The late South African composer Solomon Linda, who died in 1962, has been awarded millions of dollars in royalties from the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. The song, written in 1939, was sold to Gallo Record Company for less than $2 in 1950. It was estimated that US and SA record companies and Disney made about $16m off a song that had come from Linda’s recording. The song eventually sold over 100, 000 copies in Africa. In 1948, Linda sold the worldwide copyrights to the song to a South African recording company for less. The family of Solomon Linda, who composed the original Zulu tune for the song, was claiming R10 million in damages from the entertainment giant. His family contested that Disney was liable to pay almost £1m for using the song, which was used in The Lion King film and stage musical.
The family of Solomon Linda, who composed the original Zulu tune for the song, won a settlement for royalties in 2006 worth $1. 6 million. The song gained popularity thanks to the Evening Birds and was used in the Lion King film and stage musical. Linda’s three surviving daughters and 10 grandchildren live in poverty in Johannesburg’s Soweto township. Their lawyers say they have only ever received a one-time payment.
The descendants of the South African composer of the original Zulu version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” have reached an undisclosed settlement following a five-year legal battle. The family will now receive 25% of past and future royalties from Abilene Music, but Linda’s daughters believed the settlement would make them rich and help improve their impoverished lives. Despite the widespread success of the song, Solomon Linda never received a cent of its royalties and died poor in 1962.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Disney settles Lion King song lawsuit | News | The family of Solomon Linda, who composed the original Zulu tune for the song, was claiming 10 million rand (about $1.6 million) in damages … | aljazeera.com |
| ‘Lion’ family reach settlement | Linda’s descendants would continue to receive royalties for a full 75 years after the death of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight’s” surviving copywriters … | variety.com |
| Seeking justice for Lion Sleeps Tonight composer | Yet Malan revealed Linda’s family still lived in poverty having received only a small sum from one publishing company. “That documentary touched … | bbc.com |
📹 Solomon Linda&The Evening ( The First Version ) – Mbube
All the versions in/Todas las versiones en:http://www.florencom.es Solomon Linda And The Evening Birds Original Version, The …
How Did Solomon Linda Get A Job?
Solomon Linda, an uneducated Zulu tribesman, became a gifted composer after migrating to Johannesburg in search of work. In the early 1930s, he formed a musical group called Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds while working at his uncle's furniture shop. In 1939, Linda recorded "Mbube," which means lion in Zulu, at Johannesburg's Gallo Record Company, receiving merely ten shillings and a job sweeping floors in return. Despite the song's local success and international fame—sparked by ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax sending it to Pete Seeger—Linda saw little financial gain due to signing away his rights.
His story reflects the racial and economic struggles faced by many African men of his time. Solomon's life was marked by menial jobs and performative efforts overshadowed by exploitation. He did eventually work at the Carlton Hotel and later secured recognition for his heirs through settlement for the song's popularity. The Evening Birds choir, which performed in an acapella style, ultimately dissolved before Solomon Linda formed a new group, Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds. His legacy continues today, but his initial struggle serves as a stark reminder of the injustices faced by talented artists in a racially divided society.
How Did Solomon Linda Change The Song?
In 1939, Solomon Linda, a Zulu migrant worker, recorded an improvised song titled "Mbube" at Gallo Records in Johannesburg. The song became significant in music history as it laid the foundation for the worldwide hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Linda and his group, the Evening Birds, performed the song, featuring the chant "Mbube, uyimbube" and innovative musical techniques that influenced the isicathamiya style. Despite his contributions, Linda tragically signed away his rights to the song for little compensation—a decision significantly impacted by the racial injustices of South Africa in the 1950s.
In 1952, American songwriter Pete Seeger misheard the lyrics, renamed it "Wimoweh," and popularized Linda’s melody in the U. S. Linda's original recording garnered success, selling over 100, 000 copies, but he never saw the financial rewards. The song's legacy showcases both Linda's talent and the injustices faced by Black artists in the music industry. Linda's story represents a poignant chapter in music history, highlighting the complexities of cultural appropriation, ownership, and the struggles for recognition often endured by marginalized musicians.
How Many Daughters Did Solomon Linda Have?
An old photo shows Solomon Linda's four daughters. In 2000, journalist Rian Malan wrote an article titled "In the Jungle," discussing Solomon's legacy. Biblically, Solomon, believed to have had many wives and concubines, had few children mentioned, including his son Rehoboam and daughters Taphath and Basemath. Solomon Linda's fate was stark: he died with just $22 and his children faced poverty, surviving on porridge and chicken feet, with two siblings succumbing to malnutrition.
Linda, a renowned South African musician, wrote "Mbube" in 1939, later associated with Disney's "The Lion King." In 2004, Linda’s surviving daughters—Delphi, Elizabeth, and Fildah—sued Disney for using their father's song without royalties, bringing attention to their ongoing struggle for recognition and financial justice. While the Bible claims Solomon fathered hundreds, only three children are explicitly named in historical texts. Linda's daughters live in Soweto; the youngest works as a nurse.
Their family's history intersects with broader tales of poverty and legacy rights. Rian Malan's exploration into Linda's life and the impact of "Mbube" reflects both the challenges faced by his family and the enduring influence of Solomon Linda's music in contemporary culture, particularly following the renewed interest spurred by Disney's recent Lion King adaptations.
Who Is Solomon Linda?
Solomon Popoli Linda, born in 1909 in Pomeroy, KwaZulu-Natal, was a significant South African musician and composer known for creating the iconic song "Mbube". This song later transformed into the global hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Despite his contributions to music, Linda, who never learned to read or write, passed away in 1962 without receiving any royalties for his work. He was part of a vocal group called Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds, and he infused traditional Zulu music with elements of syncopation he encountered, reflecting influences from cultures beyond his own.
His song "Mbube", released by Gallo Record Company in 1939, became a key piece in the isicathamiya a cappella style. Following his death, in 1962, his family belatedly received co-writing credit for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and some compensation for his overlooked contributions. Despite facing hardships throughout his life, Solomon Linda is now celebrated as a pioneer of African music and a crucial figure whose work has left an enduring legacy worldwide.
What Happened To Solomon Linda?
Solomon Popoli Linda OIG (1909 – 8 September 1962), a renowned South African musician and composer, is best known for his iconic song "Mbube," which later transformed into the popular hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." On Christmas Day in the United States, the song topped the charts and reached South Africa two months later, coinciding with the declining health of Linda, who had been suffering from kidney disease since collapsing on stage in 1959.
Despite his immense contribution to music, Linda died in poverty, having received little to no royalties from his song, which had achieved global success. He sold the rights to "Mbube" for a mere 10 shillings shortly after its recording, unaware of the immense financial success that would follow. After Linda's death in 1962, the true extent of his song's acclaim became known, but he passed away with only $22 in his bank account. His family suspected foul play amidst his ailing health, believing witchcraft by rivals may have been involved.
Decades later, Linda's legacy was finally acknowledged; in 2006, his family received compensation, and he was credited as a co-writer for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Tragically, Linda's remarkable talent was overshadowed by financial struggles throughout his life, leaving a poignant story of artistic exploitation.
📹 ReMastered: The Lion’s Share Official Trailer Netflix
After discovering the family of Solomon Linda, the writer of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” a reporter tries to help them fight for fair …
Bit of backstory about this song for anyone interested. When the group first met to record this song (in 1939), they almost didn’t make it to the recording studio that day due to a massive fire in town. Two of the bands members were firefighters and had been fighting a 4 storey blaze the entire day. They were going to cancel the recording session but the fire was put out in time and they still managed to make it to the studio. They had inhaled a lot smoke during the fire, however, and were unable to sign at full strength, and so the song was lowered to a much more sombre version than would have been sung normally in the clubs. When they finished, they were extremely unhappy with the product and thought it wouldn’t be successful but it ended up selling 4 million copies over the next year and becoming the best selling record in South African history. If you go to Soweto today, you can still see the recording studio they recorded this in. It has been converted to an art gallery, but many of the tell tale signs still exist, such as the glass enclosure of the room they sung this in.
I am proud of those men who created this song. It’s rough by today’s standards but the soul in it is enormous. Wonderful. I get goose bumps every time I listen to it. What an honor it must have been to see them in person. They gave us one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I’m glad their descendants won that court case and the royalties they deserved. Beautiful song, beautiful people. Thank you.
The song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” which is originally called “Mbube,” was written by a South African janitor in the 1920s. Pete Seeger explained that the song is folk lore about the ‘sleeping-king’ Shaka, Warrior King of the Zulus. Shaka the Lion, who heroically resisted the armies of the European colonizers, is supposed not to be dead but only sleeping and will one day awaken and return to lead his oppressed people to freedom. I lived in Senegal. This IS their yearning for freedom.
Every now and again you hear a song that humbles you in its innocence and beauty. This song is one of them. It is fire made music. It is poetry made perfect. It is as recognizable to the soul as the smell of earth after the highveld rain. God bless Africa. Despite the many challenges our country faces, I am still proud to call myself a South African and this song reminds me why. It is just what I needed to hear, at the right time, at the right moment. I pray this song find you too as it found me.
Solomon Linda died a pauper! The family could not even afford a stone for his grave. The battle for the rights of the song took 25 years to be settled. The settlement amount was not divulged. I’m not sure they’re rich but hope they’ve finally won a very painful battle. Linda was of a time in South Africa when black men and women dressed beautifully. Men were real dandies and it was fabulous to see them strutting down the street. The music was outstanding and Linda did not deserve what happened to him. Unscrupulous US record producers abused this man and his family. Until today South African black music is divine! A stunning example is Mandoza. He tragically passed away 2 years ago. His energy and tempo were amazing. To all these great artists I say thank you from the heart!
The thing I find most amazing by this: that falsetto melody you hear coming in at 0:22 is probably one of the most recognized melodies in western music listeners. It was also improvised by Solomon Linda, the “fes pathi,” translated to “first part.” SO one of the most recognized melodies to Americans and Europeans was IMPROVISED by a musician born on a labor camp in South Africa.
It was actually musicologist Alan Lomax who found this great song by Solomon Linda. He gave it to Pete Seeger (in The Weavers). Seeger explains: “The big mistake I made was not making sure my publisher signed a regular songwriters’ contract with Linda. He sent Linda some money & copyrighted The Weavers’ arrangement & sent The Weavers some money.” That song by The Weavers was rewritten & given to the Tokens. The Tokens really had nothing to do with the robbery -they just sang the song given to them, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Terrible injustice for Mr. Linda to have never been rightfully compensated in his life time.
The beauty, integrity and haunting quality of this rendition genuinely make me cry. I feel much more positive about modern versions, knowing they are derived from this wonderful work. Thanks to YouTube this version can be remembered for ever and its story cn be told and known. Works get reworked and covered all the time but it’s so heartbreaking to know there was no recognition fo the basis of the song. This version is truly beautiful.
Beautiful song ! Thanks to Coming to America, this song got stuck in my hread for years, and I finally looked for the song last year… I came back again :). I then discovered it was also the lion king song, I never even realized, I guess I never cared enough about the lion king, even if I watched it as a kid and it’s so popular.
MBUBE (Solomon Linda 1939) Njalo Ekuseni Uya Waletha Amathamsanqa Yebo! Amathamsanqa Mbube Uyimbube Uyimbube Uyimbube (repeat 2 times) Uyimbube Uyimbube Mama We He! He! He! He! Uyimbube Mama We We We We We We Uyimbube Uyimbube Kusukela Kudala Kuloku Kuthiwa Uyimbube Uyimbube Mama Every Morning You Bring Us Good Luck Yes! Good Luck Lion You’re A Lion You’re A Lion You’re A Lion You’re A Lion You’re A Lion, Mama! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! You’re A Lion, Mama Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh You’re A Lion You’re A Lion Long, Long Ago People Used To Say You’re A Lion You’re A Lion, Mama
My ‘uncle’ Pete Seeger, an old family friend, was trying to preserve traditional music when he covered this. That’s appropriate. When he discovered it was composed by Solomon Linda he tried to get his music producer to send Linda money for it, but the label didn’t. That’s misappropriation. Linda’s descendants eventually sued Disney and finally got paid for this remarkable piece. It is not a song about an animal. It is a solemn hymn that proclaims the King of the Zulu People, “The Lion”, is not truly dead, only sleeping, and he will awake one day and lead his people out of bondage. It is appropriate to know the difference.
I was literally listening to this song by the tokens but the song struck me as non American. After some digging I found out that it was originally written by a farmer in South Africa who couldn’t read or write but knew how to sing. He used to play at bars when talent scout found him and they made Mbube. Song then blew up in America and no credit was given till Disney was sued by the family who lived in complete poverty. When asked if they were bitter by people gaining success from their dads work they said that they were happy it brought happiness to many.
Songfacts.com : Solomon Linda recorded the song in Johannesburg, South Africa after being discovered by a talent scout. The chanting was mostly improvised, but worked extraordinarily well. Released on the Gallo label, it became a huge hit across South Africa. Around 1948, Gallo sent a copy to Decca Records in the US, hoping to get it distributed there. Folk singer Pete Seeger got a hold of it and started working on an English version.
Thank you for this. I sing and play this song on guitar in school, and have taught this song to many children over the years. As much as possible (in a busy school environment!) I always endeavour to tell the truth about who wrote the original version of a song and its history. I love to write songs too, and I know how much it would mean to a songwriter, and his/her family, to know that there are people today (& I’m just one of many) who care enough about a song’s origin to let others know. Most children I teach think this song comes only from The Lion King. As wonderful as that movie/show is, I just try to do my bit for the memory of Mr Solomon Linda by telling children where it originated from. Thank you again.
But this is the first time I’ve heard the original verse from out the lion sleeps tonight and I got to say it is really really cool I really like it. I grew up with this song but the lady I took care of I found out many many many years later she was soprano singer in this song. Thank you so much for the original version I really do say I like it
To all of those who laugh at this song and call it garbage and “a bunch of goats whining” or a “little girl screaming” you only reveal your ignorance and lack of historical musical perspective. you can’t be blamed for ignorance, but insulting something you have no idea about is irresponsible. do you also look at aboriginal art as “a bunch of stuff my little nephew could draw on his bathroom wall”? with no context of when and where it came from? do you watch some of the very first silent films. or even the first with-sound films (talkies) and laugh at them as overdone, obvious, and stupid? all art has a trajectory. in 1939, when this song was recorded, there was NO SUCH THING as rock and roll music. it didn’t exist. nothing remotely close. “rock & roll” was born in 1954. 15 years later. the “popular” version of this song was recorded in 1961. do you have any idea how much western music changed between 1939 and 1961? now think of the difference between the south african music scene and the big time american music scene, spanned over 22 years. in 1960 the record execs from RCA heard the 1939 version from a pile of old stuff on their floor and immediately thought it was genius. they essentially remade the song EXACTLY as the 1939 linda version, just putting english words to it and giving it a production style that was with the times of early doo-wop rock and roll. (also imagine the relative recording budget between LINDA in south africa in 1939 and RCA records in the states in ’61).
Golly to think that Africa had this style in the 30’s and that it took til the 40’s for African Americans to use it, and the 50’s and 60’s for the rest of America and Australia to pick up this style and call it Doo-Wop. I mean this song was so clean and elegant. Didn’t hear if there were any real lyrics here, but none were really needed. It was just something pleasant, you could have had them perform at a fancy restaurant on a stage and eat and chat quietly and just enjoy the atmosphere. And they looked snazzy too, puts me in mind of The Four Tops
Salomón linda tu legado nunca terminará has hecho feliz a muchas generaciones con tu gran compromiso y muchos siguen hasta el día de hoy Así como yo a mis 41 años crecí con tu gran música en el 94 cuando tenía 11 añitos con el Rey león Disculpame por no saber antes de ti Este es mi pequeño gran homenaje
Solomon Linda thank you for such a wonderful song. Solomon Linda’s family, it’s terrible he and you all suffered in poverty and no recognition this was his song for so many years. You have received some compensation now and most importantly the world will know that MBUBE, and it’s knock off, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” came from the talent, mind and voice of Solomon Linda!
He was paid $1000 for this song by the people who turned it into “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” which was created by The Tokens. His estate sued in late years but it was past the the stature of limitations. The band broke up and has been entangled in separate legal issues ever since, even over the name “The Tokens.” Their recording of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is BRILLIANT with some musical instrument (perhaps a saw?) playing a haunting counter melodies to the rich harmonies.
I REALLY like this version. It’s MUCH more rhythmically complex and rich. And melodically, the same. He uses all those sad little intervals that are completely absent in the hit song. For the music nerds like me, it’s almost as if they took one of those incredibly haunting themes scribbled out some 19th century drunk composers whose work has yet to be recognized as pure concentrated genius it is, and simplifying it until it’s a jingle for hairspray or something.
At 40, I have heard my share of musical genres and songs. I had never heard this before until I watched a Netflix Remastered on it. I’m a huge fan of Mississippi Delta Blues, and this has that same feel. Low fidelity, simple recording. I will say this, I absolutely hate the Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens, but this, this I could listen to on continuous loop.
The most famous melody to ever emerge from Africa, and this man and his family barely received a penny of it until recently, even after all the countless remakes of it all over the world throughout the decades. Funny thing is, as Solomon listened to The Lions Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens on the radio while he was on his deathbed, he smiled. He was just happy that others were enjoying his music, and not even knowing how different his life could be. That type of shit just brings a tear (or tears) to my eyes 😭😭
And l thought the tokens made this, l was 3 or 4 in 1961 when this song came out..my mother had the record..it was a no.1 song . But after hearing this Awesomely Amazing Original Version of this sing recorded in an African studio by Solomon Linda and The Evening Birds….. l LOVE THIS VERSION BETTER!!!!!!!!!!
I got this song on a CD from The Secret Museum of Mankind – I love it so much. That CD series is a fantastic source of music from around the world. They explain that, while folk music collectors were going around the world, recording indigineous music, they were not only sharing it with the “western world” but sharing it with all these indigneous communities, and that a sort of musical renaissance occured where musical styles and instruments influenced folk music of people all over the world. The series is a genuine treasure. This recording is only one example of MANY wonderful examples of the musical expression that humans are driven to do.
He was paid the equivalent of $2.00 for this song. It went on to make $15,000,000. This song is fantastic. A laborer improvises a few lines of melody and verse into a microphone, and it creates an entire genre of music, inspiring dozens of incredible bands to follow in their footsteps, and it becomes the signature sound of South Africa, a hit record in the rest of the world, and a folk staple, all at the same time.
Quote…”Although the song helped to make Linda a popular performer in South Africa, he received little compensation beyond Seeger’s check. Collapsing on stage in 1959, Linda was diagnosed with kidney disease. His family has continued to blame witchcraft for his ailment. After a lengthy period spent in and out of the hospital, Linda died on October 8, 1962. A tombstone was only placed on his grave 18 years later, because their family could not afford one at the time of his death
When I was a young child, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was my first favorite song specifically for the parts of it that were mbube. Now that I know the full history of what happened, I’m angered to hear of the thievery and injustice placed upon him and the music itself, but am also happy to have the chance to hear the original version and hopefully more of his group’s songs.
I am JUST finding out that The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens IS a cover song from Mbube by Solomon Linda. It’s just sickening how this talented man has been exploited. I’m glad his family is getting royalties off his music. It’s also sickening how the U.S. is hiding or manipulating history to their own benefit.
the people who disliked this song are probably the same people who listen to the horrible music on the radio. you just have no patience I’m not surprised you don’t understand this song. for the complexities of human emotion are too much for you to take, you’d rather have instant gratification. just don’t understand these people, yes he may not have the best voice, i know but you can feel him pouring his heart out when he sings which is why i like it so much because you don’t hear that too much these days its all about making money its not about the music which is why everybody listens to the radio
Our Nelson Mandela was not Zulu,he’s from the AmaThembu clan…the xhosas in the former Transkei which is now know as the Eastern Cape province.And yes,you’re right…King Shaka was indeed our imbube coz our land became a jungle when the whites arrived.He fought tooth and nail.Today sibonga amadlozi,our gods that we’ve finally won!We’re no longer prisoners in our own home!!!halaaaalah!!!!!!!!And yes,we forgave them BUT we’ll never ever forget the blood that was shed and the humiliation suffered by our mothers being called “girls”by kids young enough to be their own grandchildren.
The lion is popularly known as the “King of the Jungle”, he does not live in the jungle. Lions is not found in the rainforests and even in the desert. They live mainly in areas with high density of small rodents and animals. One of the possible reasons for the absence of lions in the jungle may be the presence of other large cats, such as tigers and leopards.
HISTORY LESSON Zulu singer Solomon Linda recorded this song and even he never “took credit” for it because the melody is from an old Zulu funeral dirge for their Warrior King, Shaka. He was thought to be a god and unable to be killed. The British could NEVER defeat him and the Zulus in Fair battle so they did what colonialists have always done … They resorted to trickery and deceit. They convinced his step brothers to betray and assassinate him, promising them the leadership of the Zulu Nation. Like Caesar, he was betrayed by back stabbing traitors. The LION in the Lion Sleeps Tonight is Shaka. You can imagine their the Zulus utter disbelief that he was actually dead. They mourned over him for days. There IS a sadness to this song in any version of it which gives testimony to it’s true origins…mourning a dead king. Solomon Linda yourself in relativeobscurity until a record company looking to make money off him recorded the song. So even though no one knows who the original creator of the melody was Solomon Linda was the first person to put it to record, which innocence is like a copyright. When folk singer Pete Seeger it became a moderate hit, but it took some kids from Brooklyn under the name the the tokens for the song to really take off into the stratosphere. Decades later Disney resurfaced the song in the hot amounted feature film The Lion King. Years later, a South African journalist was researching the origin of the song and was led to Solomon’s descendants. The article inspired a South African lawyer to now take up the matter and he reached out to the family.
The story of this song illustrates that excellence is a combination of individual brilliance and building on the work of earlier generations. Possibly influenced by much older Zulu songs, Soloman Linda laid down this melody and idea in 1939 South Africa. The musical historian Alan Lomax brought a recording to America, and subsequent generations of artists from the Weavers to the Tokens to Disney to other African artists have each reinvented their version.
So much better than any other version this feels so warm and it has a spirit and my sister didn’t know about solomon’s story but when I started playing the article she directly asked “what song are those South Africans singing” and I was like “how did you know?!” She said the scream in the beginning is something South Africans tend to do in a lot of their songs, like wow! No wonder this feels so authentic! White people really shameless for never crediting the original creator of this song for their cheap ass copy
There is a sad story behind Solomon Linda so he was from a ver poor family and he used to herd the cattle so he used to sing this song to scare away the lions and he couldn’t read or write. Later Disney went up to him to buy his song and not knowing how to read or write, Disney took advantage of this and bought it for 87 cents( in South African currency) and when he went for a job there they hired him as a sweeper but luckily South Africa sued Disney 12 years ago for this and gave the money to his family EDIT; this is the most likes i have ever gotten
A South African named Solomon Linda was inspired to write this because as a youngster herded cattle and fought off lions attempting to attack the herd. During the 1930’s he was paid practically pennies for the publishing rights brought by Gallo then later an American record label calling it then “Wimoweh”
They did his daughters dirty, from Disney and all the lawyers who “helped” them fight a lawsuit so they can get royalties from everyone who used his song, it’s so sad that out of everything they only received $250,000 from the Disney lawsuit, when ultimately Solomon’s children and his his descendants should be receiving royalties for the rest of THIER dying lives. It’s so MESSED UP how people can be so greedy to take advantage of what is rightfully theirs! What a TRAGEDY ! Makes me so irate.
The copyright to the song was disputed for a long time, and Salomon Linda and his heirs did not receive proper recognition and compensation for their work until 2006. This came after decades of fighting for the rights, which were often ignored while the song was used in various media and by numerous artists.
The first time I heard this it was done by the Billy Williams Quartet in the early 50’s on the Sid Cesar Comedy Hour and known as A-Wim-A-Way… It was such a popular hit that they returned to the live TV show several times to perform I again and I have been searching for their unique version since then . The closest to that is the NY street group known as Acapella Gold.
I’m very curious to know the story behind the cups the first three men on the left (Solomon Linda, far left, and two others) are holding. They don’t look quite like drinking cups, but more like some kind of medal one would win. And the three men on the right don’t have them. Does anyone have any ideas?