"You Don't Know What The South African Anthem Means!" - Trevor Noah - (Crazy Normal)

Jacob Zuma is the coolest President ever I love that guy. the most rock and roll President. for the most rock and roll country in the world. going there, we're here. don’t tell us anymore, we know now yeah. We are a country of first's. and we don’t look out our blessings in this country. we love to complain. oh the corruption and the you know, and the crime. and all of this, we don’t even look at when crime does go down. we don’t celebrate. Yeah, but it's not enough. and you know Zuma does something good, like firing people that don’t work. Ugh, but that's not enough. He should fire them all.

you know we just go and we get crazy and we complain. We don’t look at the natural blessings God has given us. like you know, we got a bloodless revolution we went through. which was amazing, I still to this day am proud of that. the fact that we don’t get any natural disasters in this country. do we? No, no. No earthquakes, no Tsunami's, no typhoons or hurricanes. none of that, we get none of that. but I bet there's still some idiot out there going. "that's how behind we are, we don’t even get. natural disasters like the rest of the world. Africa".

We're the coolest country in the world. Only country in the world that has 11 official languages. Only country. It's a testament to who we are. Only country that has multiple languages in their national anthem. Imagine that. No one else can claim that, which is amazing. Shows how diverse we are. Also means we're the only country in the world where 99 percent of the population doesn't. know what the anthem means, but still. Oh, you laugh, but it's true. We don’t. We don't - Like no one here. 99% of the population does not know what the anthem means.

You see it when you watch people when they sing, when they try to sing it. You see in their eyes, let me show you. And you sir, that was a guilty look. White guy here was like, "yeah.". Yeah, I've seen people. But it's not easy, it's not easy, the languages aren't easy, you know? Because it's 'Nkosi sikelel Africa'. Do you know what it means Sir? Do you know what it means? 'God bless Africa', yes, that's right. And then the next part, what does that mean? See, I love that. Young white guys, God knows he's like, "No, I don't know actually.".

Old guys are touchy. They're like, "Of course I know what it means! Ahhhh God, God bless Africa.". Yeah. And you're like, "And the next?". "Ah, God bless Africa.". "And the next part?" "Ah, bless it some more buddy!". You sing it but you don't know what it means. You know it's simple in the beginning, 'Nkosi sikelel Africa'. Ah, Everyone knows that bit. It gets a bit harder, you know? 'Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo'. And It's very difficult in the second verse for some, 'Morena bokoka.

setjhaba sa heso, O fedise dintwa Le matshwenyeho'. Yeah, it gets quiet, just like that. People don't know what's going on. And yet you sing. I've seen white people sing the anthem, it's always fun to watch. You don't sing it, you just like mumble through it. Hoping no one will notice. You start off very confident though. Come out there, *Anthem starts playing*. "Nkosi sikelel Africa!".

*Mumbling anthem*. ...Nkosiiiiii. sikelelaaaa. thinaaaa. *back to mumbling anthem*. ...SETJHABA SA!

Yeah have you noticed how the volume always goes up there? Always! It was like someone standing behind the country with a huge volume knob. Always. Especially at rugby games, I've noticed this. The volume always goes up at that point. Because before that, all these Afrikaans guys aren't singing along. They act like they've dropped their bakkie keys. Those crafty Dutchman. I've watched them. Some will start, everyone will be there. *Anthem starts*.

"Nkosi sk- Ohh... (mumbling). SETJHABA SA! Yeto. Come on Frikkie! Sheshaba Sa. Cornelius we are singing now! "South Africa". "SOUTH AFRICAAA!". And they lose their minds! Ringing out from our blue heavens. from our deep seas breaking round.

How does it look Steve! "everlasting mountains...". lose their minds. the whole beginning bit, nobody knew what they where singing. I don’t understand. and some people, some people have learned it phonetically. which I commend you on. but you still don’t understand what the song is about. like the rugby team, they where forced to learn it. and they have learned it, but they still don’t know what it means. you'll see them when they sing, because they forced them. the South African Rugby Union, they came out and they said.

"It is a disgrace. to see a National team. that does not even know how to sing. their National Anthem. if you want to play Rugby for your country. you must learn the words. they said, "No, but we don’t speak, we don’t speak". "Hey! You want to play Rugby?". "Yes" "Then learn the words". "Okay!".

and they learned them, and they show you they have learned them. because when the camera comes over them, if you look ant Bafana Bafana. they are the most chilled out guys in the world when they sing the anthem. they do a million things at once. shirts over there, they are all chilled out. they are there, the camera comes. *Singing the Anthem chilled out*. *Singing the Anthem chilled out*. *Singing the Anthem chilled out*. these guys are chilled. the Rugby guys show you that they have learned it.

the camera will come on Bakkies and Victor and they will be there. *Singing Anthem*. *Singing the Anthem*. they are not holding each other, they are holding each other back. *sing the Anthem angrily*. but they still don’t know what the song means. which is very dangerous in my opinion, it really is. because you are sing a song.

it's not just a song, it's an Anthem. it's a pledge, it's a promise. You put your hand on your hart. and you are promising something but you don’t know what that promise is. it's very dangerous. for all you know the whole song could be about killing you. you laugh, but you've seen how happy black people get when they sing it. how do you know while you are mumbling. that what we are actually singing isn’t. "When Mandela dies we are going to kill them all". "we are going to kill, we are going to kill you".

Yeah, you laugh. but if you listen carefully there's a part in the song where they go. "Yes, you!". "and then we'll own South Africa". but you don’t know.