Ijipita is track by Winky D is a track from the album Njema officially on 2020 New Year’s eve. It’s a play on the biblical story of the Israelites in Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land; a spacious land flowing with milk and honey, Canaan.
The song echoes sentiments most Zimbabweans have felt, that we are in a land of bondage, and the Zimbabwean dream might as well be to leave the country for the Promised Land be it, metaphorically or literally crossing boarders if not oceans.
The album art shows Winky D wearing a crown of chains and during his performance at the album launch he was wearing a jersey worn by prison inmates.
Ijipita
Gaffa Gaffa
Gaffa zvekare
Jussa!
Pandinomuka mangwanani
(when I wake up in the morning)
Ndinozvitarisa pagirazi
(I look at myself in the mirror)
Hakuna ini arinani
(There is no better me)
Mangwana ngasiyane nanhasi
(Let tomorrow be different from today)
Kutsvaga manake kuti mhuri irarame
(Looking for sustenance for my family)
Aiwa harisi dambe
(No, this is not a joke)
Ndatemba tsoka regai ndifambe
( I rely on my feet let me walk)
Bvisai rima pamberi pangu
(Remove the darkness in front of me)
Isai chiedza ndifambe zvangu
(Light up my path)
Hupenyu ndishande hwangu
(let me labour for my life)
Ndakanda nhanho ndabvisa shangu
(Picking up pace I have removed my shoes)
Chorus
Ijipita Ijipita
(Egypt Egypt)
Ijipita Ijipita
Bhabhai ndavekukanda nhanho
(Bye bye I am picking up the pace)
Canaan tapinda tapinda
(Canaan here we come)
Ijipita Ijipita
(Egypt Egypt)
Ijipita Ijipita
Bhabhai ndavekukanda nhanho
(Bye bye I am picking up the pace)
Canaan tapinda tapinda
(Canaan here we come)
Tavekusiya musha kufamba mamaira
(I am leaving home walking the miles)
Vakomana kuchikaira
(Guys it’s a quest)
Tavhunza zvirimberi hakuna adaira
(Asking what’s to come and nobody answers)
Totungamirwa nepasi ndipe nhekwe iya
(The ancestors will lead us, pass me the snuffbox)
Zvinonzi pasi rega ndireve
(its said that, let me say)
Ukasadikitira hauseve
(If you don’t sweat you wont eat)
Tavekutsvaga zvakafa zvega
(We scavenging prey already dead)
Kuvhima kwevasina uta nemuseve
(Hunting as one without a bow and arrow)
Ndoenda ndoenda
(I am going I am going)
Ndoenda ndega kusina mhai
(I am going far from my motherland)
Ndoenda ndoenda
(I am going I am going)
Handina mufudzi ndingori hwai
(I have no shepherd, I am just a sheep)
Bvisai rima pamberi pangu
(Remove the darkness from in front of me)
Isai chiedza ndifambe zvangu
(Light up my path)
Hupenyu ndishande hwangu
(let me labour for my life)
Ndakanda nhanho ndabvisa shangu
(Picking up pace I have removed my shoes)
Chorus
Ijipita Ijipita
(Egypt Egypt)
Ijipita Ijipita
Bhabhai ndavekukanda nhanho
(Bye bye I am picking up the pace)
Canaan tapinda tapinda
(Canaan here we come)
Ijipita Ijipita
(Egypt Egypt)
Ijipita Ijipita
Bhabhai ndavekukanda nhanho
(Bye bye I am picking up the pace)
Canaan tapinda tapinda
(Canaan here we come)
Hupenyu makata
(Life is an uphill journey)
Hausi mutserendende
(Its not a slide downhill)
Ukaramba wakavata
(If you remain sleeping)
Ndiani achavhara vende
(Who will close the gap)
Pane vamwe chingomira mira
(Stand in solidarity with others)
Kumavave kwavano nwira-nwira
(At the watering hole where they drink)
Panganai zano monoteya riva
(Advise each other set hunting traps)
Ndafunga kuyambuka ini ndobira dziva
(I want to cross the great river)
Ndoenda ndoenda
(I am going I am going)
Ndoenda ndega kusina mhai
(I am going far from my motherland)
Ndoenda ndoenda
(I am going I am going)
Handina mufudzi ndingori hwai
(I have no shepherd I am just a sheep)
Bvisai rima pamberi pangu
(Remove the darkness from in front of me)
Isai chiedza ndifambe zvangu
(Light up my path)
Hupenyu ndishande hwangu
(let me labour for my life)
Ndakanda nhanho ndabvisa shangu
(Picking up pace I have removed my shoes)
Chorus
Ijipita Ijipita
(Egypt Egypt)
Ijipita Ijipita
Bhabhai ndavekukanda nhanho
(Bye bye I am picking up the pace)
Canaan tapinda tapinda
(Canaan here we come)
Ijipita Ijipita
(Egypt Egypt)
Ijipita Ijipita
Bhabhai ndavekukanda nhanho
(Bye bye I am picking up the pace)
Canaan tapinda tapinda
(Canaan here we come)
Ndapinda Canaan
(I am in Canaan)
Kupinda ini ndapinda
(I am in I am within)
Ndapinda Canaan
(I am within Canaan)
Aewa in ndapinda
(I am within)
~B
PS I have no idea what Gafa means it’s something I have long wanted to know, if you do please tell me.
I tried my best to translate the song but if you notice any errors do tell me, I know there were times I kinda just winged it…
It’s a lovely song. Thanks for the translation. Gaffa is British slang for boss – usually the person you work for.
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Thanks glad to have contributed to a little cultural Expo 😃😃😂
Interesting thing about the boss gaffa thing, so basically he starts by introducing himself as The Boss makes sense since at some point he would introduce himself as The Big Man
Of artists and the titles they give themselves 😂
Thanks
~B
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this is great!
oh, and i may or may not need a translation of the whole album 😂
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Thanks
Hahahaha I may or may not be working on translating a couple other tracks from the album 😂😂
~B
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A catchy beat.
I’m glad you came clean at the end, because I was going to ask what is wrong with you for not translating the beginning lines.
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Haha that’s why they in italics too lol.
Its a catchy beat and very sing alongy too
~B
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