When South African Afrikaans singer Bernice West sang a cover version of a popular local song titled “Lyfie,” she could not have known the song would make a comeback on TikTok this year, let alone become a viral sensation.
Lyfie, loosely translated means “body” in English. In fact, some may call it the Afrikaans version of “Head, shoulders, knees and toes.”
The song exploded on the short video app last week when user Karel Olivier posted a video of what appeared to be a school concert.
A a group of children took to the stage to perform a dance item to the song, but a little boy dressed in traditional Afrikaans male attire (A two-toned shirt and shorts) proved he was the star of the show when his dance moves caught the audience’s attention.
His earnest, energetic depiction of the song also captured the attention of South Africans on TikTok.
The boy has been affectionately dubbed ‘Klein kwagga’ which is a traditional Afrikaans term of endearment.
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WATCH: ‘Klein kwagga’ shows off his dance moves
Olivier posted the video on 18 November, and has since been viewed over 17 million times and the original video received over 1 million likes.
Several users also reposted, stitched and dueted the video pumping up its engagement rate.
But, if the other videos posted using West’s version of the song is anything to go by, it would appear the “body parts” song is an instant hit with all South African youngsters from babies to teens, across race and cultural divides.
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‘They can keep the land’
South Africa’s history with the Afrikaans language can be contentious in the context of the country’s past.
As a former apartheid state ruled by the Afrikaans minority, the newer generation of Dutch immigrants and coloured South Africans are faced with breaking the negative stereotype associated with the Afrikaans language.
But, as a nation, democratic South Africa’s multicultural mix of citizens can overcome just about anything and come together when the occasion calls for it.
“Lyfie’s” popularity has the new generation of South Africans injecting humour into the narratives of normally controversial issues like land ownership.
A 2017 Land Audit report by the South African government shows that White South Africans (8% of the population) own nearly 72% of farming land, compared to other races.
When South African white social media users display an acute sense of understanding of South African or black culture, other creators usually respond with “he/she can keep the land”. While this sentiment may be shared in jest, embracing a diverse heritage can go a long way in healing divisions.
