> Martin Carthy > Songs > ANC Song (Azicatal)

ANC Song (Azicatal)

[ Roud - ; DT AZEKTRLE ; Mudcat 40954 ; trad.]

This South African Liberation song was widely sung by African National Congress workers after the events in Sharpville in 1958 when protesters were shot at and charged by the military. Martin Carthy sang it with the Three City Four in 1965 on their album The Three City Four.

In 1987, Blue Murder (Jim Boyes, Dave & Heather Brady, Lal, Mike, Norma & Rachel Waterson, and Martin Carthy) sang Azicatal live at the Bracknell Festival, together with Mike Waterson’s song Mole in a Hole. The first of these live recordings was released in 2001 on The Carthy Chronicles, the other one in 2004 on the Watersons’ 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song.

Bram Taylor sang Asikatali in 1989 on his Fellside album Taylor Made. He noted:

This is a compilation of a variety of versions I have heard. This rolling rhythm here could perhaps owe its origins to the motion of the train, carrying South African workers from the townships to their places of employment. In the era when public meetings were banned, travelling together substituted for such meetings. The last three verses were written by Eileen Penman. Thanks to the superb a cappella group ‘Stravaig’ from Scotland for allowing me to crib from their version of this. The original translation was by Pete Seeger.

Lyrics

Blue Murder sing Azicatal

(Every verse is sung twice)

Ah zee ka tar (le), no maz ya boz (zhwa)
See see mis ay ling koo loo lay ko

Oon say ma lung twai lo
on say ma lung twai lo
Oon fo na ma to da
on fo na ma to da

Te na ban twa na ba zay ah preeka
See see mees ay ling koo loo lay ko

Oon say ma lung twai lo
on say ma lung twai lo
Oon fo na ma to da
on fo na ma to da

We do not care if we go to prison
It is for freedom that we’re fighting now

A heavy load, a heavy heavy load
And it will take some real strength

We are the children of Africa
And it’s for freedom that we’re fighting now.

A heavy load, a heavy heavy load
And it will take some real strength

Ah zee ka tar (le), no maz ya boz (zhwa)
See see mis ay ling koo loo lay ko

Oon say ma lung twai lo
on say ma lung twai lo
Oon fo na ma to da
on fo na ma to da

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Wolfgang Hell and to the Mudcat lyrics of Azekatarle whose English verses I changed to the actual singing of Blue Murder.