Lecture on the History of Congolese Rumba in Cooperation with the Embassy of Congo
Exploration of the heartbeat of Congolese Rumba at Institut Français Berlin
July 14th, 2024
On 27 May, 2024, the Institut Français Berlin, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Congo in Germany, hosted an event dedicated to the Rumba culture.
Visitors were able to discover the fascinating world of rumba culture with a lecture by Gervais Loëmbe on the history of Congolese rumba and its impact on contemporary society. The musician Dana also introduced the audience to the musical world of rumba.
During its thirteenth session from 13 to 18 December, 2021, UNESCO decided to inscribe the Congolese rumba in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Congolese rumba is a diverse and multifaceted folk art that originated in the Congo Basin. It consists of a triptych: music, dance, and costume. Each of these elements can be subdivided into numerous other variations.
Its philosophical meaning gives the rumba a spiritual dimension, qualifying it as the only heritage brought to the Americas by enslaved black people. This Congolese artistic creation thus becomes a movement of resistance, an element of emancipation, and through the integration of new inventions, encounters, and diverse influences, it has contributed to musical genres such as gospel, ragtime, jazz, rock'n'roll, disco, tango and cha-cha-cha.
Its contribution to progressive movements of all kinds has produced great artists in Africa, France, and the world. This also gives it great economic importance today. It is an incomparable ambassador that has kept people connected with their original roots. It has also asserted and preserved the identity of the peoples of the Congo Basin despite the challenges, twists and turns of history.
Congolese rumba is an anthem of happiness, a dynamic yearning for peace and for the emancipation of humanity, "bu muntu".
References
- https://www.facebook.com/p/Ambassade-Du-Congo-en-Allemagne-61551694221055/ https://www.facebook.com/p/Ambassade-Du-Congo-en-Allemagne-61551694221055/
- https://www.institutfrancais.de/de/berlin/event/die-geschichte-der-kongolesischen-rumba-und-ihr-einfluss-auf-die-heutige-gesellschaft?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2XePqVO1ZA3moi-AoWtW1ObsWVkAGyAnRrYEk8kXHrSV5jztenCmoZDDU_aem_lHbhETcYrPcheDiATKWNcQ#/ https://www.institutfrancais.de/de/berlin/event/die-geschichte-der-kongolesischen-rumba-und-ihr-einfluss-auf-die-heutige-gesellschaft?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2XePqVO1ZA3moi-AoWtW1ObsWVkAGyAnRrYEk8kXHrSV5jztenCmoZDDU_aem_lHbhETcYrPcheDiATKWNcQ#/
