African Homeland

Ensemble:
Dear Celie, Dear Celie, Dear Celie,
Dear Celie, Dear Celie, Dear Celie,
Dear Celie, Dear Celie, Dear Celie,
Dear Celie, Dear Celie, Dear Celie,

Nettie:
Dear Celie, oh, I love you
Years go by and still you're with me
All we share is one big sky
I pray for your reply
I teach your children abc’s
For a missionary family
These babies sent by God are yours
Nettie & Celie:
Adam and Olivia, alive, alive!
Nettie:
I vibrated like a bell
When I saw the African coast
And I kneeled down and thanked God
Celie:
Thank God
Nettie & Celie:
Thank God
Nettie:
For letting us see the land
Where our mothers and fathers died
African homeland
Nettie & Celie:
Homeland, land of my people, people
All:
People!
Nettie:
We are gonna be working with a tribe called the Olinka
Chief:
Linga
Villagers:
Linga
Chief:
Oba
Villagers:
Oba
Chief:
Batuwanga
Men:
Ada doon da yay
Chief:
Linga
Villagers:
Linga
Chief:
Oba
Villagers:
Oba
Chief:
Batuwanga
Men:
Ada doon da yay
Chief & Villagers:
Linga
Nettie:
Linga
Chief & Villagers:
Oba
Nettie:
Oba
Chief & Villagers:
Batuwanga
Chief, Villagers, Celie & Kids:
Linga
Nettie:
We are
Chief, Villagers, Celie & Kids:
Oba
Nettie:
Happy
Nettie:
At the center
Of the universe
Chief, Villagers, Celie & Kids:
Linga
Nettie:
We are
Chief, Villagers, Celie & Kids:
Oba
Nettie:
Happy
Nettie:
At the center
Of the universe
Chief & Villagers:
Oh dee dee oo day oo day oo dadoo day doo da day
Oh dee dee oo day oo day oo dadoo day doo da day
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Women:
Oh yo oon daday
Chief & Villagers:
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Women:
Oh yo oon daday
Chief & Villagers:
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Nettie:
My own people
Chief & Villagers:
Oh dee dee oo day oo day oo dadu day doo da day
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Women:
Oh yo oon daday
Chief & Villagers:
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay
Women:
Eeleeyah ooday
Chief & Villagers:
Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

Nettie:
It was like black seeing black
For the first time
Shiny blue black people looking real fine
In brilliant blue robes
That fly on the winds
Like a beautiful quilt
Stitched together by friends
Ooooo
Celie:
You could put everything I knew
In a thimble
What we're taught to be
Don't resemble
The kings and queens
Who for thousands of years
Ruled magnificent cities
Washed away by tears
The Chief:
Ah too bah yah!
Ah too bah yahhhh!
Women, Celie & Nettie:
Ee yea ahn ya
Ee yea ahn ya
Ee yea ahn ya
Ee yea ahn ya oh

Olinka Children / Nettie:
Hey nyah mah ko weem bay / Dear Celie, I've been teaching the Olinka
Oh ko chee yam way / to read. But some of the women
Ah yo yah yo . . . Eee! / have become suspicious of me.
Dwee yum doo way / Because girls have never been
Dah see ma doe ya ya / taught to read here. Girls have never
Oh bo jah ma ma / been taught anything at all.
Ah yo yah yo . . . Eeee! / I don't understand everything they're
Dwee yum doo way / saying, but what it sounds like to me is
African Wives:
What this mess you been preachin'?
Why you tryin' to change us?
Nettie:
They think I should be married
African Wives:
Whoop!
Girl ain't nothing with no man
Why you makin' a big fuss?
Whoop!
Need a husband and children
Or you're gonna be nothing
Nettie:
I am nobody's mother
But I am somebody
African Wives:
Girls don't need education
Nettie:
Sound like the white folks back home
African Wives:
Best be knowing your station
Nettie & Celie:
But not my Olivia!
African Wives / African Warrior:
Hmmmmmmm / Matenga!
Nettie:
Our village was destroyed by the white soldiers, so now we have walked with so
many other refugees to a tent camp across the border. I don't know how I will mail this letter.
We walk away from this ravaged land
With courage deep in our hearts
To face the unknown
Nettie & Olinka:
Together
Nettie:
We'll find a place where we can be
Where spirit rise and soul is free
Oh people
Olinka:
Oon day unndala!
Nettie:
My people
Olinka:
Oon day unndala!
Nettie:
I have faith that God will let us see each other again before we die, Celie.
And you must have faith too.
I only hope that when that day comes, we are not too old to recognize each other.
Olinka / Men:
We walk away / ahummmmmm, hummmmmm, hummmmmm
Nettie:
Your sister,
Olinka / Men:
We walk away / ahummmmmm, hummmmmm, hummmmmm
Celie:
Nettie
Men:
hummmmmm