Friday, 4 November 2016

Ancient Karanga-Kalanga Prayer to Mwari

Here is the praise Mwari/Mwali receives from VaRozvi as recorded and translated by Friedrich W. T. Posselt in Fact an Fiction (page 80-81); Books of Rhodesia, 1935 but reprinted in 1978:
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Exalted Spirit
Piler up of the rocks into towering mountains!
When you stamp on the stone,
The dust rises an fills up the land.
Hardness of the precipice;
Waters of the pool that turn,
When stirred, into misty rain.
Vessel overflowing with oil!
Father of Runji,
Who sewed the heavens like cloth:
Let him knit together that which is below.
Caller forth of the branching trees:
You who brings forth the shoots
That they stand erect.
Who has filled the land with mankind.
The dust rises oh high, oh Lord!
Wonderful one you who lives
In the midst of the sheltering rocks
You the giver of rain to mankind:
We pray to you:
Hears us, Lord!
Show mercy when we beseech you, Lord!
You who are on high with the spirits of the great.
You who raises the grass-covered hill above the earth,
Gracious one!

From Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo, who says: "The Kalanga prayer, as addressed to Mwali, with translation, went as follows, courtesy of Kumile Masola:"

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Iwe Mwali nkulu (Hail Mwali the Great One)
Wakalunji gusipfume ngubo (Of the needle which does not sew clothes)
Gosimila pfuma pasi (But which is strong enough to sew the earth)
BaThobela baMbedzi (Hail to the Mbedzi)
Bankwakwa usiwome (They of the monkey orange which does not dry up)
Unodliwa nabana muhhihha (Which is eaten by the children in summer)
BakaLubimbi (Those of Lubimbi)
Bakampani usina mhako (Of the mopani tree which does not have holes)
Wakanotjiza Sindi yanyalala (Which saved the squirrel after it was silent)
Bhabanyi wahongwe (Bhabanyi of the rock)
Imwi Mwali nkulu (You Mwali the Great One)
Mbuluki wenjilikadzi nesiyang’wa (Saviour of the widow and the orphan)
Ndau, Thobela (Your Highness, be greeted)
Imwi gumbo ivula (You, the leg which is rain)
Motandabala ikabe mibvumbi (When you stretch your legs, it showers).

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