Shiri yakanaka

Background  

Shiri Yakanaka describes a child speaking to a bird pretty bird and asking where they are going?  The child askes the bird to please come back so they can play together. The bird replies “I am going to the sky, to be like the clouds”. The song has been taught to children in Zimbabwe for many years. It has been said that the song is taught to enhance and strengthen friendships and promote relationships. 

Shona Lyrics  

Shiri yakanaka unoendepi, 

Huya huya huya titambe, 

Ndiri kuenda kumakore,  

Kuti ndifanane nemakore   

Pronunciation Guide 

She-ree, yah-kah-nah-kah, oo-no-en-deh-pee  Whoo-yah, whoo-yah, tee-tam-beh  Ndee-ree, koo-en-dah, koo-mah-koh-reh  Ku-tee, ndee-fah-nan-neh, neh-mah-koh-reh     

Direct English Translation 

 Beautiful bird, where are you going?  Come, come, come, let us play  I'm going to the clouds  To be like the clouds     

Singable English Interpretation  

Pretty little bird, but,  Where did you go to?  

Come now, come now,  play with me  

Look at me fly now, high up in the sky  

Up into the clouds where I love to be,

 Shiri yakanaka. 

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