An uplifting gathering song from Kenya. I use this one often when opening a circle. “Welcome to my village, you are all a part of my village, we are all one village.” I learned this song from my dear singing sister Debbie Nargi-Brown.
Lyrics:
Ay Yai mochi numba
Ay Yai mochi numba
Go berri samba mochi numba
Go berri samba mochi numba
Go berri chickede mochi numba
Go berri chickede mochi numba
I learned this chant from a Walela CD. This is a simplified version that I arranged for my circles and my choir. In my women’s singing circles, I have women take turns standing in the middle to receive the blessing of women’s voices singing them home. We sometimes speak out loud what we see and honor about the woman / women standing in the center.
This traditional chant is in the public domain.
Lyrics:
Yo way ee oh, yo way oh way
Yo way oh hi ya, yo way oh hi ee ya
Yo wa oh, hey ya, hey yo, hey ya, hey yo, hey ya, hey yo yo way
Hi
I loved to sing this beautifully uplifting song from Macedonia with my a cappella quartet, SIRENZ, and now with my Yala Lati Women’s choir! With my song circles, I will just teach the first verse. A song of hope and a vision of normalcy in a war-torn part of the world. Tight harmonies and a 7/8 rhythm keep it interesting. I learned this song from Kitka, who learned it from Ethel Raim.
You can learn more about the history of the song here.
Used with permission from the women of Kitka.
Sheet Music: Please contact Heather
Translation:
“Što Mi E Milo” has been variously translated as “what I would like” or “how dear it is to me” or “I’m glad.”
How I would like to have a shop
In the town of Struga
Hurry, young Kalino
To sit by the door
And watch the young girls of Struga go by
Hurry, young Kalino
As they fetch the water
With their brightly colored jugs
Hurry, young Kalino
And meet with their friends at the well
Hurry, young Kalino
Lyrics:
Sto mi e milo, milo i drago
Vo struga grada, mamo, duk’an da imam
Lele varai, mome, mome Kalino
Vo struga grada, mamo, duk’an da imam
Na k’epencite, mamo, da sedam
Struzkite momi mamo momi da gledam
Lele varai mome, mome Kalino
Struzkite momi mamo momi da gledam
Koga na voda, voda mi odat
So tija stomni mamo, stomni sareni
Lele varai, mome, mome Kalino,
So tija stomni, mamo, stomni sareni
Na ovoj izvor, izvor studeni,
Tam da se zdruzki, mamo, zdruzki soberat
Lele varai, mome, mome Kalino,
Tam da se zdruzki, mamo, zdruski soberat
