mwake. lumière de de Dios. de Deus.
nou in die We are Dieu.
lig van walking... [dans la

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God. ooh lumière de

[in die lig [We are Dieu]
van God] walking,
walking, Nous
Ons we are marchons...
marsjeer walking, ooh
nou... ooh walking,] [Nous
[Ons marchons,
marsjeer We are marchons,
nou, walking in nous
marsjeer the light marchons,
nou, ons of God. marchons,]
marsjeer
nou, (Alternative Nous
marsjeer versions marchons
nou,] of the dans la
lyrics may lumière de
Ons alternate Dieu.
marsjeer walking
nou in die with
lig van different
God. verbs such
as
marching,
dancing,
singing,
living, or
praying,
holding
up, or the
word
"God" for
love in a
less
religious
gathering.)

Notes
1. ^ CPDL, accessed March 5, 2007.
2. ^ Gather Comprehensive. GIA Publications, 1994.
3. ^ A New Century Hymnal. Pilgrim Press, 1995.
4. ^ Hawn, C. Michael. "Singing with the Faithful of Every Time and Place: Thoughts on Liturgical Inculturation and
Cross-Cultural Liturgy," (http://www.yale.edu/ism/colloq_journal/vol2/hawn1.html) Yale Institute of Sacred Music,
retrieved August 5, 2006.
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Categories: Protest songs Hymns

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