What Does Hakuna Matata Mean?

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the phrase Hakuna Matata is the infamous song from my most favourite animated epic musical film, The Lion King. The Lion King was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1994. It is the 32nd Disney animated feature film, and the fifth animated film produced during a period known as “The Disney Renaissance.”

What Does The Disney Renaissance Mean

The Disney Renaissance refers to the return of more musical animated films based on well-known stories seen in the Golden and Silver Age, while introducing many new themes and techniques adopted from the Bronze Age. This era began around 1989 and ended in 1999. The movies made during the Disney Renaissance did better at the domestic as well as international box office, making way more profit when compared to the other Disney films of the past eras.

The Little Mermaid (1989), The Rescuers Down Under (1990), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), Pocahontas (1995), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules(1997), Mulan (1998) and Tarzan(1999) are some of the animated movies released by Disney during The Disney Renaissance. Every one of these animated films made by Disney had a moral or influence on the view of the millennials; Mulan and Hercules taught us all about sacrifice; Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame taught us not to be judgmental and judge people based on how they look; Aladdin taught us that its okay to be ourselves and the situation you were born in  has nothing to do with what person you turn into when you grow up.

What Does Hakuna Matata Mean?

The term “Hakuna Matata” (pronounced [ha kuna ma tata]) literally means the lyrics of the song. It is a Swahili language (language of the Swahili people) term founded in Central East Africa. Although research showed that the tourists use it more than the natives.The term means “no worries”. According to  wikipedia “Hakuna means “there is not here” and “Matata” means “problems”. Hakuna Matata means “no worries”, while “Hakuna Wasiwasi” means “no troubles”. As mentioned in the beginning of the article the term Hakuna Matata was universalized by its use in the Disney animated film The Lion King.

The song is picturized on three best friends, a warthog-Pumbaa, a meerkat-Timon and a lion- Simba. Where the warthog and the meerkat teach Simba to not care about his worries, the amazing trio goes on an adventure through the wilderness eating bugs and playing with wonderful things. Throughout the song, you can see Simba’s development in life. He grows up to be a tall, handsome lion with great pride. He learns to love to eat bugs, forgets the past and accepts what life offers to him. The song was written by Elton John and Tim Rice. The song became widely popular and was nominated for the best song at the 67th Academy Awards but lost. It was also ranked 99th on a list of 100, in the AFI’s list of best American movie songs of all times.The TV shows Timon&Pumbaa and The Lion Gaurd used a shorter version of Hakuna Matata as their theme song.

Examples of Hakuna Matata

Examples from the web:

• “i still didn’t make any deadlines for monday and all i can say is hakuna matata”
• “Hakuna matata by day but i spend my night time fighting tears back.”
• “the way he said ‘no’ is like, ‘nooo~’. at least you got the gut bro. hakuna matata. missin ma lil bro suddenly.”
•  Jon, you just ran over a grandmomma!
  Hakuna Matata.

Lyrics to the song “Hakuna Matata”

[Timon:] Hakuna Matata
What a wonderful phrase
[Pumbaa:] Hakuna Matata
Ain’t no passing craze
[Timon:] It means no worries
For the rest of your days
[Timon & Pumbaa:] It’s our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata

[Timon:] When he was a young warthog
[Pumbaa:] When I was a young warthog
[Timon:] He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal
He could clear the savannah after every meal
[Pumbaa:] I’m a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned
And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind

And, oh, the shame!
[Timon:] He was ashamed!
[Pumbaa:] Thought of changin’ my name
[Timon:] Oh, what’s in a name?
[Pumbaa:] And I got downhearted
[Timon:] How’d you feel?
[Pumbaa:] Every time that I –
[Timon:] Hey, Pumbaa, not in front of the kids
[Pumbaa:] Oh, sorry

[Timon & Pumbaa:] Hakuna Matata
What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata
Ain’t no passing craze
[Simba:] It means no worries
For the rest of your days
[Simba & Timon:] It’s our problem-free
[Pumbaa:] Philosophy
[All three:] Hakuna Matata

Hakuna Matata
Hakuna Matata
Hakuna Matata
Hakuna –
[Simba:] It means no worries
For the rest of your days
[All three:] It’s our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata
Hakuna Matata
Hakuna Matata
Hakuuuuuuna Matata
Hakuna Matata
Hakuna Matata
Hakuuuuna Matata
Hakuna Matata