National Anthem Comparison
Guinea vs Guinea-Bissau
3
Shared themes
✓
Same mood
16
16 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Guinea's "Liberty" was written in 1958, while Guinea-Bissau's "This Is Our Beloved Homeland" dates to 1974.
Both anthems share themes of Independence, Unity and Ancestors / Heritage. Guinea additionally explores Freedom, while Guinea-Bissau also touches on Battle / War and Nature.
Both anthems carry a Defiant tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
Shared themes
Guinea
🕊 Freedom 🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Guinea-Bissau
🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity ⚔ Battle / War 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage 🌿 Nature
Shared themes:
🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Metadata
| Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1958 | 1974 |
| Adopted | 1958 | 1974 |
| Lyricist | Sekou Toure (attributed) | Amilcar Cabral |
| Composer | Keita Fodeba | PAIGC collective |
| Language | fr | pt |
| Region | West Africa | West Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Guinea
Liberte
Original
Peuple d'Afrique!
Le passé historique!
Que chante l'hymne de la Guinée fière et jeune,
Illustrez la charte de l'unité,
Appelez les frères de la Mère Afrique.
[Chorus]
Liberté! C'est la voix d'un peuple
Qui appelle tous ses frères à se retrouver.
Liberté! C'est la voix d'un peuple
Qui appelle tous ses frères de la grande Afrique.
Bâtissons l'unité africaine
Dans l'indépendance retrouvée.
Peuple d'Afrique!
Le passé historique!
À toi mère Afrique, la Guinée fière et jeune
Rendons hommage à l'unité,
Saluons les frères de la grande Afrique.
[Chorus]
Translation
People of Africa!
The historic past!
Let the hymn of a proud and young Guinea be sung,
Illustrate the charter of unity,
Call the brothers of Mother Africa.
[Chorus]
Liberty! It is the voice of a people
Who call all their brothers to come together.
Liberty! It is the voice of a people
Who call all their brothers of great Africa.
Let us build African unity
In our newfound independence.
People of Africa!
The historic past!
To you, Mother Africa, proud and young Guinea
Pays tribute to unity,
Hails the brothers of great Africa.
[Chorus]
Guinea-Bissau
Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada
Original
Sol, suor e o verde e mar,
Séculos de dor e esperança;
Esta é a terra dos nossos avós!
Fruto das nossas mãos,
Da flor do nosso sangue:
Esta é a nossa pátria amada.
[Chorus]
Viva a pátria gloriosa!
Floriu nos céus a bandeira de luta.
Avante, contra o jugo estrangeiro!
Nós vamos construir
Na pátria imortal
A paz e o progresso!
Ramos do mesmo tronco,
Olhos na mesma luz:
Esta é a força da nossa união!
Cantem o mar e a terra
A madrugada e o sol
Que a nossa luta fecundou.
[Chorus]
Translation
Sun, sweat, and the green and sea,
Centuries of pain and hope;
This is the land of our ancestors!
Fruit of our hands,
Of the flower of our blood:
This is our beloved homeland.
[Chorus]
Long live the glorious fatherland!
The banner of struggle has blossomed in the skies.
Forward, against the foreign yoke!
We shall build
In the immortal fatherland
Peace and progress!
Branches of the same trunk,
Eyes upon the same light:
This is the strength of our union!
Let the sea and the land sing,
The dawn and the sun,
That our struggle has made fruitful.
[Chorus]
Interesting facts
Guinea
- 1. Guinea was the only French colony in Africa to reject de Gaulle's 1958 referendum, choosing immediate independence; France withdrew all support in retaliation
- 2. The anthem strongly emphasizes Pan-African solidarity, reflecting President Sekou Toure's vision of continental African unity
- 3. Keita Fodeba, who composed the music, was also a world-renowned choreographer who founded the famous Ballets Africains ensemble
Guinea-Bissau
- 1. Guinea-Bissau kept the original shared anthem after Cape Verde adopted a new one in 1996, making it the sole custodian of a song once meant to unite two nations.
- 2. The anthem is sung in Portuguese, the colonial language, rather than in Crioulo (the widely spoken creole) or any of the country's indigenous languages like Balanta or Fula.
- 3. Guinea-Bissau has experienced multiple coups since independence, yet the anthem has never been changed, making it one of the few constants in the country's turbulent political history.
Listen
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
