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Bijagos LullabyBijagos Lullaby
A lullaby from Guinea-Bissau

Bijagos Lullaby

Key: A minor~54 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Bijagos, Guinea-Bissau
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Bijagos Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Bijagos Islands, a UNESCO biosphere reserve home to a traditionally matrilineal society. In Bijagos tradition, it’s often the women who choose their husbands, and young islanders take part in Fanado, an elaborate initiation ceremony marking the passage into adulthood, still practiced much as it has been for generations. 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 one, the island canoe is still,
Dm Am E7
the mangrove roots lie quiet now, beside the water’s will.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the palm-lined shore is 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 one, the island canoe is still, the mangrove roots lie quiet now, beside the water’s will. Sleep now, little one, the palm-lined shore is near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E7
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
Good to know

What “Bijagos Lullaby” Means

The Bijagos Islands, a UNESCO biosphere reserve off Guinea-Bissau’s coast, are home to a traditionally matrilineal society where women hold central roles in community and land ownership. This original lullaby draws on those island and mangrove images of Bijagos life.

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Sources & rights

  • An original lullaby by Relax In No Time, inspired by the musical traditions of its region. The words, melody, arrangement and recording are ours.
  • Recording and arrangement: real instruments played by hand, no AI music, by Relax In No Time.
  • Chords: written by us for guitar and piano.
  • Translation: our own meaning-for-meaning translation, written for understanding. The sung words stay in the original language.

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