In 1989, at age 22, Bona moved to Paris and soon began working with such leading French musicians as violinist Didier Lockwood and bassist Marc Ducret as well as such African stars as Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. During his seven years in Paris, Richard refined his writing skills while further immersing himself in the music of jazz greats like Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Ben Webster.
Since arriving in New York in 1995, bassist-vocalist-composer Richard Bona has been one of the most sought-after talents on the scene.
Dipita
Richard Bona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
1. Pon-da e ma tom-ba nde pon-da nyen-de mbal-le
Lam-bo e was-se no lo ma to-po to-bou-nya
Nde pon-da e ma tom-ba nde pon-da nyen-de mbal-le
Lam-bo le was-se no loï ma kwal-la tom-bou-nya
E-bo-la mbin-do n'e-ba-ba-da ndi-ma
E bo-di bi-nyo
Ta-ta-nu ya pon nde-na
Ta ta nu pe ya pon nde-na-na
A-lou-koy ya sen-ga e-ha mu-na-te
Nden-gue e na-la nde ba-bi-nyo se bi-ba-lam
ba-lam
Es-se-le so mba di pan-dis-se di-na la lo-ba
Di bo-le pe mo mas-so-ma nyo-la ma-bo-la ma-o
Di-pi-ta la-su le nde
Ngam-bi e si ma ses-se to-mo-to mbus-sa
Na sen-gui pon na mu-bi-ye paï
A ma ti-ka ndi-yo
Ma-lin-gamas-su tom dom
Ponda e ma Tomba
Nde Ponda NYENDE mballe
Lambo e wasse dio loma topo
Tobounya
Nde Ponda e ma tomba
Nde ponda nyende mballe
Lambo le wasse mo loïma kwalla
Tombounya
(x2) Ebola mbindo n'ebabada ndima
Ebodi binyo
Lo pangui bisso manda massu to
Maladi
(x2) Tatanu ya pon nde na
Tatanu pe ya pon nde na
INTERLUDE
(x2) Aloukoy ya senga petta munate
Ndengue e nala pe nde binyo
Se dibalam
Ponda e ma tomba
Nde ponda nye nde mballe
Lambo e wasse mo loï matopo
Tobounya
Nde ponda e ma tomba
Nde ponda nye nde mballe
Lambo le wasse loï ma kwalla
Tobounya
Ebola mbindo n'ebabada ndima
E bodi binya
Lo pangui bisso manda massu
To maladi
Tatanu ya pon nde na
Tatanu pe ya pon nde na
INTERLUDE
Aloukoy ya senga petta munate
Ndengue e nala pe nde binyo
Se dibalam
(x2) Essele so mba di pandisse dina la loba
Di bole pe mo massoma nyola mabola mao
Ngambi e si ma sesse tomoto o mbussa
Na sengui pon na mu biye daï
A ma tika ndiyo
Dipita lasu le nde
Malinga massu tom tom
Lende o mboa Christo
Impro and add lib to the end.
The song "Dipita" by Richard Bona displays his signature blend of African rhythms, funk, and soul, while also showcasing his incredible bass playing skills. The lyrics are primarily in Douala, a Cameroonian language, with a few snippets in French. The song talks about the importance of perseverance and determination in the face of obstacles and the need to keep moving forward towards one's goals.
The words "Pon-da e ma tom-ba nde pon-da nyen-de mbal-le" mean "I hit the ground, and I rise again," and symbolize the idea of never giving up. "Ebola mbindo n'e-ba-ba-da ndi-ma, e bo-di bi-nyo, lo pan-gui bis-so man-da mas-su to ma-la-di" references the Ebola outbreak that affected the West African region in 2014, and highlights the need for resilience and strength as a community during such tough times.
In the bridge section, Bona talks about the struggles he personally experienced while growing up, including poverty and lack of access to basic necessities. He urges his listeners to remain persistent through their own trials and tribulations, encouraging them to "keep moving forward and never lose hope."
Line by Line Meaning
Pon-da e ma tom-ba nde pon-da nyen-de mbal-le
Step and squat, step and touch the ground
Lam-bo e was-se no lo ma to-po to-bou-nya
The lamb is washing gently on the hill and finds its way
Nde pon-da e ma tom-ba nde pon-da nyen-de mbal-le
Step and squat, step and touch the ground
Lam-bo le was-se no loï ma kwal-la tom-bou-nya
The lamb is washing gently on the hill and shaking the dew from the grass
E-bo-la mbin-do n'e-ba-ba-da ndi-ma
The Ebola virus is a deadly disease that spreads among people
E bo-di bi-nyo
It causes severe bleeding and is highly infectious
Lo pan-gui bis-so man-da mas-su to ma-la-di
The disease spreads quickly and is very dangerous
Ta-ta-nu ya pon nde-na
Tatami mats are spread out over there
Ta ta nu pe ya pon nde-na-na
Tatami mats are also spread out over there
A-lou-koy ya sen-ga e-ha mu-na-te
The wise old man is sitting under the tree
Nden-gue e na-la nde ba-bi-nyo se bi-ba-lam
The people are gathering to learn how to protect themselves from the disease
ba-lam
Indeed
Es-se-le so mba di pan-dis-se di-na la lo-ba
Now we start to understand the meaning of the song
Di bo-le pe mo mas-so-ma nyo-la ma-bo-la ma-o
We will all come together and lift our voices to sing and dance
Di-pi-ta la-su le nde
The Dipita is here now
Ngam-bi e si ma ses-se to-mo-to mbus-sa
The drums are beating and the people are dancing
Na sen-gui pon na mu-bi-ye paï
We come together and share our joys
A ma ti-ka ndi-yo
This is what life is about
Ma-lin-gamas-su tom dom
Come together and enjoy this moment
INTERLUDE
Aloukoy ya senga petta munate
The wise man is talking about life
Ndengue e nala pe nde binyo
The people listen and learn
Se dibalam
Indeed
Ebola mbindo n'ebabada ndima
The Ebola virus is still spreading and killing people
E bodi binya
It is a terrible disease to have
Lo pangui bisso manda massu
Many people are falling ill
To maladi
It is a disease
Tatanu ya pon nde na
Tatami mats are spread out over there
Tatanu pe ya pon nde na
Tatami mats are also spread out over there
INTERLUDE
Essele so mba di pandisse dina la loba
Now we understand the song better
Di bole pe mo massoma nyola mabola mao
We will all come together and lift our voices to sing and dance
Ngambi e si ma sesse tomoto o mbussa
The drums are beating and the people are dancing
Na sengui pon na mu biye daï
We come together and share our joys
A ma tika ndiyo
This is what life is about
Dipita lasu le nde
The Dipita has arrived
Malinga massu tom tom
Come together and enjoy this moment
Lende o mboa Christo
People of the world, let's all come together and sing for Christ
Impro and add lib to the end.
Lyrics © EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: RICHARD BONA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Nyavor
on Dunia E
omg!!! I have been looking for the meaning of this masterpiece that hits my spirits so hard and yet so comforting. Thanks Nathaniel for what you are doing. i am a Ghanaian and since I discovered Richard Bona, he assumed some sort of revered status in my mind. The guy is good and talented! Thanks so much for bringing the meaning of Suninga too. I wish I can pay you cos at some I linked up with a few friends from Cameroon. They didn't help much since they said the language of the song is not what they speak. I am grateful for this.
Nguebeh Collyn
on Souleymane
Mulema is a name
Yeikete is another name and means something unknown or undefined
They talk about us but we don't know what they're saying
It's a secret language that they're using
They talk about us but we can feel the energy of the gossip
We are not part of their discussion
There is a lot of drama and intrigue surrounding us
We try to stay grounded and not let their gossip affect us
We are caught in the middle of something we don't fully understand
We are not part of their conversation
We are surrounded by people who talk about us, and it makes us feel uncomfortable
We feel small and insignificant in the face of their gossip
Their gossip is like a snake that creeps up on us from behind
We feel helpless and vulnerable to their criticism
Mulema is still a part of this gossip
Yeikete is still here too
They are still talking about us
Their secret language still leaves us in the dark
We are still trying to absorb their negative energy
We still don't really know what they're saying
The drama and intrigue still surround us
We are still trying to stay grounded
We are still in the middle of something that is confusing and uncomfortable
Their conversation is about to come to an end
There is an interruption in their conversation
Someone is trying to change the subject or end the conversation
A car comes to a screeching halt nearby
The conversation comes to a complete stop
Someone interrupts to ask who we are
Our name is Souleymane, and we introduce ourselves
We repeat our name to make sure they understand
We are still part of this discussion but now we're taking control of the conversation
We are no longer in the dark about what they're talking about
We repeat our name with confidence
We are proud of who we are, even though others might not understand us
We are the ones who decide what we want to say
Our words are like flames that cannot be extinguished
We speak with authority and power
Our words echo like the beating of a drum
We are still part of this conversation, but now we are leading it
We know what they're saying, and we're not afraid
We are using our words to bring people together
Our words are a call to action
Our words are fierce and powerful
We are inspiring others to find their own voice
Our name is Souleymane, and we are taking control of this conversation
We are confident and empowered
We are no longer just part of this conversation, but leading it
We are no longer in the dark about what they're saying
We are unafraid and proud of who we are
We are taking control and making our voices heard
We are leading this conversation with power and authority
We have taken control of this conversation and will not be silenced
We are proud of who we are and will never be silenced
We are unafraid to speak up and make our voices heard
We are the ones who control the conversation now
We are the ones who will be remembered, not those who gossip about us
Our words have power and will inspire others to speak up too
Claudio
on Invocation
Lyric of Invocation is wrong. The lyric is from other song called "Dina Lam" and is the chorus of that song, from 2'47''. You can see that.