Annikah always comes home with new songs that she learns at school. Most of the English songs she sings with a Tanzania accent (or wrong words all together) but if we try to advise her of the “correct” words or pronunciation she gets quite ornery and rebuts “Mama, that is not how my teacher says it”. In order to maintain peace we often allow her to sing it the way she hears it (which often results in giggles around here as we try to figure out what she thinks it is…like for example “ba, ba, black sheep” around these parts goes something like this “ba,ba, brick sleep, etie etie wool“). Although English songs sometimes take a beating the Kiswahili ones are pretty fabulous and fun for even us to learn. This is one of my favorite ones she sings because she always does it with such gusto. Plus, almost everyone here seems to know it and if she starts it someone always finishes it with her. Kids, adults, even a teenage guy sang with her when we were walking down our street yesterday.
Pretty sweet. A silly song about ducks presented with a few mistakes but enough adorable-ness to make up for it….
http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377

Mabata madogo dogo wanaogelea (x2)
katika shamba zuri la bustani
Wanapenda kutembea bila viatu, bila viatu (x2)
katika shamba zuri la bustani
Wanapenda kulia “kwa,kwa, kwa,kwa,kwa,kwa” (x2)
katika shamba zuri la bustani
little ducks swimming (x2)
in the beautiful countryside in a garden
They like to walk without shoes, without shoes (x2)
in the beautiful countryside in a garden
They like to cry “quack….” (x2)
in the beautiful countryside in the garden
  1. Anonymous says:

    Sweet! Although I noticed a sweatshirt on Anni! Dipping into the upper 80s already? LOL

  2. Anonymous says:

    I love it!!! What a good idea to make a video of it – loved hearing her sing it on skype, but now I can watch it over and over!! She's doing great on the bike balancing. What's up with the sweatshirt???? Are you becoming true Tanzanians who wear coats when we'd be wearing bikinis???

  3. Anonymous says:

    Yeah, so Miss A decides she wants to be like her friends who wear aweatshirts b/c it is the cold season and by cold I mean “less makes you want to slit your wrists hot” season. For sure she is a weirdo but I chose my battles…

  4. Anonymous says:

    Sweet song – it seems like it is cooler now, when Anni can wear a sweatshirt! GREAT! Here it´s still most of the time much to cold – realy no summertime most of the days!Great to see Anni on the bike. Looks like she got the drive now and has a lot of fun with it! Perfect!

  5. Anonymous says:

    Love to hear her sweet voice and see that smile anytime. Rhoda mentioned skype. Is your computer working again? Can we skype for Father's Day since G and G will be up at the lake then, and Katy will be home, and maybe Rob? Man can she zip along on her bike. When did she get that? She's so big!

  6. Anonymous says:

    that is our team leader's family bike- she is borrowing it- we still need to look for one for her. We can try Father's Day- although I will be gone helping a friend until 6 or 7pm?

  7. Anonymous says:

    i don't know which is better…the song or the bike!! fun stuff!!