Kuimba: Music

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)

Feared, admired, a force to be reckoned with, Chui, the Leopard, a magnificent Presence felt in the mystical Ituri Forest nights.

Personnel- Lark Bowerman, lead vocals, Tanzanian harp, shaker; Kris Bowerman, vocal, Talking drum, percussion; John Waller, Moroccan clay drums; Don Keller, electric bass

chorus: Saa ya giza imefika
Saa ku acha ku tumika
Iko saa ku pumzika
Na wapepo wamefika

English Translation of Chorus:

Your soft black shawl has fallen ’round me
Stars are shining in their places
Beaming down their lucent faces
Insect violins surround me

So soft the night, so strong my terror
Chui comes without a sound
Gold eyes burning huge and round
Makes my eyes her human mirror

I can’t see her in the daytime
Chui, Leopard, Friendly Foe
Follows everywhere I go
Tracks me down into the dreamtime…

Swahili Translation of Verses:

Kikwembe yako neusi ana zunguka mie
Nyota wana ngala ndani ya fasi yao
Na ku peleka nuru ya sura yao chini
Nina sikia wa zeze ya wadudu fasi yote

Usiku iko teketeke, lakini kuogopa yangu iko ngufu kupita
Chui ana kuya kimya kabisa
Macho yake mavilingo kabambi ku choma kama moto Ana tazama ndani ya macho yangu

Si wezi ku ona ye na uchana
Chui, Leopard, rafiki na adui
Ana fuata mie fasi yote nintembea
Hata ku fika ndani ya njozi…