Today I met a Xhosa woman whom I will call Sisig to protect her privacy. Like Steve Biko, Sisig grew up in a poor Xhosa family. She was only 142cm tall. The public health system threw us together. Sisig put a cannula into a vein in my arm, she works as a nurse. Steve Biko studied medicine. I asked Sisig the meaning of Sinzeni Na? She said it meant “what did we do do wrong” and was an anti-apartheid song. I looked it up on my phone and found that it was sung at Steve Biko’ funeral after he was assassinated by the apartheid regime. I think I remember the song from the film ‘Biko’. I asked Sisig if she had seen the film. She replied she had seen many films from the apartheid era. “I am black and have daily experiences (of my colour) … I am over it (the apartheid era)”.
Sisig asked me how I knew that song. I told her that I had heard it at a local concert. On Sunday (21 May 2023) I attended the Anita Reed Peace concert at the Coorparoo Memorial hall and the Songshine choir led by Greta Hunter sang: Sinzeni Na? – What did I do wrong?
Origins of the song are not clear. Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi wrote a song by the same title, “Senzeni Na?” on the day that activist Chris Hani died. In those days the apartheid regime was murdering future leaders. This was followed by truth and reconciliation in South Africa.
The Premier and Minister for the Olympics, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says: ““What we do next on the Path to Treaty will define our humanity, our sense of fairness, and the legacy we leave our children.” Queensland police will have to stop shooting blackfellas up North before anyone will seriously believe what the government says. They rule for the South-East and the rest does not matter to them. And when are they going to take the Queen out of Queensland?
The lyrics of “Senzeni na?” vary but these are some with the English translation below.
Senzeni na?
Sono sethu, ubumnyama?
Sono sethu yinyaniso?
Sibulawayo
Mayibuye i Africa
English translation
What have we done?
Our sin is that we are black?
Our sin is the truth
They are killing us
Let Africa return
Listening to this beautiful song leaves me with a sense of desolation, remembering the apartheid struggles both in South Africa and in Queensland. Here, because aboriginal people were put on reserves and their human rights taken away. Black deaths in Custody. Stealing aboriginal children still. Over there, because the apartheid regime killed a whole generation of young leaders including Steve Biko and Chris Hani.
Ian Curr
22 May 2023
Reference
“Biko” by Donald Woods Paddington Press 1978