A lullaby from South Sudan

Dinka Lullaby

Key: A minor~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Dinka, South Sudan

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Dinka Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Dinka people of South Sudan, whose lives are built around cattle and the seasonal floodplains of the White Nile. Here you will find the lyrics, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.

Verse

Am Dm Am

Sleep now, little ma, the cattle bells are still,

Dm Am E7

the White Nile floods have quieted now, upon the grazing hill.

Am Dm Am

Sleep now, little one, the herds are resting near,

Dm Am E7

tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.

In English

What the words mean

“Sleep now, little ma, the cattle bells are still, the White Nile floods have quieted now, upon the grazing hill. Sleep now, little one, the herds are resting near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”

Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Guitar

Piano

Guitar

Piano

Guitar

Piano

Download free chord sheet (PDF)

Good to know

What “Dinka Lullaby” Means

In Dinka, “ma” (spoken with a high tone) means mother — used here as a gentle term of endearment for a beloved child. The Dinka people of South Sudan build their lives around cattle, moving each dry season to the White Nile’s floodplains for fresh grazing. This original lullaby draws on those cattle-herding and river-plain images of Dinka life, with “ma” used as a warm address rather than a literal translation.

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