Yelina (Track)

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Field of Interest: Anthropology
Copyright Message: Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Description: Yelina, Yelina, Yelina-e! Yelina timphinjili tanji ta m'matako tosacoka, Mwadula mwana akwegwano mwahizaye. -- (as written) "Yelina, what are those charms around your waist? You have risked the life of your baby and may lose him." A young woman has been seen weaving a string of wooden beads as a charm around her waist. So the other women sing: "What has she been doing to need such a charm?" The local belief is that if either the husband or wife commits adultery while the child is being born or during the time the woman is pregnant -- there will be a risk of the child being stillborn. The charm worn in this case was taken as a sign that the mother-to-be had misbehaved herself and was trying to guard against the consequences by wearing a string of wooden beads around her waist.
Content Type: Field recording (raw)
Duration: 3 mins
Anthropologist / Ethnographer: Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Format: Audio
Sub Genre: Dance, Song
Series Number: TR098
Subject: Anthropology, World Music, Social Sciences, Music & Performing Arts, Cultural anthropology, Africa