What's the true meaning of "Siembamba"?

Answer 1

Siembamba is a lullaby sang by children's mothers. It's quite a gruesome tale to sing to your baby. See below.

SIEMBAMBA

Siembamba, mommy's baby,
Siembamba, mommy's baby,
Twist his neck and hit him on his head,
Throw him in the ditch and he'll be dead.

Siembamba, mommy's baby,
Siembamba, mommy's baby,
Just for love she throws him in the ditch,
Mommy's sweet little, sweet little....baby

I only have to following from the Africaans:
Siembamba, mamma se baba (x2)
draai sy nek om, gooi hom in die sloot
trap op sy kop dan is hy dood.

I don't know if this is the true meaning, but I think this song is a symbol of SA's violent past. I believe this song is a form of satire that represents how the mother will protect the baby from the harm of others. No good mother who loves her child would ever try to harm or destroy it. However, history has shown us that in times of violence, a stranger will hurt and kill a child in the blink of an eye. A good example is the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. I think the underlining message the mother is saying is this "Any harm to you will be done by me not by another person, because 'I love you'. It is a last resort and my greatest fear and I will protect you until the day comes I have to do it because I'll never want you to suffer from the hands of others who do not love you"

Answer 2

Chachee - Well done on doing the research, but i think you might be reading too much into it.
If its indictive of anything, its the fact that there are very dangerous snakes in this part of the world; and the mamba is one of the most dangerous of any snakes. Surely parents should warn their children of these snakes, and what to do when one sees a mamba.
And also, dont forget that south africans, especially in the past, live very close to nature; its quite important to know whats dangerous....

Answer 3

The only explanation that I could find was that it came from ''sien 'n mamba ''
It was first written by C.Louis Leipold 1880-1949 but CJ Langenhoven wrote his own version in 1978 and someone else wrote the tune of the song wich we are al familiar with ! Have you seen the version that came from concentration camp days ? Check this out :
http://www.peterjasie.co.za/siembamba.html
Good question ,we sang it our whole life without knowing what it means .

Answer 4

Sien Mamba Mamma se kindjie
Draai sy nek om gooi hom in die sloot
Trap op sy kop dan is hy dood.......

It is about a snake the Mamba. The mother sings to her baby that if he sees the Mamba he should kill it.

Answer 5

They talk about snakes, illegitimate child, Xhosa wars. Have a look at this blog.

http://funkymunky.co.za/siembamba.html

Answer 6

Doesn't it mean, "sie' 'n mamba" = if you see a mamba (snake)?