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Senzeni na South African Anti‐Apartheid Song

About the Senzeni na South African Anti‐Apartheid Song

Zulu is one of the official languages of South Africa and is of the Bantu family of languages. Senzeni na is a famous South African anti‐apartheid song. Senzeni na, a powerful song was frequently sung during funerals and anti‐apartheid demonstrations. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.


Father, sons and daughter

About the Senzeni na South African Anti‐Apartheid Song



Zulu is the language of the Zulu people. 10 million people speak Zulu, and most of them (95%) live in South Africa. According Omniglot, during the early 19th century Christian missionaries, including J W Colenso, S B Stone, H Callaway and Lewis Grant devised a way to write Zulu. 

 The first Zulu Christian booklet Incwadi Yokuqala Yabafundayo was written by Newton Adams, George Newton and Aldin Grout between 1837-8 and explained the spelling of Zulu words and the history of the Old Testament. The first Zulu version of the bible was produced between 1845-1883 and in 1859 L. Grout published the first Zulu grammar book.

Senzeni na is a South African anti‐apartheid song. Apartheid is the Afrikaans name given by the white-ruled South Africa's Nationalist Party in 1948 for the institutionalized system of racial segregation. 

 The international community begun to take notice of Apartheid after white South African police opened fire on unarmed black protesters in the town of Sharpeville in 1960, killing 69 people and wounding 186 others. Senzeni na, a powerful song was frequently sung during funerals and anti‐apartheid demonstrations. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.

Senzeni na

Senzeni na?
What have we done?

Sono sethu, ubumyama?
Our sin is that we are black?

Sono sethu yinyaniso?
Our sin is the truth

Sibulawayo
They are killing us

Mayibuye i Africa
Let Africa return

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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