La Zaïroise
National anthem of Zaire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"La Zaïroise" (French: [la zaiʁwaz]; lit. 'The Zairian') was the national anthem of Zaire, from 1971 to 1997. The lyrics were written by Joseph Lutumba, and the music was composed by Simon-Pierre Boka,[1][2][3] the same person who wrote Debout Congolais.
| English: The Zairian | |
|---|---|
National anthem of Zaire | |
| Lyrics | Joseph Lutumba |
| Music | Simon-Pierre Boka Di Mpasi Londi |
| Adopted | 27 October 1971 |
| Relinquished | 17 May 1997 |
| Succeeded by | "Debout Congolais" |
| Audio sample | |
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version | |
Lyrics
Official lyrics
| French original[4][5][6] | English translation |
|---|---|
Zaïrois dans la paix retrouvée, |
Zairians, in the newfound peace, |
In local languages
| Kikongo lyrics[7][8] | Lingala lyrics[9] | Swahili lyrics[10] | Tshiluba lyrics |
|---|---|---|---|
Beto besi Nzadi, tu vutukidi mu luvuvamu, |
Bǎna mbóka Zaïre na kímyá tozalí |
Zairi, kaeni kwa amani, |
Bantu ba mu Zaïre badi mu ditalala |
Modern usage
Zaire's national anthem has been used by the National Congress for the Defence of the People, a Congolese militia, and has been used during protests against Félix Tshisekedi in 2020, mostly by Mobutists.[citation needed]
The self-proclaimed, New Zaire Government in Exile, which tried to overthrow the Congolese government in May 2024, uses the national flag and anthem of Zaire.
The Republic of Molossia, a self-declared micronation in the United States of America, uses the melody of La Zaïroise in its own national anthem, Fair Molossia Is Our Home.[11]
See also
- "Debout Congolais", the current national anthem of the Democratic Republic of the Congo