Language used in Escrava Isaura opening theme [closed]

Question

The theme can be heard here at youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T6tWC-SnC2U

The music and "lere-lere" in the beginning come from Retirantes song, but the words starting from 0:08 ARE NOT. What language is this? It's not Portugal. Someone transcribed the passage like this

Ungazun garunge ungazun garunge, 
ungazun garunge ungazun garunge. 
Zambele garunge ungazun garunge, 
zambele garunge ungazun garunge

It's obviously very rough and not correct/misheard. The soap opera in question is about sugar cane plantation and black slaves in Brazil, so it's possible that the words have something to do with that.

Answer 1

The song appears in 2 versions, one in Portuguese, and the other in the unknown language. The Portuguese lyrics are (omitting repeated lines):

Lerê, lerê, lerê, lerê, lerê

Vida de negro é difícil, é difícil como o quê Eu quero morrer de noite, na tocaia me matar Eu quero morrer de açoite se tu, negra, me deixar

Vida de negro é difícil, é difícil como o quê Meu amor, eu vou-me embora, nessa terra vou morrer Um dia não vou mais ver, nunca mais eu vou te ver

It's a reasonable assumption that the unknown-language lyrics are a translation.

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This guy claims it's Yoruba:

Lere Lere, Lere-Lere-Lere
Lere Lere, Lere-Lere-Lere
Unga zunga unguê
Unga zunga unguê (bis)

Tanguelê za unguê
Unga zunga unguê
Tanguelê za unguê
Unga zunga unguê

Nagô nation, of people? from Benin to southwest of Nigeria, who spoke Yoruba. Brazilian traficants trade offering tobacco, powder, rifles in change of … people … prisioners of african tribal wars.

In one old Yoruba dictionary, I do find some near-matches:

• tangala - a bird
• tankalẹ: to spread about, communicate, publish
• lera (v., adj.) (be) strong, healthy

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Another guy gives a purported translation, without identifying the language:

Lere Lere, Lere-Lere-Lere        (Режем, режем, резь-резь-резь),
Lere Lere, Lere-Lere-Lere        (Режем, режем, резь-резь-резь),
Unga zunga ungue                 (Высокий сладкий тростник)
Unga zunga unga e                (Ой, высокий сладкий тростник)
Tanguele za ungue                     (Гля, какой высокий)
Unga zunga                           (Высокий и сладкий)
          Zunga e                                  (Ой, сладкий!)

The Russian text is a song about cutting reeds. It seems to have nothing to do with the Yoruba words or the Portuguese lyrics.

Answer 2

I'm Brazilian (so, I speak Portugese). I have researched about this lyrics, so I think the first part may be in Zulu. Even though I'm not sure about it, the lyrics' translation could be something like this:

(Zulu)

Lare, Lare! Lare, lare, lare! (Distress, distress! Distress, distress, distress!) ... (repeat)

Unga zu ngaru nge? Unga zu ngaru nge? (Cold you send this as a priority? Cold you send this as a priority?) ... (repeat)

Zambele, ngaru nge. Unga zu ngaru nge? (By mercy, you send this. Cold you send this as a priority?) ... (repeat)

(Portuguese)

Vida de negro é difícil (The life of a black is so difficult)

É difícil como o quê (It is so difficult as a thing) ... (repeat)

Eu quero morrer de noite (I want to die at night)

Na tocaia me matar (In the ambush I want to kill myself)

Eu quero morrer de açoite (I want to die so whipped)

Se tu, negra, me deixar (If you, black woman, leave me)

Vida de negro é difícil (The life of a black is so difficult)

É difícil como o quê (It is so difficult as a thing) ... (repeat)

Meu amor, eu vou-me embora (My love, I am going to go away)

Nessa terra vou morrer (On this land I will go to die)

Um dia não vou mais ver (Someday I will not see)

Nunca mais eu vou te ver (Never again I will see you)

Vida de negro é difícil (The life of a black is so difficult)

É difícil como o quê (It is so difficult as a thing) ... (repeat)

(you can hear both parts on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XecW-4v-5zo)