Tshiluba worship songs from the Democratic Republic of Congo

(note: to download a song, right-click on link and choose "Save link as...")

1.   Nzambi wakatamba kuswa ba ha buloba  (Come, Receive His Joy!) ¹

2.   Lufu Kalukosa  (Death's Sting)

3.   Va monter la montagne  (Climb the mountain)

4.   Nudi masalayi  (You are soldiers)

5.   Esengo mingi po nayebi  (Great joy to know)

6.   Nalingi komona Masiya  (I want to see Jesus)

7.   Bulelela  (Truth)

8.   Yesu, udi ukubikila  (Jesus is calling you) ¹

9.   Oh! Wakutshimuna (Pâques)  (Oh! He has triumphed (Easter))

10.   Yesu wakadi usamba bayidi bandi  (Jesus comforting his disciples)

11.   Musoko muimpe udiku  (There is a good city)

12.   Sakidilayi Nzambi  (Praise God!)

13.   Yeye Yesu, wakalua pa buloba  (Indeed Jesus came to earth)

14.   Nakumanya buimpe  (I just discovered joy)

Bionso ebi biakuenjibua ku STUDIO PROTESTANTE DU KASAYI, (STUDIPROKA)
B.P. 700 Luluabourg (Kananga), DRC, 1972

BACKGROUND:

There are some folk who worship at Parkwood church whose mother tongue is the Tshiluba language spoken by several million people in Kasai-Occidental Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (map to right). Under the auspices of Mennonite Central Committee ‘s Teachers Abroad Programme, Parkwood elder Alta MacFie (née Sickle) taught high school subjects to nursing students studying at Institut Médical du Kasai (IMCK) in Tshikaji 1971-1973. During her time there, Alta came into possession of a recording of 14 worship songs in the Tshiluba language, recorded by local Christians at STUDIPROKA, a recording studio for the preparation of Tshiluba language programs aired over the provincial government radio that was set up under a joint ministry program of the Presbyterian and Mennonite churches. Bob Schmidt, a Mennonite missionary living at Tshikaji and working at Studiproka provided her with the recording. These songs are presented here. The lyrics to Nzambi wakatamba kusua were written down with the help of some Tshiluba speaking congregants and friends from the Kasai area for use in worship at Parkwood.