The Click Song
Encyclopedia
Qongqothwane is a traditional song of the Xhosa people of South Africa
. It is sung at wedding
s to bring good fortune. In the Western World
it is mainly known as The Click Song, a nickname given to the song by Europe
an colonials who could not pronounce its xhosa
title, which has many click consonant
s in it. The xhosa title literally means "knock-knock beetle", which is a popular name for the Xestobium rufovillosum, a woodboring beetle
that makes a distinctive ticking sound. This beetle is believed by the Xhosa to bring good luck and rain
.
The song is known world-wide thanks to the interpretation of South African singer Miriam Makeba
(herself a Xhosa). In her discography the songs appears in several versions, both with title Qongqothwane and as The Click Song.
Igqira lendlela nguqongqothwane
Sebeqabele gqithapha bathi nguqongqothwane
Diviner of the roadways – the knock knock beetle
It just passed by here – the knock knock beetle
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is sung at wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s to bring good fortune. In the Western World
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
it is mainly known as The Click Song, a nickname given to the song by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an colonials who could not pronounce its xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
title, which has many click consonant
Click consonant
Clicks are speech sounds found as consonants in many languages of southern Africa, and in three languages of East Africa. Examples of these sounds familiar to English speakers are the tsk! tsk! or tut-tut used to express disapproval or pity, the tchick! used to spur on a horse, and the...
s in it. The xhosa title literally means "knock-knock beetle", which is a popular name for the Xestobium rufovillosum, a woodboring beetle
Woodboring beetle
The term woodboring beetle encompasses many species and families of beetles whose larval or adult forms eat and destroy wood . Larval stages of some are commonly known as woodworms.-Invasion and control:...
that makes a distinctive ticking sound. This beetle is believed by the Xhosa to bring good luck and rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
.
The song is known world-wide thanks to the interpretation of South African singer Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
(herself a Xhosa). In her discography the songs appears in several versions, both with title Qongqothwane and as The Click Song.
Lyrics
Igqira lendlela nguqongqothwane
Sebeqabele gqithapha bathi nguqongqothwane
Diviner of the roadways – the knock knock beetle
It just passed by here – the knock knock beetle