Can Anyone Help with a Translation of the Song “Aweneh Makole”?
May 1st, 2008

Susan Arnold wrote to me with a question about a song:

I am looking for an accurate translation of the song “Aweneh Makole”. The only thing I know about the song is that it is call and response. I’ve known it for ages and it’s used quite a lot in schools here in the UK. I suspect it is West African, possibly even Ghanaian, but others may know differently. I’m looking for a translation of:

“Aweneh Makole, Mbako Menoshway” and the correct pronunciation for it. I think it is sometimes sung:

Akeeley Makole…

Good wishes and thanks for the website.

Susan

If anyone can help with this song, and/or provide information about its language and country of origin, please comment below.

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

This article was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am and is filed under African Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Ghana, Questions, Readers Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

6 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Translation of the Song “Aweneh Makole”?”

  1. Becks Says:
    July 18th, 2008 at 11:05 am

    Hi
    My sons school just had a Christmas Play with Ex Cathedra, they sang this song and mentioned that it was Ghanaian. It was a lovely song and my son thought it was about children asking to go out to play.

    I have a DVD with them singing it, it’s beautiful!

  2. Lisa Says:
    July 18th, 2008 at 11:28 am

    Thanks for writing! Please let us know the name of the CD in case someone wants to try to find it.

    Cheers!

    Mama Lisa

  3. mawuli Says:
    March 20th, 2010 at 9:11 am

    please try this ghanaian site kokorokoo.com then clic on highlife music,then again on OBBO ADDY.you will get a copyright version .
    this song is sang by the KROBO TRIBE of Ghana and the title is AWONYE NAKIE. And goes like this :awonye nakie ley mo ba ko ni wa fieko. eih eih eih mo ba ko ni wafia ko. (something like that).but try the site too.

  4. mawuli Says:
    March 20th, 2010 at 9:23 am

    it says awonye nakie ley mo ba ko ni wafie ko, eih eih eih mo ba ko ni wafie ko.
    mo ba ko ni wafie mo ba ko ni wafie eih eih eih mo ba ko ni wafie.
    translates:–SISTER NAKIE COME AND LET US PLAY eih eih eih COME AND LET US PLAY.
    SONG BY THE KROBO tribe of Ghana.

  5. Maggie Says:
    July 2nd, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    This is the version that my daughter sings at school, with translation. It is from http://www.singup.org/songbank/songs/view/song/172/a-keelie/

    A Keelie Makolay, mo paco meeno sway
    Yeah, yeah, mo paco meeno sway.
    A Keelie Makolay, mo paco meeno sway
    Yeah, yeah, mo paco meeno sway.

    Mo paco meeno sway,
    Mo paco meeno sway,
    Mo paco meeno sway,
    O mo paco meeno sway.

    Mo paco meeno sway,
    Mo paco meeno sway,
    Mo paco meeno sway,
    O mo paco meeno sway.

    Makolay, do you want to come and play?
    Yeah, yeah, I want to come and play.
    Makolay, do you want to come and play?
    Yeah, yeah, I want to come and play.

    I want to come and play,
    I want to come and play,
    I want to come and play,
    Oh, I want to come and play.

    I want to come and play,
    I want to come and play,
    I want to come and play,
    Oh, I want to come and play.

  6. Hi Says:
    October 15th, 2012 at 3:08 am

    it means
    Would like like to come and play
    and the reply is
    Yes id loved to come and play
    that’s what my school said

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