Central African Republic National Anthem
La Renaissance
The Renaissance
Key Facts
- 1. Barthélémy Boganda, who wrote the lyrics, died in a plane crash on 29 March 1959. The cause was never settled and the anthem was adopted more than a year after his death.
- 2. Composer Herbert Pepper wrote two African national anthems in the same period: La Renaissance for the Central African Republic and Le Lion rouge (Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons) for Senegal.
- 3. The republic adopted La Renaissance on 25 May 1960, less than three months before formal independence from France on 13 August 1960.
- 4. The anthem also has an official version in Sango, the national language, titled 'E Zingo'.
- 5. The same anthem stayed in use through the Central African Empire (1976 to 1979). At his coronation on 4 December 1977, Jean-Bédel Bokassa placed the crown on his own head, and after his oath loudspeakers played La Renaissance in Sango. It remained the anthem after the republic was restored in 1979.
Central African Republic National Anthem Lyrics
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialBarthélémy Boganda, the founding father of the Central African Republic and its first premier after the territory became self-governing in December 1958, wrote the words of La Renaissance. On 29 March 1959 his plane went down on a flight to Bangui, and the country lost its leader more than a year before independence. The republic adopted his text as its anthem on 25 May 1960, less than three months before formal independence from France on 13 August. The music is by the French composer Herbert Pepper, who also composed the music of Senegal's national anthem. The song speaks for the 'cradle of the Bantu' and ties the recovery of the nation's rights and unity to work, order and dignity.
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Sources & References
- Ses symboles . Ambassade de la République centrafricaine à Paris
- Abel Goumba. 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 . Ccinia communication (2007)
- Lavinia Dobler. National Holidays Around the World . Fleet Press Corporation (1968)
- nl.wikisource.org: La Renaissance . nl.wikisource.org
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- Reliable secondary source
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