Born on the 27th August 1941 in the port town of Mindelo, Cape Verde, on the island of São Vicente. Long known as the queen of the morna, a soulful genre (related to the Portuguese fado) sung in Creole-Portuguese, she mixed her sentimental folk tunes filled with longing and sadness with the acoustic sounds of guitar, cavaquinho, violin, accordion, and clarinet. Évora's Cape Verdean blues often spoke of the country's history of isolation and slave trade, as well as emigration; almost two-thirds of the million Cape Verdeans alive live abroad.
Évora's voice, a finely-tuned, melancholy instrument with a touch of hoarseness, highlighted her emotional phrasing by accenting a word or phrase. Even audiences who do not understand her language could be held spell-bound by the emotions evident in her performances.
In 2004 she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album.
A heavy smoker for decades, Évora was diagnosed with heart problems in 2005. She suffered strokes in 2008 and in September 2011, when she announced she was retiring. She died at the age of seventy in São Vicente, Cape Verde on the 17th December 2011 from respiratory failure and hypertension. A Spanish newspaper reported that forty-eight hours before her death she was still receiving people in her home in Mindelo, popular for always having its doors open.
Africa Nossa
Cesária Évora Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Cu ja clare
Consciena ja desanuvi
Ja tchiga hora, pa enfrent realidade
Um povo sofredor
Ja calm s dor
Si n tiver f
Na ns capacidade
Me Africa, ta ser feliz um dia
Africa, Africa, Africa
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Africa, Africa, Africa
Bero di mundo, continente fecundo
Diguent Sngal ak Cap-Vert man sorwoul
Soumeu yeugone n niari rewyi ben-la
Sama guente bi magni gnane Yallah wone ma ko
Africa done bene rew n'dakhe yadi sounou Yaye
Africa Africa Africa
Jamma gna yendoo jamma gn fanaan
Africa Africa Africa
Jamma gna yello jamma gn fanaan
Cu ja clare
Consciena ja desanuvi
Ja tchiga hora, pa enfrent realidade
Um povo sofredor
Ja calm s dor
Pa'l bem viv, na paz e na progresso
Africa, Africa, Africa
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Africa, Africa, Africa
Bero di mundo, continente fecundo
Domou Africa na niou bolo t djapant
Bougnou djapant geuneu am dol
Kone sama guente bi magni niane Yallah wone ma ko
Africa done bene rew nakhe modi sounou Yaye
Africa Africa Africa
Jamma gna yendoo jamma gn fanaan
Africa Africa Africa
Jamma gna yello T jamma gn fanaan
Africa - sounou, Africa
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Africa - sounou, Africa
Africa minha, Africa nossa
The lyrics of Cesaria Evora's "Africa Nossa" express a deep sense of pride and longing for the continent of Africa. The repetition of "Africa, Africa, Africa" throughout the song emphasizes the significance of the continent to the singer, and her desire to see it prosperous and free from suffering. The opening lines suggest a new day has come, and the realization that it is time to face reality. The singer acknowledges the suffering and pain of the African people but hopes for a better future filled with progress and peace.
The lyrics also reference countries like Senegal and Cape Verde, reminding us of the diversity and complexity of the continent. The lines "Soumeu yeugone n niari rewyi ben-la/Sama guente bi magni gnane Yallah wone ma ko" suggest a sense of community and shared experience amongst the people of these countries. The repetition of "Jamma gna yendoo jamma gn fanaan" towards the end of the song further reinforces this sense of unity.
Overall, "Africa Nossa" is a powerful tribute to the beauty and resilience of the continent of Africa, while acknowledging the hardships that its people have faced and continue to face.
Line by Line Meaning
Africa, Africa, Africa
Repeating the continent's name to emphasize its importance
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Africa belongs to us, to all Africans
Cu ja clare
The day is breaking
Consciena ja desanuvi
The consciousness is awakening
Ja tchiga hora, pa enfrent realidade
It's time to face reality
Um povo sofredor
A suffering people
Ja calm s dor
Can ease its pain
Pa'l bem viv, na paz e na progresso
To live well, in peace and progress
Si n tiver f
If we have faith
Na ns capacidade
In our ability
Me Africa, ta ser feliz um dia
We can make Africa a happy place someday
Bero di mundo, continente fecundo
The cradle of the world, a fertile continent
Diguent Sngal ak Cap-Vert man sorwoul
From Senegal and Cape Verde to Mali
Soumeu yeugone n niari rewyi ben-la
Our ancestors worked hard in the fields
Sama guente bi magni gnane Yallah wone ma ko
Their strength came from God, they say
Africa done bene rew n'dakhe yadi sounou Yaye
Africa has also suffered much but still belongs to us, the children of Yaye (God)
Jamma gna yendoo jamma gn fanaan
Together we will overcome, together we will shine
Cu ja clare
The day is breaking
Consciena ja desanuvi
The consciousness is awakening
Domou Africa na niou bolo t djapant
Our Africa is like a big ship
Bougnou djapant geuneu am dol
Let's steer it towards a brighter future
Kone sama guente bi magni niane Yallah wone ma ko
Let's remember that our strength comes from God
Africa done bene rew nakhe modi sounou Yaye
Africa still belongs to us, the children of Yaye (God), despite all the hardships
Jamma gna yello T jamma gn fanaan
Together we will live, together we will shine
Africa - sounou, Africa
Africa is ours, Africa
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Africa belongs to us, to all Africans
Africa - sounou, Africa
Africa is ours, Africa
Africa minha, Africa nossa
Africa belongs to us, to all Africans
Contributed by Jacob M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
aniram lubimova
Ее песни были необыкновенными! Великое почтение этой скромной женщине!
krMALOY
Как же прекрасно что эта удивительная женщина не забывала о своем народе. Царство ей небесное !
aniram lubimova
Незабываемая! Вечная память!
Mariam 19.09
Ты ж моя любовь!! Как нам не хватает тебя Донна Сезария, покой душе твоей🙏🏽
Господь благослови Африку!!🙏🏽
zenon najetovic
Much repsect to this talented lady, who used to sing in the streets all her life and only got recognised at a late age!
Diego García
This is the first time I hear this lady! I found her by accident!... I am so impressed... she is a really sweet girl, I can tell she has a great soul.... I just discovered her music and I already love it!.. greetins from Colombia to the beautiful people in Africa and people around the World!!!!
Daniel Calagua Chevez
Canción que inspira, gracias eternas a Cesárea y los intérpretes.
jbinaz123
This a fantastic song and a great duet in Portuguese Creole and Senegalese, you can't help to feel the soul and rhytm of this music plus the amaizing voices of Cesaria and Ismael. God bless you Cesaria! I hope you'll return to Phoenix, Arizona again some day. Peace to Africa and to all people here... Javier
Catherine S.
Ismael e Cesaria, duas vozes belissimas!!
lina Dambrevil
RIP CESARIA , Deus os abençoe e os altos você pensa de nós. Sua voz e sua generosidade fará falta. Descanse em paz Ms. Évora.