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Likambo ya ngana




The origin and meaning of the Congolese song Likambo ya ngana by Franco Luambo, freely translated as ‘other people’s stuff', are initially unknown to me. It became one of my favorites as I listened to it to calm down before falling asleep. To be able to appreciate it in its entirety, I immersed myself in both the piece of music and the Congolese culture. The masks of the Kuba, meant to transmit cultural values, brought me to the core of this process. Because of the symbolic appearances, such as large ears and blindness, the representation of the role of the common man and the often attributed characteristic of rebellion, I became inspired by the mask Bwoom. In Bwoom, I recognise Franco Luambo, who upset the regime with his music. I also encounter myself and my background, struggling to try to understand other cultures.