Tshihwilili Tshanga
Traditional Venda song
My Drum

Tshivenda Tshihwilili tshanga Mambo Tshanga a tshi lili Mambo: Hu lila tsha Gole Mambo, Gole wa Mulemba Mambo. Hwii! Hwii! English My bull roarer, Mambo Mine does not make a sound, Mambo: Gole's working well, Mambo, Gole the Lemba, Mambo. Whee! Whee!

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A Tshihwilili is a bull–roarer or spinning disc. You can make one by threading a piece of wool through two small holes in the centre of a wooden disc – about 6 x 3 x 0.4 cm. (A button or piece of cardboard can also be used). You wind it up by swinging the disc round the wool, and then unwind it by alternately pulling the wool taut and letting it loose. This causes the disc to turn and make a whirring sound (like Hwi-i! Hwi-i!).

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You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
Tshihwilili Tshanga
Author - Traditional Venda song
Illustration - My Drum
Language - Tshivenḓa
Level - First sentences