Daar kom die Alibama explained

"Daar kom die Alibama" (in English: "There comes the Alibama") is a traditional Afrikaans song^[1] and Cape jazz song.^[2] According to some sources, the song's history dates back to about 1863, and it originally referred to the warship, the .^{[3] [4]}  The English name, Alabama, was respelt in the Cape Dutch vernacular to Alibama.

Origin

CSS Alabama

In the American Civil War, the sailed under the Confederate States of America flag and raided U.S. commercial shipping, successfully gaining international infamy. During a South African expeditionary raid in 1863, the ship docked at Cape Town to take on supplies and sell cargo and ships looted during its mission.^[5] Alabama revisited Cape Town in 1864. The song may have originated during these visits.^{[6] [7]}

River boat

The South African journalist and author Lawrence G. Green states that the lyrics' reference to a "reed bed" possibly points to the song having a more humble origin.^[8] Green states that in the 1800s, there was a riverboat based on the Berg River, also named Alabama (Alibama), that once a year used to deliver reeds to the harbor of Cape Town. Weavers used the reeds to braid bridal beds for Cape Malay brides; at Cape Town harbor, they sang: "There comes the Alibama . . . the Alibama that comes across the sea ..."

Lyrics

The lyrics in Afrikaans are:Translated into English, the lyrics are:

See also

• Kaapse Klopse

Notes and References

1. Burden Matilda. 2014-11-01. Waar kom die Alibama vandaan? Teorieë oor die oorsprong van die volkslied "Daar kom die Alibama". South African Journal of Cultural History. 28. 2. 24–42. 10520/EJC168478.
2. Duby. Marc. 2014-01-02. Alweer "die Alibama"? Reclaiming indigenous knowledge through a Cape Jazz lens. Muziki. 11. 1. 99–117. 10.1080/18125980.2014.893101. 153555180 . 1812-5980.
3. http://www.ncscv.org/youtube-video-gallery/image/177-daar-kom-die-alibama Sons of Confederate Veterans
4. http://civilwarnavy150.blogspot.fr/2010/08/daar-kom-die-alibama.html Civil War Navy Sesquicentennial
5. Web site: militaryhistory.about.com . 2021-05-23 . 2013-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130121131558/http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/americancivilwa1/p/American-Civil-War-Css-Alabama.htm . dead .
6. van Niekerk JJ. 2007-01-01. The story of the CSS ("Daar kom die...") Alabama: some legal aspects of her visit to the Cape of Good Hope, and her influence on the historical development of the law of war and neutrality, international arbitration, salvage and maritime prize. Fundamina: A Journal of Legal History. 13. 2. 175–250. 10.10520/EJC-72bece40b.
7. Duby . Marc . 2014-01-02 . Alweer "die Alibama"? Reclaiming indigenous knowledge through a Cape Jazz lens . Muziki . en . 11 . 1 . 99–117 . 10.1080/18125980.2014.893101 . 1812-5980.
8. https://archive.org/details/OnWingsOfFire On Wings of Fire by Lawrence Green, 1967, passasie op bl. 201/202.