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Music & Movement from East Africa:

Twaingia We’re Entering the Stage

This video is an edited version of the Kenya Sing & Dance version. Twaingia is a Swahili song that is quite often used to start off a program. The lyrics for a show opening version are as follows:

Twaingia, twaingia watoto, twaingia chakacha.
  We children are entering the stage [dancing] chakacha [style].

This song can be performed as a welcoming song by changing the words (and a slight melodic modification) to:

Twawasalimu, twawasalimu wageni, twawasalimu hamjambo.
   We welcome you visitors, hello.

This song can also be performed as an exit/farewell song by changing the words to:

Twaondoka, twaondoka watoto, twaondoka kwaheri.
We children are leaving the stage, good-bye.

Kenya Sing & Dance offers more verses of this song as well as an alternate field recording.

See more videos on Tim Gregory’s YouTube Page