Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free
National anthem of Zambia | |
Also known as | (English: Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free) |
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Lyrics | G. Ellis, E.S. Musonda, J.M.S. Lichilana, I. Lowe, J. Sajiwandani, and R.J. Seal, 1973 |
Music | Enoch Sontonga, 1897 |
Adopted | 14 September 1973 |
Preceded by | "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" |
Audio sample | |
Instrumental version |
"Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free" is the national anthem of Zambia. The tune is taken from the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (English: "Lord Bless Africa"), which was composed by Xhosa composer Enoch Sontonga, in 1897. The lyrics were composed after Zambian independence to specifically reflect Zambia, as opposed to Sontonga's lyrics, which refer to Africa as a whole.
History
"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" started to become popular in South Africa in 1923 as a Christian hymn. It became a closing hymn for
In September 1973, the National Assembly passed the National Anthem Act, which legally defined the English lyrics of "Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free" as the national anthem of Zambia. The Act also made it an offence to "insult or bring into contempt or ridicule" the anthem and granted the President of Zambia the rights to prescribe how the anthem is sung and to restrict its use.[2]
Lyrics
On occasions requiring brevity, usually the first verse and chorus are sung.
English lyrics (official)[2] | Bemba lyrics | Chewa lyrics | Tonga lyrics
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I her people join as one,Brothers under the sun. All one, strong and free. III One land and one nation is our cry, Dignity and peace 'neath Zambia's sky, Like our noble eagle in its flight, Zambia, praise to thee. All one, strong and free. Chorus: Praise be to God, Praise be, praise be, praise be, Bless our great nation, Zambia, Zambia, Zambia. Free men we stand Under the flag of our land. Zambia, praise to thee! All one, strong and free. |
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Criticism
In 2005, Zambian women's groups petitioned for a number of the lyrics in "Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free" to be changed, because they felt that they were too male orientated. In response, it was decreed that the current lyrics did include women in context, and it was stated that "Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free" was "composed of historical lyrics that reflect the country's heritage."[3]
In 2012, Professor Michelo Hansungule repeated the concerns that the Zambian national anthem was too masculine. He also argued that because it had the same tune as the national anthem of South Africa, it might have intellectual property implications and suggested that Zambia's sovereignty could be questioned.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Millennium". Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services. 2000. p. 3.
- ^ a b "National Anthem Act, Cap 7". Zambia Legal Information Institute. 1973-09-14. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
- ^ "Zambia Âť". Nationalanthems.info. 1964-10-24. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
- ^ Chanda, Ernest (2012-08-29). "Coat of Arms, National Anthem outdated - Prof Hansungule". The Post. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
3. https://www.parliament.gov.zm/sites/default/files/documents/acts/National%20Anthem%20Act.pdf