African Homeland

[Nettie]

Dear Celie, oh I love you

Years go by and still you're with me

All we share is one big sky

I pray for your reply

[Nettie]

When Mister threw me out that day, I was so mad

I ran straight to the church

But when the Reverend's wife opened the door

She had two little children with her

And something about those children made my mad go away

So I asked her if they needed help with those children

And they told me they were going to Africa as missionaries

And maybe I could come with them

[Celie]

Nettie a missionary

[Nettie] (spoken)

And then one day on that boat over here

The Reverend asked me about my family

So I told him about you

And everything that happened to ya

And he told me, Celie, he's the one Pa gave your babies to

Adam and Olivia are right here with me

[Celie]

My babies

[Nettie]

I teach your children ABC's

For a missionary family

These babies sent by God are yours

[Together]

Adam and Olivia

Alive

Alive

[Nettie]

I vibrated like a bell when I saw the African coast

And I kneeled down and thanked God

[Celie]

Thank God

[Together]

Thank God

[Nettie]

For letting us see the land

Where our mothers and fathers died

African homeland

[Together]

Homeland

Land of my people, people

[Ensemble]

People

[Nettie]

We are going to be working with a tribe called

The Olinka

[Chief]

Linga

[Villagers]

Linga

[Chief]

Oba

[Villagers]

Oba

[Chief]

Batuwanga

[Men]

Ada doon da yay

[Chief]

Linga

[Villagers]

Linga

[Chief]

Oba

[Villagers]

Oba

[Chief]

Batuwanga

[Men]

Ada doon da yay

[Chief & Villagers]

Linga

[Nettie]

Linga

[Chief & Villagers]

Oba

[Nettie]

Oba

[Chief & Villagers]

Batuwanga

[All]

Linga

[Nettie]

We are

[All]

Oba

[Nettie]

Happy

At the center

Of the universe

[All]

Linga

[Nettie & Celie]

We are

[All]

Oba

[Nettie & Celie]

Happy

At the center

Of the universe

[Chief & Villagers]

Oh dee dee oo day oo day oo dadoo day doo da day

Oh dee dee oo day oo day oo dadoo day doo da day

[Men]

Oh yoo doh doo day

[Women]

Oh yo oon daday

[Chief & Villagers]

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

[Women]

Oh yo oon daday

[Chief & Villagers]

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

Oh dee dee oo day oo day oo dadu day doo da day

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

[Women]

Oh yo oon daday

[Nettie]

My people

[Chief & Villagers]

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

[Women]

Eeleeyah ooday

[Chief & Villagers]

Oh yoo doh doo day ay ay

[Nettie]

It was like black seeing black for the first time

Shiny blue-black people looking real fine

In brilliant blue robes that fly on the winds

Like a beautiful quilt stitched together by friends

[Celie]

You could put everything I knew in a thimble

What we're taught to be don't resemble

The kings and queens who for thousands of years

Ruled magnificent cities washed away by tears

[Mister]

Celie? Celie?

[All]

Ee yea ahn ya

Ee yea ahn ya

Ee yea ahn ya

Ee yea ahn ya oh

[Grady]

Celie, what are you doin'?

[Celie]

Nothin'

[Grady]

Well I ain't never seen you just sit

[Celie]

How I look?

[Shug]

Good mornin'

[Celie]

Y'all want some breakfast?

[Shug]

I wish I could but I got to go

Take this on outside to the car

[Celie]

Soon as he get back from town I think I'm gonna kill him

[Shug]

No, Bible says don't kill

[Celie]

Nope, I think I feel better if I kill him

[Shug]

No, you won't. Nobody ever feel better for killin' nothin'

Think of me. Think of Nettie

[Celie]

Goodbye

[Nettie]

Celie, I've been teaching the Olinka children to read

But some of the women have become very suspicious of me

Because girls have never been taught to read here

Girls have never been taught anything at all

I don't understand everything they're saying

But what it sounds like to me is

[Olinka Women]

What this mess you been preachin'?

Why you tryin' to change us?

[Nettie]

They think I should be married

[Olinka Women]

Girl ain't nothin' with no man

Why you makin' a big fuss

Need a husband and children

Or you're gonna be nothing

[Nettie]

I am nobody's mother

But I am somebody

[Olinka Women]

Girls don't need education

[Nettie]

Sound like the white folks back home

[Olinka Women]

Best be knowing your station

[Celie & Nettie]

But not my Olivia

[Olinka]

Matenga!

[Nettie]

Our village was destroyed by the soldiers

So now we have walked with so many other refugees

To a tent camp across the border

[Nettie]

We walk away from this ravaged land

With courage deep in our hearts

To face the unknown

[Nettie & Olinka]

Together

[Nettie]

We'll find a place where we can be

Where spirit rise and soul is free

Our people, my people

[Nettie]

I have faith that God will let us see each other again before we die, Celie

And you must have faith too

I only hope that when that day comes

We're not too old to recognise each other

[Nettie]

We walk away

We walk away

We walk away