Bembe love poem

Tal’tala

Kiziri kia yé mu tal’tala

Mu kunga me wu vuri bubwé

Lo, sa ma wassu, be yi zimb’ri

A ho lo ya ma nsukini, ni kutiri

Translated into Kibembe by Djess dia Moungouansi
Bembe love poem

Book of poetry "La Glace"
Original version
French poem

Beembe language an people

Beembe love poem (alternatives : Ibembe, Bembe, Keenge, Kibeembe, Ebembe, Kiyari, kinkeenge, Yari, Kikeenge).

There is all the African reflection in this Bantu language. Bembe language, from the south of the Republic of Congo, in one of the many languages of Africa.

Perhaps 200,000 babembes living on Bouenza coast, and of the Kongo ethnic group, speak this language.

Speakers of the Beembée language live in the Republic of Congo, near the Niari river around Mouyondzi.

We recognize at least two dialects of Bembé, that of Mouyondzi (Beembe dialect of the savannah), and the Beembe dialect of the forest.

The Beembés according to tradition would be Kongos, mixed with Tékés and the Pygmy populations who lived in this place.

Their tradition gives them ancestors from Kongo dya Ntotila. They would have crossed the Congo towards Manyanga, and would have separated from another Kongo group going towards Brazzaville, to go towards Mouyondzi.

Congolese literature

The Bembes are less numerous than Kongos and Tekes since they represent only 1% of the population.

In 1950 the creation of the journal "liaison", was an awareness and a rehabilitation of the Congolese culture. It was a forum for many writers, Paul Lomami-Tshibamba, Antoine Letembet-Ambily, Jean Malonga, Sylvain Bemba and others.

For poets we must mention Jean-Baptiste Tati-Loutard "poems of the sea", Teophile Obenga, Maxime N'Debeka and of course Tchicaya U Tam'Si, considered today as one of the greatest African poets of French expression. Emmanuel Dongala, meanwhile, represents the novel with: "A rifle in hand, a poem in the pocket".

The Republic of Congo, the former Congo Brazzaville is a rich and multi ethnic country. It is one of the great oil producers of the Gulf of Guinea.

Bantu languages
Lingala - Kele - Kunyi - Ciluba - Chichewa - Tetela - Kongo - Kituba
Poem translated into bembe (554 languages)