"Hakuna matata" () is a

Swahili language Swahili, also known as as it is referred to endonym and exonym, in the Swahili language, is a Bantu languages, Bantu language originally spoken by the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique (along the East Af ...

phrase. In English, it means "no trouble" or "no worries" and "take it easy" (literally ''hakuna'': "there is no/there are no"; ''matata'': "worries"). The 1994

Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...

animated film ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...

'' brought the phrase to Western prominence in one of its most popular songs, in which it is translated as "no worries". The song is often heard at Disney's resorts, hotels, and amusement parks.

Boney M. song

In 1983, German group Boney M. released "Jambo — Hakuna Matata", an English-language version of the song '' Jambo Bwana'' by Kenyan group Them Mushrooms. Liz Mitchell provided the song's lead vocals, backed by Reggie Tsiboe, Cathy Bartney, Madeleine Davis and Judy Cheeks. The single performed poorly, reaching number 48 in the German charts and causing it to be omitted from the group's seventh album '' Ten Thousand Lightyears'', released in 1984.

''The Lion King'' song

In 1994, the

Walt Disney Feature Animation Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...

animated film ''

'' brought the phrase international recognition, featuring it prominently in the plot and devoting a song to it. A

meerkat The meerkat (''Suricata suricatta'') or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body ...

and a warthog, Timon and Pumbaa, teach

Simba Simba is a fictional character in Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's ''The Lion King (franchise), The Lion King ''franchise. First appearing as a cub in ''The Lion King'' (1994), the character flees his homeland when his father, Mufasa, is ...

, a lion cub that he should forget his troubled past and live in the present. The song was written by

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

(music) and

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ''Jesus C ...

(lyrics), who found the term in a Swahili phrasebook. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 1995 Academy Awards, and was later ranked the 99th best song in movie history by the

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...

on its list AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.

Cultural appropriation charge

In 2003, Disney was granted a trademark protecting the phrase from being used on clothing and footwear. Prior to the release of the 2019 remake, the trademark caused controversy in East Africa, where Disney was accused of

cultural appropriation Cultural appropriation is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture or cultural identity, identity by members of another culture or identity in a manner perceived as inappropriate or unacknowledged. Such a controversy typically ari ...

. More than 50,000 people signed a petition on Change.org asking Disney to drop the trademark.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hakuna Matata Swahili words and phrases The Lion King (franchise) Quotations from film 1994 quotations Quotations from animation

Boney M. song

''The Lion King'' song

Cultural appropriation charge

See also

References

External links