Stimela (Coal Train)

Hugh Masekela

Originale	Una traduzione inglese (almeno parziale) della parte in zulu...
STIMELA (COAL TRAIN) There is a train that comes from Namibia and Malawi there is a train that comes from Zambia and Zimbabwe, There is a train that comes from Angola and Mozambique, From Lesotho, from Botswana, from Swaziland, From all the hinterland of Southern and Central Africa. This train carries young and old, African men Who are conscripted to come and work on contract In the golden mineral mines of Johannesburg And its surrounding metropolis, sixteen hours or more a day For almost no pay. Deep, deep, deep down in the belly of the earth When they are digging and drilling that shiny mighty evasive stone, Or when they dish that mish mesh mush food into their iron plates with the iron shank. Or when they sit in their stinking, funky, filthy, Flea-ridden barracks and hostels. They think about the loved ones they may never see again Because they might have already been forcibly removed From where they last left them Or wantonly murdered in the dead of night By roving, marauding gangs of no particular origin, We are told. They think about their lands, their herds That were taken away from them With a gun, bomb, and the teargas, the gatling and the cannon. And when they hear that Choo-Choo train A-chugging, and a pumping, and a smoking, and a pushing, a pumping, a crying and a steaming and a chugging and a whooo whooo! They always cuss, and they curse the coal train, The coal train that brought them to Johannesburg. Whooo whooo! Stimela (*) Sihamba ngamalahle Sivel' eTalakubayi Sangilahla kwaGuqa Bathi sizoba amalahle. Iyohhh... (Stimela) Sidl' inyol' enkomponi. (Stimela!) Sihleli njengezinja, siyelele mame Emikodini, babe Sikhalel' izihlobo zethu (Masibuyele le! eTalakubayi) Sikhalel' izingane zethu wololo! (Masibuyele le! eTalakubayi) Sikhalel' abazali bethu! (Masibuyele le! eTalakubayi) Sikhalel' abafazi bethu, sithi Yelele yelele yelele yelele yelele (Masibuyele le! Etalakubayi) Stimela Sihamba ngamalahle, Sivel' eTalakubayi. Helele bathi Stimela mawo Stimela Sihamba ngamalahle, Sivel' eTalakubayi. Stimela! Sihamba ngamalahle, Sivel' eTalakubayi.	STIMELA (COAL TRAIN) Stimela sihamba ngamalahle, (The train that drives using coal) Sivela eDalaku Bay (Coming from Delgoa Bay - Now Maputo) Sangilahla kwa-Guqa (It dropped me off Kwa-Guqa - Witbank – Emalahleni) Bathi sizomba amalahle (They say we are here to mine for coal) Sihleli njenge Zinja (We live like dogs) Emigodini (Underground) Sikhalel' izihlobo zethu (We weep for our relatives) Masibuyeleni ekhaya bo (Let's go back home) Sikhalel' izingane zethu (We weep for our children) Masibuyeleni ekhaya bo (Let's go back home) Sikhalel' amaCherrie wethu (We weep for our girlfriends) Masibuyeleni ekhaya bo (Let's go back home) Sikhalel' abazali bethu (We weep for our parents) Masibuyeleni ekhaya bo (Let's go back home)
(*) vedi la traduzione