Kanyoni Kanja

Lyrics

1. Kanyoni kanja, kanyoni kanja,
Gakugwanja na mītheko

2. Ndakoria atīrī, ndakoria atīrī,
Wamīcore watinda ku?

3. Ndatinda kairi, Ndatinda kairi,
Ngiaragania mbīrīgītī.

4. Ī mbīrīgītī, ī mbīrīgītī,
Na ndinainū, kia kagoto.

5. Kagūa irianī? Kagūa irianī?
Gwa cū cū wa kamirūkio.

Translation (Kikuyu language)

1. Little bird, little bird,
Laughing and rolling around.

2. I asked him,  I asked him,
“Little striped one where have you been?”

3. “At the quarry, at the quarry,
Spreading little stones.

4. “All the rocks I left, all the rocks I left
And I lost all my little stones.”

5. “You lost them where? You lost them where?”
“All the stones fell into the sea.”

See also

• folk songs from Kenya
• songs about birds
• songs with triplets
• songs with chords I & V
• source: Wee Sing Around the World,Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp, Price Stern Sloan, 1994

Extras for Plus Members

• Song with chords (PDF)
• MIDI file
• Listen