| English: God, the Giver of blessings to the Swati people | |
|---|---|
National anthem of  Eswatini | |
| Lyrics | Andrease Enoke Fanyana Simelane |
| Music | David Kenneth Rycroft |
| Adopted | 1968 |
| Audio sample | |
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version | |
"Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati"[a] is thenational anthem ofEswatini. It is a compromise betweenSwazi and Western styles of music and was adopted after independence in 1968.[1] The lyrics were authored by Andrease Enoke Fanyana Kukies Simelane, and the composer of the tune was David Kenneth Rycroft.[2][3]
At the time of Swaziland's upcoming independence from the United Kingdom on 6 September 1968, a new flag was adopted, and it was decided to set up an Anthem Committee and hold a 'National Anthem Competition'. Firstly, a local competition for suitable lyrics in siSwati was held, then a competition for the best musicalsettings was advertised inThe Musical Times in London in early 1967, offering a prize for the winner, with composers being invited to apply to Swaziland's Ministry of Local Administration.[3]
Applicants received the lyrics 10 months later around October 1967, which were in two forms, as the judges had not been able to agree on a single text. With the competition's closing date by 1968, on 1 November 1967 the Ministry issued a circular updating on their progress in the search for lyrics, now narrowed down to the two proposals, and music, still open to submissions. The Ministry stated that the lyrics were to be decided after the musical settings had been judged. Composers could submit music for one or both verses.[3]
The judges eventually narrowed down to four settings of the lyrics to music, which were then each recorded and performed by the choir of the Ionian Music Society ofJohannesburg. The Cabinet was then to decide on which to adopt as the national anthem, but members of the Cabinet wished to hear live performances by a local choir. They requested the choir of Waterford School inMbabane to sing the four settings for them on 9 July 1968. Ultimately, David K. Rycroft's setting of verse A was chosen as the winner.[3]
On 16 August 1968, it was reported inThe Times of Swaziland that Deputy Prime Minister Mfundza Sukati had announced that a choral version of the new anthem would be played onRadio Swaziland every day untilIndependence Day to give people a chance to learn the anthem. Sukati stated that the words were written by Andrease Fanyana Kukies Simelane of Jerusalem School, nearHlatikulu. He also stated that a member of the BritishRoyal Military School of Music had arranged a musical score based on David Rycroft's setting, which was recorded by theBand of the Irish Guards.[3]
The anthem includes several typically Swazi features, such as intricatepolyphony,[2] the principle of 'non-simultaneous entry' of voice parts; certain melodic and harmonic allusions to traditional practice; and a relatively strict adherence to Swazi prosodic conventions, the rhythmic setting of words to music.[3]
| siSwati lyrics[4][5] | IPA transcription[b] | English translation[6][7] |
|---|---|---|
A | 1 | A |
