“Stop lying in the village!” Today’s Kunda-lanaguage song entitled, “Wenya Yaiya” is an overt challenge to Christians and non-Christians alike to be truthful and stop lying to each other. In this age of indirect communication and political correctness in the West it is can be refreshing to hear people “tell it like it is” in a public setting.
Along with the directness of the language, two other things that set this song apart are the ensemble and vocal sound. First, the ensemble is a men’s trio, each with separate parts – highly unusual in most places we travel but not so unlikely in Zambia where choral traditions are very strong. Secondly, the vocal sound is that of a resonant voice trained in western formal style. In contrast, most vocal styles we encounter are more nasal, thin and bright rather than resonant, rich and dark like these men’s voices.
A final point to note with this ensemble is how well rehearsed they are. Notice the precision of their entrances and the clarity and unity of their diction – these are obvious even to someone who doesn’t speak the language.
“Wena Yaiya” was recorded as part of a Kunda song project sponsored by Partners in Bible Translation. Our thanks to Ken and Sue Sawka and their Kunda translation team for inviting us to partner with them in this project.
Enjoy!