Les Amazones d'Afrique - Kuma Fo (What They Say) [Official Video]

Download/listen: http://lnk.to/RW258

The all-female African supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique, a collective which has included some of the biggest stars in African music, make a triumphant return with a brand-new sound on their latest single, ‘Kuma Fo (What They Say)’. Taken from the forthcoming album Musow Danse, out 16 February 2024.

The track features five different members of the collective singing in their native languages from the countries Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Congo-Brazzaville. Alongside the familiar voices of Mamani Keïta, Fafa Ruffino and Kandy Guira, the track features new members Alvie Bitemo, an activist and actress originally from Congo-Brazzaville, and renowned Ivorian artist Dobet Gnahoré.

“‘Kuma Fo’ is about women’s freedom of expression.” Bitemo says. “It’s about speaking up — not asking, not waiting for us to be given the floor. We need to seize it.”

“When you look at the Amazons of Dahomey, it was female warriors who made the decisions and took power. It feels like since colonization, certain countries in Africa have moved further away from women's rights. And in this song, we say that if you bring life into the world, you educate, you organize the family, then you should reclaim your power: your female power.”

Written by Les Amazones d'Afrique & Jacknife Lee
Produced by Jacknife Lee

CREDITS
Directed by Valérie Malot & Odhrán Mullan
Cinematographer (Morocco): Edwin Sedjro - @edwin_sedjro
Cinematographer (Côte d’Ivoire forest): Jypheal Tayorault - @jypheal_tayorault
Editing & colour: Odhrán Mullan - @odhranmullan
Art direction & styling: Madjiguene Samb - @madjig_ne
Costume: Maison Kébé - @maisonkebe
Hair & make-up: Hawa Sy
Planning & production: Gregoire Hugé, Cecile Lecoeur

LYRICS (English translation below)
Languages: Bété (Dobet Gnahoré), Bambara (Mamani Keïta), Fon (Fafa Ruffino), Lingala and Dondo (Alvie Bitemo), Mooré (Kandy Guira)

Mon zouha pih he, êh zoua pièh pih
Mon zouha pih heyi, êh zoua pièh pih
N’wonnon ho ho ho n’wonnon
Êh zouha pih hi

Chorus:
Kuma fò,
Musow bè kuma min fò
Kuma lakolon tè
Ayé man fa mi sê nou man vo ayé
Kuma fò,
Musow bè kuma min fò
Kuma lakolon tè
Iye iye aye mi sê nam man vo

Pih nou na n´wonni
Mika mika mika mika mika
Mon souha pih
Mika mika mika mika mika

Ani wou wê mi gan djê?
Gnon nou lê sité bo si adokin
Enangnon koko
Ani wou wê mi gan djê?

Chorus

O ngue ngui saka bomoye
O ngue ngui saka bomoye
Longa nkento longa ngäta
Longa nkento longa nza
Telama, telama, telema
Wa bonga bu kento buankuo
Nke, nke, nke, nkento, telama telama
Wa bonga bu kento buankuo

Ko ne taara bayanfan
Bayanfan mògòw bèe ko
Muso ye hòròn ye
Ko ne taara tilebi
Tilebi mògòw bèe ko
Muso ye hòròn ye

Mam ya mam man’m m’sondate
M’pana le sake man mam ob sondate
Mam ya mam man’m m’sondate
M’pana le sak yeee

Chorus

Kuma fò
Musow bè kuma min fò
Kuma lakolon tè
Mam pa mobile pana sak ye
N’wonnon N’wonnon n’wonnon

Opessa ka elikia
Opessa ka elikia
Opessa ka elikia
Opessa ka bomoyi
Longa nkento longa ngäta
Longa nkento longa nza

- - -

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

She preserves life, gives the first breath
She preserves life, gives the first breath
Woman oh, oh woman
She gives the first breath

Chorus:
Whatever they say
Whatever women have to say
Is worth listening to
Life is hard, I fight with courage, let me be
Whatever they say
Whatever women have to say
Is worth listening to
You know, my life is mine, so give me space

The world was created by a woman
Mika mika mika mika mika
She preserves life
Mika mika mika mika mika

You wonder how we’re gona make it?
We decided to gather our strength and fight
Whatever it costs
You wonder how we’ll make it?

Chorus

You light up life
You light up life
To educate a woman is to educate a village
To educate a girl is to educate the world
Get up, get up, get up
Regain your feminine strength
Woman, woman, woman, get up, get up
Regain your feminine strength

I travelled to the North
People from the North told me
That women have dignity
I travelled to the West
People from the West told me
That women have dignity

I belong to myself, I’m free to do what I like
I will not accept what others want me to be
I belong to myself, I’m free to do what I like
I will never accept it anymore

Chorus

Whatever they say
Whatever women have to say
Is worth listening to
I will not be driven like a car
Woman, woman, woman

You give hope
You give hope
You give hope
You give life
To educate a woman is to educate a village
To educate a girl is to educate the world