‘The song that Shakira released for this edition of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa has reached every corner of the World, but the catchy chorus has a long past deeply rooted in African Culture …today on the wake of this year’s World Cup, the new version has sparked controversy over its true origins…’

I love events that bring our Planet together. Aside from loving football with a passion, I love what the World Cup represents. Every 4 years, this mega-event completely takes over and you feel that there is something bigger than football happening. Watching different nations, cultures and races reach for a common goal usually spark explosions of human color and highlights true human spirit.

Perhaps this is what FIFA had in mind when they chose Shakira’s version of the ‘Waka Waka’ as the official anthem for the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa

It was a great choice, the song Waka Waka, or Zangalewa, is a well-known song in Africa and it has been for many years. But something went a bit sour along the way,  Shakira’s recent version of the ‘Waka Waka’ has resulted in a bit of controversy and it has raised questions over the true meaning of the song (it might even spark a legal battle over its copyrights). To add to the controversy, many Africans consider that Shakira shouldn’t be the official interpreter of the World Cup Song, as most Africans feel it should be sung by an African. To me the important thing is that it raises African music to a Worldwide stage.

At the root of a worldwide controversy is the confusion about the real origins of the recorded track. It is believed that the first commercial recording of the song was by Dominican girl band ‘las Chicas del Can’ in which the chorus was essentially the intro to a very popular merengue hit in 1982 (shown in the video above. A better song in my opinion). This is debatable as some say this was not released by them until 1988. Recent rumors suggest that Wilfrido Vargas, creator of the band, is looming threatening legal action and claiming possible plagiarism of his version of the song (which he renamed ‘El negro no puede’). This sparked a whirlwind of public opinion and misinformation about the true origin of the catchy world cup song.  But you are in luck. Here we explain the real origins of the ‘Waka Waka’…

All girl band and sexy moves aside, Wikipedia states that the song is actually of Cameroonian origin. It is not known with great accuracy what was the native language in which it was sung, but some experts believe it may have been sung originally in “Fang” language spoken in southern Cameroon and Central Africa. Some also believe it may have been originally sung in Ewondo language, also from Cameroon. It’s a song that’s very popular in the villages of Africa and it’s sung with different pronunciations, and sometimes even without knowing the meaning.

According to Wikipedia, “Tsamina” or “Zangaléwa” is a 1986 hit song, originally sung by a makossa group from Cameroon called Golden Sounds who are loved throughout the continent for their silly dances and costumes. The song was such a hit for Golden Sounds that they eventually changed their name to Zangaléwa, too. The song pays tribute to African skirmishers (a.k.a tirailleurs) during WW II. Most of the band members were in the Cameroonian Army themselves and used make up, fake bellies and fake butts for comic relief.

Professor Emery Barrios, a leading music researcher, explains that the album is a song of rebellion against the African military forces that colonized Africa. “The Video is a critique of the military men. When the singer and his companions paint their faces white and pretend to be men in arms of the same colour & background, they act against their own brothers,” said Barrios

{ THE MEANING }

The song, according to some interpreters, means something like:
Tsa mina mina eh eh (Come on, you, you, he he)

Waka waka eh eh (you do, you do, he he)

Tsa mina mina zangalewa (Come on, you, you, who has called you?)

Ana wam ah ah (myself, yeah, yeah)

Zambo eh eh (wait, eh eh, wait, eh eh)

Zambo eh eh

Tsa mina mina zangalewa

Wana wa ah ah

The song has been interpreted and adapted by the following groups or musicians:

•Golden Sounds in the album Zangaléwa
•Adane Best
•Los Condes
•Vic Nees
•Bestmachine (Suriname) Samina mina
•Tom Pease in Daddy Starts To Dance! (1996)
•Blacks a brake y los Tambours Majeurs – album: Les Hauts de Rouen percutent…
•Laughing Pizza en Pizza Party (2004)
•Nakk en Zamina (2006)
•Didier Awadi (Zamouna) – album: Sunugaal (2008)
•BB DJ – Enfant Poli
•Las Chicas del Can, “El negro no puede”
•Shakira – ‘Waka Waka’ (This Time for Africa) with the South African group Freshlyground, (The official Song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) – The Official 2010 Fifa World Cup (Tm) Song

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