LOOK: Olivewood crucifix, South Africa
LISTEN: “Indodana” (Son), traditional isiXhosa song from South Africa | Arr. Michael Barrett and Ralf Schmitt, adapt. André van der Merwe, 2014 | Performed by the Stellenbosch University Choir, 2014
Ngob’umthatile eh umtwana wakho Uhlale nathi, eh hololo helele (Repeat) Indodana ka Nkulunkulu Bayi’bethelela, hololo helele (Repeat) Oh Baba! Baba, Baba Yehova! Baba, hololo helele (Repeat)
You took your own son Who lived among us [wailing] (Repeat) The Son of God Was crucified [wailing] (Repeat) Oh Father! Father, Father Jehovah! Father! [wailing] (Repeat) [source]
This song so well captures the mood of mourning that characterizes Good Friday, when the Son of God was slain. “Hololo” and “helele” are wordless expressions of grief. So is the “Zjem zjem zja” sung by the basses, like heaving sobs, on the title word in verse 2. One soprano who performed this piece said that singing the “Oh’s” above the melody felt like singing tears.
“Indodana” is on the Art & Theology Holy Week Playlist.
Art & Theology 