In our daily life, sometimes it is the smell, taste or sound that makes one reminisce about home. As for me, the song “Yolele” by Congolese musician Papa Wemba brings back a lot of fond memories. Strolling by a local street and hear different shops compete volumes on the song, allowing a flirt because you are swooned with the singing voice, or joining in the chorus while tinkering in the kitchen, etc. Our African King of rumba/soukous, and the driving force of the La Sape (sapeur) is gone. Thank you Papa for the gift of music and fashion style. I recall my fond memories of you through a reworking of “Yolele” (in Lingala) to “Nalia” (in Swahili).
NALIA
Nalia machozi
Nalia kilio
Eh mungu baba mpokee mwana wako
Ndani yako himaya milele eh
Yolele nalia machozi
Yolele nalia kilio
Mfalme wa rumba leo katuaga
Yolele nalia machozi
Yolele nalia kilio
Nalia eh nalia eh
nalia
Ewe binadamu mpole
Wewe ndiwe rumba letu
Nalia mama weee
Nalia papa weee
Nalia kilio
Yolele nalia machozi
Yolele nalia kilio
Mtemi wa soukous leo katuaga
Yolele nalia machozi
Yolele nalia kilio
Nalia eh nalia eh
nalia
Copyright © 2016, Gloria D. Gonsalves. All rights reserved.