Burundi
Burundi Bwacu
Our Burundi
1962
1962
Jean-Baptiste Ntahokaja
Marc Barengayabo
🏺 Ancestors / Heritage 🤝 Unity ✝ God / Faith ☮ Peace 💪 Resilience |
Key Facts
- 1. The anthem's composer, Marc Barengayabo, was a Catholic seminarian and musician who blended Western choral harmonies with traditional Burundian drumming rhythms.
- 2. Burundi's royal drummers (the 'Karyenda') traditionally performed before any national ceremony; the anthem was designed to follow their drumming introduction.
- 3. The anthem is sometimes performed alongside Burundi's famous Royal Drummers of Burundi, whose UNESCO-recognized performances have toured internationally since the 1960s.
Lyrics
Burundi Bwacu, Burundi buhire,
Shinga icumu mu mashinga,
Ganza umahoro n'amagara,
Inkota isimbire.
Burundi Bwacu, ragi ry'abatoyi,
Raduhabwa ntawe ngo atoyi,
Uburundi bwaganzwe n'ubutwari,
Kugira amahoro n'amata.
Komera Burundi, komera Burundi,
Shinga intahe y'ubugabo,
Komera, komera, komera,
Komera Burundi.
Burundi Bwacu, Burundi buhire,
Imana yakuduhaye ikukingire.
Tuguturage amahoro, agateka,
Ubumwe n'amajambere.
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialAdopted when Burundi gained independence from Belgium in 1962. Written in Kirundi, one of the few African national anthems in the country's indigenous language rather than a colonial language. Burundi and neighboring Rwanda share deep cultural and linguistic ties, and both gained independence in the same year from the same colonial power.