“Che Che Koolay is sung in many countries in Africa and all over the world.
It’s a call-and-response song with actions. The leader sings a line and then the group repeats it. All lines are chanted, while performing actions to the beat. Since there’s no exact way to translate this song, we give explanations of the lyrics instead of an English translation. Please note that “Kye Kye Kule” is pronounced, “chay chay kool-lay”.
1. “‘Kye Kye Kule’ is a widely understood phrase that is meant to get others’ attention to chant or sing folk songs in unison.
2. Kofi is the name of a person. ‘Kye Kye Kofi Sa’ is getting Kofi’s attention.
3. ‘Kofi Sa Langa’ is an attempt to derive words from the ‘Kofi Sa’ in the previous line.
4. ‘Kaka Shi Langa’ does the same and bears some semblance to what a native English speaker may consider rhyming lines.
5. ‘Adende Kum’ describes the action of bending to touch the feet. ‘Adende’ literally means a ‘see-saw’ or up-and-down motion and ‘Kum’ is an onomatopoeia associated with the downward motion. If a child were learning the accompanying actions, the ‘Kum’ portion naturally coincides with the downward motion.” -William
Phrase 1 – Pat head 4 times Phrase 2 – Tap shoulders 4 times while twisting torso from side to side Phrase 3 – Put hands on hips, continue to twist torso Phrase 4 – Tap knees Phrases 5 & 6 – “kum” = tap ankles, “addenda” = tap waist, “hey” = hands up over head
