Nursery Rhymes›African Lullabies›Gona, Gona, Mwana
Gona, Gona, MwanaGona, Gona, Mwana
A lullaby from Malawi

Gona, Gona, Mwana

Key: A minor~60 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Malawi
Relax In No Time video

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Gona, Gona, Mwana Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by Malawi's Chichewa cradle-song tradition, set beside Lake Malawi, sometimes called the 'Lake of Stars'. Here you will find the lyrics, English translation, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

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

Verse

Am E Am
Gona, gona, mwana wanga,
Dm E Am
nyanja ya Malawi yagona bwino.
C G
Nyenyezi zikuwala pamwamba,
Dm E Am
gona, gona, mwana wanga.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep, sleep, my child, Lake Malawi sleeps peacefully. The stars shine above, sleep, sleep, my child.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
C
x
Guitar
CEG
Piano
G
Guitar
DGB
Piano
Good to know

What “Gona, Gona, Mwana” Means

Lake Malawi, sometimes called the ‘Lake of Stars’ for how its waters reflect the night sky, is central to Malawian life and imagination. This original Chichewa-inspired lullaby borrows that same starlit lake for a gentle bedtime image.

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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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