CHAPTER ELEVEN

SONGS OF NATIONALIST PRAISE FOR TANU, , AND UHURU

This section contains songs that celebrate TANU (Tanganyikan Afri- can National Union), and their fight for and subsequent victory over colonialism. After converting the Tanganyikan African Association (TAA) into TANU on 7 July 1954, the new party demonstrated its popularity by winning important victories in the 1958 and 1960 elec- tions, and by forming ’s first independent government.1 As the postwar movement for independence in Tanganyika intensi- fied, the Sukuma region fostered the most active and politically ori- ented African voluntary associations in Tanganyika during the ten years between the end of the war and the birth of the Tanganyika African National Union in 1954 (Maguirre 1969: xxiv). In the wake of these developments, and because of events such as the 1954 Mau Mau terror in Kenya, the British passed the Societies Registration Act, which required associations to seek government registration, as well as obtain police permission before collecting subscriptions or holding public meetings (Iliffe 1979: 553). No African civil servants would be allowed to be members of these organizations (Government Circular 1953), and all applications had to go through the District Commis- sioner together with written constitutions and a ten shilling applica- tion fee. Every organization of ten or more persons, or with office bearers such as president, had to register (Societies Ordinance 1954). Sukuma farmers responded with song. Sometimes veiled and some- times blatantly open, these songs debated these restrictions, complained about agricultural policies and the officers sent to enforce them, as well as other issues related to the colonial presence. The harshness of the colonial government’s policies further provoked Sukuma farmers to turn their musical labor into a form of protest, however ambiguous, in the face of world capitalist relations. Anti-hegemonic song at the worksite was the sole form of protest that made any sense to them,

1 Tanganyika gained independence in 1961, and changed its name to on 26 April, 1964 after merging with Zanzibar. songs of nationalist praise for tanu, nyerere, uhuru 333 and it created group solidarity, fostered joy, and enabled the groups to get the required work done quicker and more efficiently, thus enabling them to earn more money. Singing at the cotton farm was not pri- vate escape or false consciousness, but transformative and empower- ing action. This early political awareness was later identified by local Sukuma political activists as critical in garnering support for the sub- sequent political action groups that fought for independence. The majority of these songs castigate the colonial leaders, and tell them to be on their way back to their home country. They ask Julius Nyerere to be vigilant in his fight and in his newly won freedom. The following three songs are in praise of Paul Bomani, the early TANU leader, civil rights leader, and cotton cooperative organizer who rose to prominence in the 1950s.

(256) Ng’wana Komanya Malanguka (‘Ng’wana Komanya Malan- guka’) Ng’wana Komanya Malanguka Ng’wana Komanya Malanguka Sonda, ng’wana Kimogele Sonda, ng’wana Kimogele Ng’wizukulu Chama cha Masuka Grandchild, the party of Masuka Kinehe bayangu bane? How are you my friends? Hezeron, ng’wana Sekai Hezeron, ng’wana Sekai Ndikugisha, ng’wa Batendi I salute you, those of Batendi Nashika iNg’wagulanja I arrived in Ng’wagulanja Nakimbila chama yose ya Nassa I sung for all the parties of Nassa Ng’wangaluka, badugu bane Good morning, my comrades Ihadikijage, namugi, kwigula Force yourself, husbands, to open lwigi! the door Paulo, maboma gako gali mingi! Paulo, your fortresses are many! ‘Lazima’, ukusangija mabala ‘Must’, you are spreading into every region Pole pole, imilimo ya ntaale Slowly slowly, this important ikusangija mabala! work spreads all over! iBukwimba liliko iboma lyako In Bukwimba there is your fortress Lya shikolo! Of things! iMasanza, liliko iboma lyako lya In Masanza, there is your fortress shikolo! of things! Kalemela na Businza, hela niingi Kalemela and Businza, a lot of money Nalimanija, n’a Bahindi kuheba! I guess, even more than the Indians! Buli magunguli jiliko In every township, they are there