Koukou
Salif Keïta Lyrics

Barikada mô ba louyé, barikada diamana môkô louyé, ka barikada mousso là louyé.
We are barricaded, whether by force or not, we are still barricaded.

Hakilimayala é madon mousso lá ka sèguené, ann mousso lou sèguené.
The society is dictatorial and oppressive towards us, it does not favor or aid our growth.

Hiyoo gadonaha Hakilimayala é madon mousso lá ka tôgnôlé, Ann mousso lou tôgnôlé, Hoo gadonaha
We can only strive for progress amidst a society that pin us down, it is our duty to rise above the oppression and reach our goals.

Gnani ki wasso ware tiguiya la, a fi sabou gnouma, an sabou kagne, Gnan ne é ka kè wari tiguiba yé i wolola mousso de fè, I nan le i nan, I nan koussa gadona heee nan gadona
Those who have achieved greatness were once where we are now, they too had difficulties, but they kept on pushing until they succeeded. We too must not give up, but keep going, be persistent and never surrender.

Kani wasso famayala, A fô sabou gnouma han sabou kagni, Gna ne ka kè famaba yé i wolola mousso de fè, I nan le i nan, I nan koussa gadona heee nan gnomabô
No matter how pleasant one's journey may seem, rough roads are inevitable. We must push through the rough patches until we reach our destination, and we should learn to endure all difficulties as we journey towards greatness.

Solou barra ö bèna ala honron ya kan, Mousso lou fourou kè bognala, M'bori bolé sènèkè yoro la ji gueni daga sigui lé, Ha li kè bolé koliji là soudofana sigui lé
We should learn to adapt to our environment and situations, to innovate and come up with solutions that suit our unique circumstances. We should be self-reliant and strive towards independence and progress.

Woura djan kè thiélasigui nassongô ma odon, Lôkô gnini kè ho ba gnani kan fèrè bô odon, A klena môrô tôtôtô fothiô, Han mama sira den mandi nana
The obstacles we face in life are temporary, if we can bear the pain and hold on, we will ultimately overcome. We should be strong and resilient, holding onto hope, even in the darkest of times.

Ban miri m'bama ban mirimousso lou ma, Han nasira, En bè bôle mousso la karô, Na basira mô di kôlôchi bla i bayé
We should look out for and support one another as we strive towards our goals. Our success as individuals is tied to the success of the community as a whole, we can only progress when we progress together.

Mô ba le i la diala, Mô nan le ki to dounia ki bô i bo a ni sougou nè rô, Ki la hadamaya kôlôchi, Ki la hadamaya ke i diana ko yé, E mô bayala Hoo gadona lou
We should strive for balance and harmony in our lives, seeking to achieve inner peace even amidst turmoil. Life is full of ups and downs, and we should seek to maintain stability in all areas of our lives.

A nadi kô baba den gadona nadi kô, Gnani ka kè wari tigui ba ye i sabou ye mousso le di, Han tougna nana, Tougna moussa de ye koben sabou ye
We must be our own motivators and encouragers, reminding ourselves of our goals and pushing ourselves towards our dreams. It is difficult for others to fully understand our journey, and we must rely on ourselves to keep moving forward.

Gna ne ka kè famaba yé i bôra mousso de là, Han tougna nana, Tougna moussa de ye koben sabou ye, A nadi kô baba den gadona nadi kô, Han mama sira den nadi la ni kô, Sirima wouley kignôrô den le, Baba den nadi kô, Han mama sira den nadi la ni kô, Sirima wouley kignôrô den le, Mola den nadi kô
We should be patient, and continue working hard towards our goals. With perseverance and hard work, we will overcome any obstacle that comes our way. Let us draw inspiration from our past and present experiences, and not be daunted by the challenges ahead.