A rooted voice

A rooted voice
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Knowing who I am is nothing
If I don't know where I'm from
My roots are my backbone in life
A strong family tree takes me home
Makes me who I am, gives a background

Mama, a woman so rooted in culture
Her knowledge of Africanism is amazing
Married to a proud clan name rooted her
My life was shaped as a child into knowing my lineage

As an African man your clan name is where your roots are, you're blood bound
My clan name is Gambu, who is a child of Memela, Memela who is Nontuli's child
I can't marry into the surname of the Memelas nor of the Nontulis

Mama with a voice so rooted and so invested in grooming an African man 
I knew my lineage and my place from a young age, my mouth was shaped into words, respect for women is in my family tree, she knows that

Love thy neighbor as your own family is not only from the Bible is just a voice from a rooted mama guiding a young man into manhood the best way she knows how
What she was getting from my Tata she wanted another woman to get it from me
I'm part of the roots of that family tree
To her my family and myself gives praises
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© Lungi Shigo Msusa