Background / Meaning
This song is a deep cultural and philosophical reflection on language, identity, globalization, and cultural erosion. It explores how indigenous languages are being weakened
by foreign influence, social change, and generational shifts. The narrator expresses concern that language is no longer respected or preserved, and that society is drifting into
confusion about identity, values, and communication.
The song uses travel, education, religion, and international experiences as metaphors
to compare cultures, ultimately emphasizing that language is the foundation of identity
and cultural survival.
The Growing Crisis of Cultural and Linguistic
Erosion
Simanyi eby’eno Mukama takyawuliza
Tuyaayaanya akanyego sikyakwasa
Mpulira obulumi obw’ekika ekikambwe nze
Ne bwempoloma kitange takyampuuna
Guzibu nnyo gwatwetibira ekyasa kino
Gwasooka mu bato mu ngeri ey’olusaago
Gukubye livaansi okugyago abakyayoonka
Oguzibu gwe gumu ogufuŋŋanye abakadde wano
Lukonvu wa ddala mpaawo anaavumula
Lulina ebeete lunaawuuka ne mu b’ebweru
Ne lwegirisanga nga mpaawo agaana nako
Kigambo kya nnaku! Ensi etuluzaawa eno
Loss of Linguistic Identity and Cultural Self-Worth
Tuvuga livaansi oba ŋŋenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana engeri ng’eno
Lwenjagala n’okukkira enkoofiira
Esooka ku mubiri my byambalo ewange
Mulabbayi ki ono atuwubya zaaya oyo
Ow’engeri ez’ekijambula nga zino
Zajja awagika mu mbeera ey’enteeko
Ffe ne twetaagulira empya mwe tuzaalwa nate
Lwaki olulimu lufuuse ekitakyasanyusa!!
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
Na bali ayagala n’ensolo tuzisanga omwo
Ne tubeera nga ffe ensi mwe tutakyazaalwa
Chorus. Lament for the Neglect of Indigenous
Language
Tuvuga livaansi oba tugenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana nga luti
Lwonna ne lufuuka ekitakyasanyusa
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
Nvuga livaansi oba ŋŋenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana nga luti
Lwonna ne lufuuka ekitakyasanyusa
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
Lessons from Other Nations: Language, Patriotism, & Cultural Preservation
Buli asobola ajja kuwa ekirowoozo wano
Tubuulirize nnyo mu bakadde n’abaana
Tuzuule ekiritwawula mu bagwira ffe
Tufune n’ennyota etugatta wano mu by’enjatula
Nze kye mmanyi ekiyiinza otukola enjawulo
Nkulamuse eradde onyannukule maamu
N’abuuza agaandi nti ni malungi batyo
Buli omu ammanye munne obuvo n’obuddo
Jjuuzi nva wano ŋŋenda mu z’ebweru
Nzigukidde London nnatuuka ne Germany
Obwongo nnasimbula na bwa njawulo
Naye bali bandoga olugambo nze
Bwe luba olungereza ddala lubeera olwo
N’owe Germany ŋŋaali mu lwa boobwe
Okukyusaamu mpozzi abeera ayamba ggwe
Ffe empuunyiwuunyi ezizungira gye tutaliggya bibanja
Okuva mba Jamaica nnagukkira Cairo
Ekibuga ekikulu eky’ensi gye bayita Misiri
Olwabwe balusinza ngeri ya ddiini
Gwe muwazi mwe bayita okwogera n’omukama
Ngeraageranya ebya wano n’ebye Misiri
Bayizi ba yunivasite bannambula nnyo
Bava Yuganda naye babangukkira mu lwe Misiri
Ffe ezaawano tuzifudde ebidiba omuwugwa
Gye bayita Summer nnimi z’abazungu
Gwe gw’omusana mu mbeera y’obudde
Lwe ntuuka ku lukalu lwe Misiri
Ne nsaanga enjawulo okuva gye mbeera eka
Baakuŋŋaana nnyo mu bifo eby’enjawulo
Ne bayita omukungu ddala owa maanyi
N’abatendeka okwagala ensi yaabwe
N’omuto akugamba nti teri nsi esiinga eno
Ffe tuvuga livaansi oba tugenda maaso
Eggwanga lyaffe oddobonkana engeri ng’eno
Banange ne lifuuka ekibuza adigida
Ne tubeera nga ffe ensi mwe tutakyazaalwa
Refrain: A Warning Against Cultural and Linguistic Decline
Tuvuga livaansi oba tugenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana nga luti
Lwonna ne lufuuka ekitakyasanyusa
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
Nvuga livaansi oba ŋŋenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana nga luti
Lwonna ne lufuuka ekitakyasanyusa
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
The Contradiction Between Language Pride and
Language Abandonment
Nvuga livaansi oba ndi kulwa maaso
Ennimi z’ensi yange oddobonkana nga ziti
Nze nzire mukulozoolera ng’ente
Wateekwa okuba ekikyukamu ku nsonga eno
Oba nga bawansolo balina ezaabwe
Ez’obuzaalirwana ziyite ennono ez’enjawulo
Ani yali awulidde ente eboggola ng’embwa
Mwe abategera ne mulemwa okwekakasa ezamwe
Byazibuwadde simanyi anaajjulira
Omusango guno ajja ogenda oguwoza
Tugende okweziribangira mizoobe wano
Lulimi ki lwe twekakasa lwe tunakozesa?
Namugiinga yasooka mbayivu banange
Okukwata emiggo okulukubira abaana
Mbu bbo ennimi babangulirwa mu nzungu
Owmana naava buto nga yenyiye olulimi lwa boobwe
Ndi mummatiza ntya oyo bwa mala oddusoma
Nti ah! lwe bakubira sirulwo kwata nnyweza luno
Kyebava batwegaana bweba mala ozisoma
Ku bubaga bwabwe bekulisiza mu z’ebweru
Nsaba ontegeere bulungi sivumirira nzungu
Nnimi z’abagunjufu tuzagala nnyo
Naye ki ekibagaana otuffisiza akadde
Olwaffe okulusomesezanga abaana
Mulyoke mu tunaawulize ezo kumbalama z’amazzi
Ez’emisaayi emitabike emizira buvo na buddu
Abajja okusubula amasanga n’abaddu
Baakutwala nga lwa mpaka yagala oba onoogaana
Language as the Root of Heritage, Identity, and
Social Memory
N’emize gy’ekiriisa maanyi ndaba gy’ava eyo
Ne gyijja gibuna amawanga gaaboobwe
Wano tegyaliwo twali ba ddembe ffe
Mu lulimi lwo ahh gw’osiimye oyogereza mwogereze
Twandikulembedde enkalala z’abayiya
Gye buva ne bwenkana babe bakuyita ani wano
Mu kweyogerako bwetusooka amannya
Mu ggwanga lyo galambulula ensibuko
The Consequences of Cultural Amnesia and Linguistic Disconnection
Sikyogeza nkizo waliwo abantu wano
Abakulu ddala mumibiri n’emyaka
Nnavuya tasobola kulambulula mboozi
Eddakiika bbiri nga ajabiikkiriza bintu atyo
Nze ndaba nga ebintu bino tubikoza ffujjo
Ffenna omunankole omucholi n’omusoga
Zinno ndyo zaffe twebuliza buliza bwerere
Mwekakase ennimi zammwe muziwe ne kukitiibwa
Ne mulyoka musoma ne mutuuka ne eyo simanyi wa
Okukubuuza ewammwe ng’oyannukula taboya
Ne mwedibiriza mutyo obuvo n’ensibuko
N’ebyo kulusebenju obabuza enjatula
Tukuza nsi yaffe oba tujjerega gyidibya
Okudaabadaa mu nnimi abaddama n’abakeddi
Basebeeyi mwe abaganda n’abanyori
Kiki tulinga ffe eno ensi mwe tutakyazaalwa
Tukuza nsi yaffe oba tujjerega gyidibya
Okudaabadaa mu nnimi abaddama n’abakeddi
Basebeeyi mwe abaganda n’abanyori
Kiki tulinga ffe eno ensi mwe tutakyazaalwa
Tulina emikolo wano ewaffe egy’enjawulo
Munga ekigambo kuwasa kiwanvuwa nnyo
Okuva mu kwogereza awo tugenda okyaala
Tuutwo okwanjula, okuwayira omuzigo n’okuza
Munnaffe eya kenkuka engwiira eza bwiino
Kaasuze katya mu buwangwa bwa Germany
Oba okulya embuzi mbuvuumi bw’omwana
Ba byogera batya naffe twagala obimanya
Tuziika, twabya ennyimbe, twalula abaana
Twawula ebiggya, amasiiro ku malaalo
Tulina ebikka, emiziro n’obubbiro
Era tuboolagana wano okutangira ebivve
Eby’obuwangwa byonna tuli mu nsenso
Ggwanga mujje egenda okwesibya abazina
Emibala mu genda ogyiyita embuttu
N’ezitukkunga embugga muzityabule muwogola
Anti mwe zonna mu ziyita eŋŋoma ezivuga!!
Language as the Pillar of Civilization and Cultural Continuity
Olulimi y’empagi okwetooloolera ebintu ebyo
Gwe muyondo ogunyweza n’okuwunda endabika
Era y’ensanddaggo ekugira obuvo bw’ensenso
Munoonya kya bugagga ki ekisinga ekino
Ekyatugemulirwa okuva mu ngalo za mmungu
Mutandike okikubako obululu nga mmwe
Musamwe samwe okutongoza engwiira nate
Ddiini ki esomwa abateeseza ensi eno
Wabula abasoma mulina engeri gye mulya ssente
Eyo nayo nsonga esasulibwa obudde!!
Ku nnimi zetulina wano kusukka mw’ataano
Kunaaba kuyikkiriza oba kufutyanka kijooze
Ebifo by’obuvunaanyizibwa kiba kya kivve
Okiwa eyakenkuka olulimi lwa boobwe
Nga kimenya na teeka obutawanuuza ku z’ebweru
Leadership, Education, and the Failure to Preserve Indigenous Languages
N’owulira abakaayanira okulembera ensi eno
Nga talina lulimi lw’alambulula nga ye
Enjogera bbiri nga atankannira mulwa baandi
Leero naavuya nga n’abawulira tebafudde nayo
Oyo jjejerebu ajja babuza embiibya
Mbu gundi muyivu ezaffe zaabalyako ki?
Oba olwa Jjajjawo lwa kitumbaavu
Mu gende babazzukuze gye mukopa ze mufukumula
Buli adibaga olulimi lwe mukafiiri
Mu njogera enyangu oba mulyazaamaanyi
Kitangaala ekimulisa obuzaalirwana
Ki mukijabiikkiriza ate okukifuula enzikkiza
Ki mukijabiikkiriza ate okukifuula enzikkiza
Lulambika empisa olulimi terwogererwa
Omuwaganyavu n’omwetowaze lubaawula enjatula
Lukutunda bw’olukaayukira ekifa mukoko
So terulina kyerulemwa kuba luwulirwa ne Mukama
Wano ebizimbe by’omu bibuga biganaakwoleka
Omukyakalirwa abannene abebbeeyi
Abituuma amannya bwabeera azaalwa wano!
Mukama wandizeemu otuwereza omulokozi
Nnimi ki ezo?
Outro. Final Appeal for Cultural Responsibility
and Linguistic Revival
outro Nnyini kiggwa yakiweebuula banange
Teri agenda kuva mu nsi zaabaandi
Okujja otutendeka okwagala ebyaffe
Ogwo mulimu gwaffe n’eri betunazaala
Oba nga ne bawansolo balina ezaabwe
Na kugambye teeba nga nte eboggola nga mbwa
Ffe ezaffe tuzifudde ebidiba omuwugwa
Okubeera nga ffe ensi mwe tutakyazaalwa
pre-chorus
Nja kudda nzikaatirize ensonga eno
Nga mpulidde ekiva mbakulembezze n’abafuga
Abatebenkeza obuwangwa n’abanaddiini
Nnimi ne gye zasibuka bibagamba amadda
Nja kudda nzikaatirize ensonga eno
Nga mpulidde ekiva mbakulembezze n’abafuga
Abatebenkeza obuwangwa n’abanaddiini
Nnimi ne gye zasibuka bibagamba amadda
Abankumire!!!
Tuvuga livaansi oba tugenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana nga luti
Lwonna ne lufuuka ekitakyasanyusa
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
Nvuga livaansi oba ŋŋenda maaso
Olulimi lwange oddobonkana nga luti
Lwonna ne lufuuka ekitakyasanyusa
Ffe kennyini tulufudde ekidiba omuwugwa
Lyrics Submitted by Ian Balijawa