Dona Ivone Lara (Yvone Lara da Costa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 13, 192… Read Full Bio ↴Dona Ivone Lara (Yvone Lara da Costa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 13, 1921 - April 16, 2018) was a Brazilian samba composer and singer.

Her history is linked with the developing of important escolas de samba (samba schools) from Rio de Janeiro, such as Prazer da Serrinha and Império Serrano. Her repertoire is comprised of mostly romantic sambas inspired by rootsy African music. Until 2000, she recorded only these 5 LPs and one CD. Dona Ivone Lara is the godmother of the group of composers at Império Serrano and participates in the carnival parades every year.

Dona Ivone Lara was born in Rio de Janeiro. She graduated in nursing, with specialization in Occupational Therapy, and worked as a social worker until she retired in 1977. With this professional background, she worked in psychiatric hospitals, where she knew Dr. Nise da Silveira.

With the death of her mother when she was three, and of her father when she was twelve, Dona Ivone was raised by aunts and uncles and with them she learned to play the cavaquinho. She was exposed to samba music at the side of her cousin Mestre Fuleiro; she took singing lessons from Lucília Villa-Lobos and was praised by Dona Lucília's husband, the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.

At the age of 25, she married Oscar Costa, son of Afredo Costa, the president of the Prazer da Serrinha samba school. At Prazer da Serrinha she met several composers who later became her partners in several compositions, among them Mano Décio da Viola e Silas de Oliveira.

Dona Ivone composed the samba Nasci para sofrer (Born To Suffer), which became the theme song of the samba school. When the samba school Império Serrano was founded in 1947, she began to parade in the ala das baianas (Wing of the Baianas) during carnaval parades. There she composed the samba Não me perguntes (Don't Ask Me),. Her consecration as a composer came in 1965, with Os cinco bailes da história do Rio (The Five Balls of the History of Rio) qwhen she became the first woman to become part of the ala de compositores (Wing of the Composers) of a samba school.

Retiring from nursing in 1977, she began to dedicate herself to her musical career. She continues to record and to perform before live audiences today. Among the interpreters of her songs are such singers and artists as Clara Nunes, Roberto Ribeiro, Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Paula Toller, Paulinho da Viola, Beth Carvalho, Mariene de Castro e Roberta Sá.

Axé de Ianga
Dona Ivone Lara Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oi, Ianga, o que tipoi Ianga
Didianga me
Ianga, Ianga que tipoi Ianga
Didianga me

Eu carrego na minha munganga eh
Didianga me
A felicidade deu, aos filhos seus

Ninguém mais lamenta e chora Ianga
Didianga me
Ianga, Ianga que tipoi Ianga
Didianga me

Vovô veio de Angola
Com seu mano Tio José
Trouxe cravos, trouxe rosas
Pra salvar filhos de fé
E rezou a ladainha
Pra Jesus de Nazaré
Ianga, Ianga que tipoi Ianga
Didianga me

Eu dei pulos de alegria
Chorei de emoção
Quando a Vovó Maria
Me levando pela mão
Disse filha Pai Ianga
É a nossa proteção
Ianga, Ianga que tipoi Ianga
Didianga me

Tia Teresa nos contava
A história do vovô
Que tirava irmão do tronco
Escondido do senhor
Pra curar seus ferimentos
Com o banho de abô

Ianga, Ianga que tipoi Ianga
Didianga me

Overall Meaning

In Dona Ivone Lara's song "Axé de Ianga," the lyrics are a heartfelt homage to the African deity Ianga, who is believed to bring happiness and protection to its devotees. The song begins with the repetition of the phrase "Oi, Ianga, o que tipoi Ianga," which can be understood as a call to Ianga, asking what type of blessings and protection it will bring. The term "Didianga me" is also repeated throughout the song, which can be seen as a way of adding emphasis or expressing a sense of longing for Ianga's presence.

The lyrics continue by mentioning the concept of "munganga," which refers to the magical and mystical powers carried by individuals. It suggests that the singer carries the happiness of Ianga within themselves, implying that they have been fortunate to receive the blessings of this deity. The line "A felicidade deu, aos filhos seus," which translates to "Happiness gave to its children," further reinforces the idea that with Ianga's protection, one no longer laments or cries.

The song then delves into the history of Ianga's arrival in Brazil, mentioning that their grandfather came from Angola along with Tio José, bringing flowers (cravos and rosas) to save their faithful followers. The mention of praying the "ladainha" (a litany or a prayer) to Jesus of Nazareth indicates the syncretism between African religious practices and Christianity.

The lyrics also illustrate a personal connection with Ianga through the singer's grandmother, Vovó Maria. They recall feeling immense joy and emotion when Vovó Maria, holding their hand, tells them that "Pai Ianga" (Father Ianga) is their protection.

Finally, the song mentions Tia Teresa, who tells the story of their grandfather rescuing family members from bondage, hiding them from their master and using a traditional African healing technique called "abô" to cure their wounds.

Overall, "Axé de Ianga" is a poignant and spiritual song that celebrates the presence and influence of the African deity Ianga in the lives and ancestry of the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

Oi, Ianga, o que tipoi Ianga
Hello, Ianga, what's going on, Ianga?

Didianga me
Tell me, Ianga

Eu carrego na minha munganga eh
I carry in my munganga, well

A felicidade deu, aos filhos seus
Happiness gave to its children

Ninguém mais lamenta e chora Ianga
No one else laments and cries, Ianga

Vovô veio de Angola
Grandpa came from Angola

Com seu mano Tio José
With his brother Uncle José

Trouxe cravos, trouxe rosas
He brought cloves, he brought roses

Pra salvar filhos de fé
To save faithful children

E rezou a ladainha
And he prayed the litany

Pra Jesus de Nazaré
To Jesus of Nazareth