Funga Alafia (Arr. for Duet)

Funga Alafia (Song of Welcome) sheet music is arranged for a duet in the key of C and uses the C major pentatonic scale. The backing MP3 for Funga Alafia is also available for download.

This song has only four measures, but it has so much to offer! Funga Alafia features call & response, syncopated rhythms and a compositional device known as a canon. In this section, the first measure of the melody is sung, then another vocalist begins the same melody in succession.

Funga Alafia is a traditional West African folk song.  Funga or fanga, is a welcome dance or gesture, alafia offers a wish of health, peace or prosperity. The refrain or response ashé gives thanks to an omnipresent force that connects all things. Since there are over 2,000 languages in this region there are many translations. It could be literal, “We come to welcome you to this place” or figurative, “I welcome you into my heart today.”