Tonight’s tonight’s the wedding feast
The men arrive with the slaughtered beast
A wail, a chant soon fills the air
For miles around the people hear

Mama Tembu’s getting married here tonight
All the spirits looking, shouting their delight
Mama Tembu’s getting married here tonight
The bones are thrown and love is happy, shining bright

Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja

The neighbours kneel and kiss the bride
The warrior waits, he’s filled with pride
The drummer starts to pound the drum
For miles around they hear the sound

Mama Tembu’s getting married here tonight
All the spirits looking, shouting their delight
Mama Tembu’s getting married here tonight
The bones are thrown and love is happy, shining bright

Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja

And I sighed and I called in the deep of the night
Because never before have I seen such a sight
As the bride Mama Tembu walks out through the door
And the valleys still echoes the sound of the roar

Mama Tembu’s getting married here tonight
All the spirits looking, shouting their delight
Mama Tembu’s getting married here tonight
The bones are thrown and love is happy, shining bright

Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja
Ela chle ghala chle thalakalela paja