Testament Ya Bowule (Lutumba Simaro) – Franco & le TPOK Jazz 1986

Bowule was a friend of Papa Lutumba. When she died, her sister asked Papa Simaro to write an ode to her. Simaro wrote a song in the person of the bereaved sister (sung by Malage Lugendo). In the song, the bereaved sister wrote about the last time she talked to her departed sister; how she was asked to cook a meal and when she returned with it, Bowule was dead. …At the end Bowule is asked to greet the some dead people like Pajos muana Ndjili..Malage added his grandfatherPapa NgoboboPapaBahia 5 months ago

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  1. This is a great song. I rank it on top of the lingala songs I have ever heard.

    The meal she prepared was TEA. The song at one point asks the angels(Banzelu),
    where do people go when they die? we know where we come from but we dont know where people go when they die |(toyebi te moto akufi akende wapi) Mpona nini liwa-why is there death?.

    The song adds mbongo eloko pamba ekoki kosomba liwa te, bowule akufi te. That money is just useless, it cannot buy/bribe Death bowule should not have died.

  2. Hi Moroko John,
    Iam Zambian and a great fun of Congolese rhumba.I really love this song though i cannot understand Lingala.My Elder brother can sing the entire song even when a cannot speak Lingala.Its nice that you have atleast tried to explain what the song is talking about.Imagine i have the live concert for Lutumba Simaro’s 70th birthday celebration.Its really a classic.

    1. I love this song too. This music speaks to the heart and while many may not understand lingala, the musical elements in the song speak to us and we feel and appreciate them. No wonder they continue to be popular. Thanks for taking time to visit my blog.

  3. A powerful song that speaks to my soul even if I do not understand a single Lingala. I am a lover of rhumba especially by the late Franco and Lutumba Simaro. I have over a thousand rhumba songs to share with other rhumba lovers.

  4. Which song did lutumba wrote and sung himself because lugendo and mangwana’s voices are very common in lutumba’s compositions?

    1. He only wrote but didn’t sing, his songs were sang by various artists but mostly sang by Madilu (BTW For those who didn’t know, Madilu aunty was Lutumba wife)

  5. My quest to understand the words of the beautiful song is partially answered by some comments up there.It’s all the more reason,I celebrate Le Poete,Lutumba Simaro Masiya and Malage du Lugendo

  6. liwa ya Bowule sango lokola nkake na matoyi: the death of Bowule news is like thunder sound in the ears.. THANKS SIMARO MASIYA R.I.P

  7. Ta song so emotional, touching my soul.if money was to bring life,Bowule was not to die.the guitar composition waah love ❤ da song

    1. Lutumba Simaro -Will live in our ears as a sweet voice with an amazing talent of song composition….RIP son of africa !

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