Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika

British  

/ ŋˈkosɪ ˌsɪkɛˈlɛlɪ ˌɑfrɪˈkɑ /

noun

1. the unofficial anthem of the Black people of South Africa, officially recognized as a national anthem (along with parts of `Die Stem' and an English verse) in 1991

---

Etymology

Origin of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika

from Xhosa, Lord Bless Africa

Example Sentences

After the gallery swarmed the green and sang the South African national anthem, “Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrika,” Player and Els recounted it as one of the most moving moments of their lives in golf.

From Golf Digest

Place Jo Cox has been inaugurated to the melancholic chords of a Balkan folk song and the anti-apartheid hymn Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika as Brussels honoured the murdered MP in a ceremony attended by her family and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

From The Guardian

Before the semifinal against Australia, he urged the Springboks’ overwhelmingly white supporters to sing “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika,” the Xhosa verse of South Africa’s national anthem, with the same fervor they gave to “Die Stem,” the Afrikaans verse.

From New York Times

Several students regrouped, and started singing the banned liberation anthem, “Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrika,”or “Lord Bless Africa.”

From Time

Like the South African anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, wouldn't it be great if it had a line or two from each of our national languages - Welsh and Lowland Scots and Irish and Scots Gaelic, as well as English?

From BBC