Democratic Republic of the Congo National Anthem
Debout Congolais
Stand Up, Congolese
1960
1960
Joseph Lutumba
Simon-Pierre Boka di Mpasi Londi
🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity ☮ Peace ✝ God / Faith 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage |
Key Facts
- 1. The replacement anthem 'La Zairoise,' used from 1971 to 1997, was performed in the style of Congolese rumba and became a popular song in its own right across Central Africa.
- 2. Simon-Pierre Boka di Mpasi Londi composed the music, blending European brass band traditions with Congolese rhythmic patterns, reflecting the country's musical heritage.
- 3. The DR Congo is Africa's largest francophone country by population, and the anthem is sung in French, though over 200 local languages are spoken across its territory.
Democratic Republic of the Congo National Anthem Lyrics
Debout Congolais,
Unis par le sort,
Unis dans l'effort pour l'indépendance.
Dressons nos fronts, longtemps courbés
Et pour de bon prenons le plus bel élan,
Dans la paix.
Ô peuple ardent
Par le labeur
Nous bâtirons un pays plus beau qu'avant
Dans la paix.
Citoyens,
Entonnez l'hymne sacré de votre solidarité
Fièrement
Saluez l'emblème d'or de votre souveraineté
Congo,
Don béni, Congo !
Des aïeux, Congo !
Ô pays, Congo !
Bien-aimé, Congo !
Nous peuplerons ton sol
Et nous assurerons ta grandeur.
Trente juin, ô doux soleil
Trente juin, du trente juin
Jour sacré, sois le témoin,
Jour sacré de l'immortel
Serment de liberté
Que nous léguons
À notre postérité
Pour toujours
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialAdopted at independence from Belgium in 1960, the anthem was restored in 1997 after being replaced during the Mobutu era (1971-1997), when the country was known as Zaire and used a different anthem. The restoration of the original anthem symbolized the country's return to its founding identity.
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Sources & References
- Debout Congolais . en.wikipedia.org
- Debout Congolais . nl.wikisource.org
Source & Review
- Source status
- Reliable secondary source
- Translation
- AI-assisted working translation
- Rights status
- Third-party rights may apply
- Last reviewed
- Editorial review
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Editorial owner
- Nationalia
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