From the recording The Land of Yangalele
Siama singing, mbira, guitar, bass / Dallas harmony, handclaps, shaker / David Tullis drums
When Siama was young, sometimes a big hawk (a "yimbi") would fly overhead scaring the kids, so they’d run around, flapping their
arms like a bird’s wings, singing, “Ko Yimbi Ko” (KO yeembee ko) which means “No, Hawk, No!” in Kikongo.
Lyrics
KO YIMBI KO
When a Yimbi tries to scare you say, “Ko, Yimbi, Ko!”
Oh ye oh yah oh ye oh yah. (repeat)
Lumbu kimosi nsangu za kuvata ba tata ngolo zawu mu tanzi.
Ba mama ngolo zawu mu nsengo nuni zibongele bongele nguba za nsusu ye za mama. (repeat)
Yimbie, Yimbi e
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbie, Yimbie e.
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
O, Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga.
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbi e e e e
O Yimbi, tala mono buyisalanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko. (repeat)
Yimbi, Yimbi
Bayaye bika bana bame
Ko Yimbi Ko! Ko! Ko! (repeat)
O Yimbi ye
Bika bana bame, bana bame bike
O Yimbi, O Yimbi, yehe
O Yimbie, bikq bana bame.
Yimbie, Yimbi e
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbi, tala mono buyi salanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbie Yimbie e
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
O Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbi e e e e, O Yimbi, tala mono buyi salanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko! (repeat)
Oh, ye oh yah oh ye oh yah. (repeat)
Yimbi e, Yimbi e.
o, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbi, tala mono buyi salanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
Yimbi e Yimbie e
Ko, Yimbi, Ko!
O Yimbi tala mono buyi salanga
Ko, Yimbi, Ko! (repeat)