Madee-Ni Sheedah
Swahili, just like other language, is not stagnant. It’s growing, extending its reach and grabs in new audiences and words. Some words come on board while some get tossed away. For example, when I was growing up we had “kishtobe”. If I join youngsters “kijiweni” today any city in Tanzania and address someone as “kishtobe”,I’d probably walk away unharmed while during my/our time, your Uncle would have to come to rescue me. In the same line of words bowing in and out, some words could mean whole different thing from what you are used to.
Take the word “shida” for example. In simple and common usages it simply mean hardship or distress, problem or difficulty. Today, shida could mean it’s alright, I don’t care or whatever. Same word but somehow it has added other meaning(s). Your field is not theirs. See?
I came across new “shida” sometimes last year. I was hanging with JCB, one of hip-hop artists from Tanzania who resides in Arusha[currently living abroad]. He used shida…a lot.Before the day ended, I was also using shida. I had jumped into a bandwagon and I was not gonna be just a passenger but a co-driver.
Madee,[call him President of Manzese-a low income or poor neighborhood of Dar-es-salaam) decided to put shida into mainstream. He even gave it swag a bit. His new song is “Ni Sheedah”. It’s almost another version of “Nani Kamwaga Pombe Yangu”. It’s a party-like single. Here it is…listen carefully how Shida is used…Enjoy
