Lokua Kanza was born Pascal Lokua Kanza in 1958 in Bukavu, in the province of Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the eldest of eight children, with a Mongo father and a Tutsi mother from Rwanda. In 1964, the family went to live in Kinshasa (Congo's capital) in a middle class area, until the day when Pascal's father, a ship's captain, died. His mother then moved to a much poorer area of the city, and Lokua, the eldest, had to work to feed the family. He therefore went to school part time, and took odd jobs, as well as singing in churches. Lokua Kanza sings in French, Lingala, and English.
Zamba
Lokua Kanza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
chowana pete na no peye neso bono
wapi ye nane penoto ouwo nesse
waye tope tina manabe ne po
tokomitunaka wapi mikolo mikoleka ye
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
So many days and many nights I care
trouble I am looking for you
somi yo no desta matodise
era ouki ngoma ake
wapi bomoyi wapi bomoto ye
solo to kokima mbangu
tokomitunaka wapi mikolo mikoleka
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
Mikolo mikoleka ye bunga
tongo etana moto na nzela na ye
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
tshotshitso tshala se eh
ah wapi bondeko - tokoti Zamba
In Lokua Kanza’s song Zamba, the lyrics blend phrases of Lingala and French to create a story of a search for trouble. The opening lines, “Zobe ya tsha ne nanu wode risse, Chowana pete na no peye neso bono, Wapi ye nane penoto ouwo nesse, Waye tope tina manabe ne po, Tokomitunaka wapi mikolo mikoleka ye” translates to “So many days and many nights I care, Trouble I am looking for you, Where are you hiding, you naughty child, Come to me, I will play with you, Tell me where do I find you.”
The singer expresses a sense of looking for something, possibly even welcoming the trouble he seeks. In the second verse, “Somi yo no desta matodise, Era ouki ngoma ake, Wapi bomoyi wapi bomoto ye, Solo to kokima mbangu, Tokomitunaka wapi mikolo mikoleka,” the lyrics communicate a message of readiness, asking for the excitement that is hoped to come. The overall message of the song may be interpreted as seeking out the joys of life and accepting the risks that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
zobe ya tsha ne nanu wode risse
After many moons and nights of caring and meditating
chowana pete na no peye neso bono
I am searching for a problem to solve
wapi ye nane penoto ouwo nesse
Where is the light to guide my path?
waye tope tina manabe ne po
I need your help, oh ancestors
tokomitunaka wapi mikolo mikoleka ye
Where is the knowledge that will enlighten me?
tshotshitso tshala se eh
Repeating sounds to emphasize the message
somi yo no desta matodise
The sound of the drum calls me
era ouki ngoma ake
I respond to the rhythm of the drum
wapi bomoyi wapi bomoto ye
Where is the life force that forges ahead?
solo to kokima mbangu
I am ready to face any challenge
mikolo mikoleka ye bunga
The knowledge that I seek is hidden
tongo etana moto na nzela na ye
The path to it is blocked by obstacles
ah wapi bondeko - tokoti Zamba
Oh where is my friend - the keeper of knowledge
Contributed by Kaitlyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.