This song is usually be found under the name "Tina Singu" or "Thina Singu" (even though those are incorrect). The 2nd verse is often sung as a two part round with Group A singing one line and Group B singing the other.

"I know this song, we grew up singing it at primary school. I am not sure if the schools still let pupils sing like we used to, it helped us preserve the music." -Bheki Sitshela

Notes

*"To be precise, 'watsha' or 'washa' is the imperative form of 'to burn'. It means you are being burned or you will be burned as you say Lisa. 'Ukutsha' means to be burned in Zulu/Ndebele.

We sang the song to warn opponents to watch out they'll get burned or they are getting burned. We used to sing the song in sports to intimidate our opponents. I am not quite sure for people who used to sing it originally, in the older days, as to under what circumstances they used to sing the song." -Bheki

*****

"I really do not know the original composer of the song and I doubt proper records exist to show the true origin. The song is sung in almost all Nguni languages and cultures: Zulu, Ndebele, Sotho, Swati. However chances are high it originated in Zulu, because Zulu is a bigger community than the rest, and there is many works of arts, music etc., even historically." -Bheki Sitshela

"No owner it's a traditional song." -Cde Mantsarimpande

Comments

If any Zulu speaker would like to sing this for us, please email me. Thanks! Mama Lisa

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Bheki Sitshela for providing the correct lyrics to this song, the translation, and for commenting on it! Thank to Cde Mantsarimpande for commenting too.