"La Renaissance" (Sango: "E Zingo"[1]) is the national anthem of the Central African Republic. It was adopted on 25 May 1960, shortly before the republic's independence on 13 August the same year. The words were written by then Prime Minister Barthélémy Boganda. The music was composed by French composer Herbert Pepper, who also composed the national anthem of Senegal, "Le Lion rouge".[2] The song was also the national anthem during the Central African Empire (1976–1979).

La Renaissance (French)
E Zingo (Sango)
English: The Renaissance

National anthem of  Central African Republic
LyricsBarthélémy Boganda, ext. 1960
MusicHerbert Pepper, ext. 1960
Adopted25 May 1960

Lyrics

edit

The anthem has official lyrics in both French and the national language of Sango.

French lyrics[1][3][4] Sango lyrics[1] Sango IPA transcription[a] English translation[5][6]

Ô Centrafrique, ô berceau des Bantous !
Reprends ton droit au respect, à la vie !
Longtemps soumis, longtemps brimé par tous,
Mais de ce jour brisant la tyrannie.
Dans le travail, l'ordre et la dignité,
Tu reconquiers ton droit, ton unité,
Et pour franchir cette étape nouvelle,
De nos ancêtres la voix nous appelle.

Refrain:
Au travail dans l'ordre et la dignité,
Dans le respect du droit dans l'unité,
Brisant la misère et la tyrannie,
Brandissant l'étendard de la Patrie.

Bêafrîka, mbeso tî âBantu
Kîri mo gbû gîgî tî mo-mvenî
Mo bâa pâsi na gbe tî âzo kûê
Me fadësô, mo ke na kürü gô
Mo sö benda, mo bûngbi kûê ôko
Na kusâra ngâ na nëngö-terê
Tî tö ndâ tî finî dutï tî ë sô
E mä gbegô tî_âkötarä tî ë

Refrain:
E gbû kua nzönî na nëngö-terê
E kpë ndiä nzönî na mängö-terê
E kinda wasïöbê, ë tomba pâsi
E yâa bandêra tî ködrö tî ë!

[bʷé.à.frí.kà ᵐbʷɛ̀.sò tʲí á.bʷã̀.tù]
[kʲí.rì mò ɡ͡bʷú gʲí.gʲí tʲí mò‿ᶬvɛ̀.nʲí]
[mò bʷá.à pʷá.sì nà ɡ͡bʷè tʲí á.zò kúé]
[mè fà.dē.só mò kʲɛ̀ nà kū.rū gɔ́]
[mò sō bʷɛ̀̃.da mò bʷù̃.ɡ͡bì kúé̯ ɔ́.kɔ̀]
[nà kù.sá.rà‿ᵑɡá nà nɛ̄̃.gō tɛ̀.rɛ̄]
[tʲí tō‿ⁿdá tʲí fʲì.nʲí dù.tʲī tʲí ē só]
[è mā ɡ͡bʷɛ̀.gɔ́ tʲí‿á.kō.tà.rā tʲí ē]

 
[è ɡ͡bʷú kùà̯‿ⁿzō.nʲí nà nɛ̄̃.gɔ̄ tɛ̀.rɛ̄]
[è k͡pʷē‿ⁿdʲì.ā‿ⁿzō.nʲí nà mā̃.gɔ̄ tɛ̀.rɛ̄]
[è kʲí̃.dà wà.sʲī.ō.bʷé ē tõ.bʷà pá.sì]
[è jáà̯ bʷã.dɛ́.rà tʲí kɔ̄d.rɔ̄ tʲí ē]

Oh! Central Africa, cradle of the Bantu!
Take up again your right to respect, to life!
Long subjugated, long scorned by all,
But, from today, breaking tyranny's hold.
Through work, order and dignity
You reconquer your rights, your unity,
And to take this new step
The voice of our ancestors call us.

Chorus:
To work! In order and dignity,
In the respect for rights and in unity,
Breaking poverty and tyranny,
Holding high the standard of the Fatherland.

Notes

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Presidence » Symboles". renaissance.cf. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  2. ^ Dobler, Lavinia (1968). National Holidays Around the World. Fleet Press Corporation. pp. 218, 47. ISBN 978-0-8303-0044-0.
  3. ^ Ambassade (U.S.), Central African Republic (1959). République Centroafricaine, Unité, Dignité, Travail.
  4. ^ Goumba, Abel (2007). Les mémoires & les réflexions politiques du résistant anti-colonial, démocrate et militant panafricaniste, Abel Goumba: De la loi-cadre à la mort de Barthélemy Boganda (in French). Ccinia communication. p. 175. ISBN 978-2-915568-07-3.
  5. ^ Doeden, Matt (2009-01-01). Central African Republic in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-57505-952-5.
  6. ^ "Afro Asian Cultural Museum". afroasian.symbiosis.ac.in. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
edit