Nursery Rhymes›African Lullabies›Barci Lafiya, Ɗana
Barci Lafiya, ƊanaBarci Lafiya, Ɗana
A lullaby from Nigeria

Barci Lafiya, Ɗana

Key: A minor~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Hausa, Nigeria
Relax In No Time video

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Barci Lafiya, Ɗana Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Hausa cradle-song tradition of northern Nigeria and the Sahel, a region shaped by cattle herding, trade, and wide savanna skies. 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 well now, my child, the cattle have come home,
Dm Am E7
the savanna wind is settling low, the stars begin to roam.
Am Dm Am
Sleep well now, my child, the market day is done,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow you will wake to greet the rising Sahel sun.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep well now, my child, the cattle have come home, the savanna wind is settling low, the stars begin to roam. Sleep well now, my child, the market day is done, tomorrow you will wake to greet the rising Sahel sun.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

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

What “Barci Lafiya, Ɗana” Means

The Hausa people, one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa, are traditionally associated with trade, cattle herding, and the wide savanna landscapes of northern Nigeria and the Sahel. “Ɗana” is a Hausa term for “my child.” Evenings in Hausa communities often close with the return of cattle, the quiet of the market square, and a blessing for peaceful sleep — the images at the heart of this original lullaby.

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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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