The Use and Application of Proverbs in Basotho Accordion Music ...

Peer-Reviewed Paper JMM: The Journal of Music and Meaning, vol. 11, 2012/2013
‘Masoto a thari’:
Se etseng matsoho masoto a thari Tšeole
Banna ee! Se etseng matsoho masoto a thari.(chorus)
Helele! Uena monna oa Ha Ramarou,
Ba ntse ba botsa ha u lule keng Lesotho!
U tla lula u etseng?
Ha u ka lula moo u katile Jenete!
U katile fikara kapa botle!
U tsebe u tla fetoha leloabe.
Lehlohonolo lenong ha le lapa lea solla.
Do not turn your hands into loose ends of baby’s blanket Tšeole.
Men eh do not turn your hands into loose ends of baby’s blanket.
Hi! You man of Ha Ramarou. (chorus)
They are asking why you do not stay in Lesotho!
You will stay and do what?
In this example, the artist sends a message to the entire Basotho nation to refrain from
idleness and laziness while they have hands to work for themselves in order to earn a living.
The proverbs (‘se etseng matsoho masoto a thari’ / ‘Lenong ha le lapa lea solla’) urge lazy
people to stand up and act accordingly to stave off unemployment in Lesotho. The artist
recalls his workmate from Ramarou who is an example of an industrious man who works hard
in order to live. He also sings about himself as an example of a hard-worker who moved from
one place to another looking for a job. He did not sit back and expect to be spoon-fed. These
proverbs could also be said to be didactic while, at the same time, they suggest a course of
positive action to be taken. Just like a hungry vulture that fends for itself, a man must go out
to fight for his survival through thick and thin. These proverbs call on men to work hard and
sweat in order to survive and scorn the idlers.
‘Mokhoka-khoale’:
He! Ntate Tšeole ba u neheletse mokhoka-khoale.
Ba u neheletse ntho e se ka ka letho.(chorus)
‘Nake ngoan’a leboli,
A k’u ba tlohele ba ntšale morao.
Ntho eo ke bonang lapeng la ka Tšeole,
Feela ba tsebe ke ‘moulo ha ke thape.
He! Father Tšeole they are witch-hunting you.
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