Track Listing

1. Introduction
2. Kanje Kanje
3. Rain Chant
4. There Come Our Mothers
5. Nomyekelo
6. Finger Dance
7. Thekwane
8. Vulani Ringi Ring
9. Boy Who Turned into a Cat
10. Paparam Vingo
11. Shabalala
12. Two Shelleni
13. Mbube (Wimoweh) (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)
14. Peace Be With You

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21835 in Music
• Released on: 1994-03-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
The jewel in the crown in the Music for Little People catalog, Gift of the Tortoise is stunning in its beauty and uncompromising in its delivery of excellence. Expressed from the viewpoint of a very wise tortoise, the lush harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo are supported by renowned guitarist Johnny Clegg and storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, creating a captivating blend of Zulu lore, South African history, and that country's brave optimism in the post-Apartheid era. As the drama unfolds, the listener is drawn into the spell cast by this marvelous group of players as they carry out the chant of ancestral names on "Two Shelleni," the folk legend of the "Boy Who Turned into a Cat," and the classic "Mbube (the Lion Sleeps Tonight)." --Paige La Grone

From Parents' Choice®
Introduced by South African storyteller Gcina Mhlophe as the voice of the tortoise, stories (Boy Who Turned into a Cat), chants (Kanie, Kanje) and songs (Mbube or The Lion Sleeps Tonight) weave in and out of each other through this seamless whole of music and words. Here are striking harmonies, haunting chord progressions and unfamiliar but wonderful vocalizations. Best known in this country through its association with Paul Simon and Graceland, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and leader Joseph Shabalala are committed to preserving and disseminating traditional African music.

Customer Reviews

Beautifully rendered story and song of South Africa
This trip to South Africa, with Zulu stories and song, is captivating -- well-beloved by my three-year-old and six-year-old. The production values are very high. Storyteller Gcina Mhlophe's beautiful, expressive voice and transparent love of her country make this a real treasure. Get an extra copy; after you and your children enjoy it you will want to give it to others.

Gift of Excellent Music
This CD is a musical journey. Ostensibly a children's recording, it is rich in harmony and diversity of sound. Some songs sound hauntingly familiar -- possibly because the theme is one that children sing all around the world. The acapella voices are accompanied only by percussion and sometimes percussive vocal sounds. The entire album takes the form of a story -- each song progressing naturally into another. The finale, "In the Jungle" is the best rendition of this song that I have ever heard, and brought tears to my eyes! Incidentally, my musical experience is almost exclusively classical, and the Zulu harmony is now one of my favourite musical forms! Don't take my word for it -- listen to it, share it with a child, and watch his or her body respond to the gentle rhythms and patterns!

A kids tape YOU will actually enjoy!
The idiot who gave this a poor review because there was too much talk is just WRONG.

My kids love this cd. They ask for it over and over. The surprize was that I like to listen to it too. (I can't stand those Wee Sing style tapes.) So this is a great alternative for those long road trips when you are trapped in a confined space with either whining kids or an annoying kids tape. Plus LBMs music is very calming.

Now my kids are turned on to Ladysmith Black Mombazo and they are quite content to listen to the adult LBM alblums too. So throw those Wee Sing tapes in the trash!