"Chant de Ralliement" ("The Rallying Song"), also known as "Ô Cameroun berceau de nos ancêtres" ("O Cameroon, Cradle of our Forefathers") is the national anthem of Cameroon and former national anthem of French Cameroon.
History
The song was composed in 1928 by René Djam Afame [fr], who also wrote the lyrics along with Samuel Minkio Bamba [fr] and Moïse Nyatte Nko'o, all while they were students at the École Normale of Foulassi [fr].[1] It was used on an unofficial basis in French Cameroon beginning in 1948 before independence and officially adopted as the anthem of the territory in 1957. In 1960, the anthem was officially adopted by the new Republic of Cameroon.[2]
In 1961, upon the accession of the former British Southern Cameroons to the Republic of Cameroon, an English version was written by Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, which was later officially adopted in 1978.[3][2] In 1970, the French lyrics were changed to remove some words such as barbarie ("barbarianism") and sauvagerie ("savagery"), reference to France and the United Kingdom.[2]
Lyrics
The first verse and chorus are considered to be the official lyrics and are most frequently played at important occasions.
I
Ô Cameroun berceau de nos ancêtres,
Va debout et jaloux de ta liberté.
Comme un soleil ton drapeau fier doit être
Un symbole ardent de foi et d'unité.
Que tous tes enfants du nord au sud,
de l'est à l'ouest soient tout amour,
Te servir que ce soit leur[a] seul but,
Pour remplir leur devoir toujours.
Refrain:
Chère patrie, terre chérie,
Tu es notre seul et vrai bonheur,
notre joie et notre vie,
À[b] toi l'amour et le grand honneur
II
Tu es la tombe où dorment nos pères,
Le jardin que nos aïeux ont cultivé.
Nous travaillons pour te rendre prospère,
Un beau jour enfin nous serons arrivés.
De l'Afrique sois fidèle enfant
Et progresse toujours en paix,
Espérant que tes jeunes enfants
T'aimeront sans bornes à jamais.
Refrain
I
O Cameroon, cradle of our ancestors,
Go, upright and protective of your freedom.
Like a sun, your proud flag must be
An ardent symbol of faith and unity.
May all your children, from North to South
From East to West, be all love,
May serving you be their only goal
To fulfil their duty always.
Chorus:
Dear Fatherland, cherished land,
You are our one and true happiness.
Our joy and our life
To you, love and great honour.
II
You are the grave where our fathers sleep,
The garden that our ancestors have cultivated.
We work to make you prosperous
One fine day we will finally get there.
Be Africa's faithful child
And always progress in peace
Hoping that your young children
Will love you without bounds forever.
Chorus
I
O Cameroon, Thou Cradle of our Fathers,
Holy Shrine where in our midst they now repose,
Their tears and blood and sweat thy soil did water,
On thy hills and valleys once their tillage rose.
Dear Fatherland, thy worth no tongue can tell!
How can we ever pay thy due?
Thy welfare we will win in toil and love and peace,
Will be to thy name ever true!
Chorus:
Land of Promise, land of Glory!
Thou, of life and joy, our only store!
Thine be honour, thine emotion,
And deep endearment, for evermore.
II
From Shari, from where the Mungo meanders
From along the banks of lowly Boumba Stream,
Muster thy sons in union close around thee,
Mighty as the Buea Mountain be their team;
Instil in them the love of gentle ways,
Regret for errors of the past;
Foster, for Mother Africa, a loyalty
That true shall remain to the last.
Chorus
In local languages
The anthem has also been translated into several local languages.
I
Á Kamərún onə ǹnam bə́vámbá
Tə́bə́gə́ ósú ókaman fə ai filí dzoe
Anə ǹlódzób etsíga dzóe yáyean bɔ́
Ndem edǐŋ ai e nyí anyang á zǎŋ bɔ́n bóé
Kyé á bɔ́n bə́sə yá sí Kamərún
Aa tádígí á búg sí di akələ kuí éfas evɔ́g
Bǒ nǎ bə́sə bə́fulan ǹnə́m m̀bɔ́g
Mból ye nâ bəvə kɔ á mam mə́sə.
Kíŋ:
Mbəmbə ǹnam wân
Mbəmbə ǹnam edǐŋ
Onə afidi dân ai mvǒm dzân
Mbəmbə ǹnam edǐŋ
Edǐŋ ai wa ai olugú ásə.
I
O Cameroun, berceau de nos ancêtres,
Autrefois tu vécus dans la barbarie,
Comme un soleil, tu commences à paraitre,
Peu à peu tu sors de ta sauvagerie,
Que tous tes enfants du Nord au Sud,
De l'Est à l'Ouest soient tout amour,
Te servir que ce soit notre seul but,
Pour remplir notre devoir toujours.
Refrain:
Chère Patrie, terre chérie,
Tu es notre unique et vrai bonheur.
Notre joie et notre vie
A toi l’amour et le grand honneur.
II
Tu es la tombe où dorment nos pères,
Le jardin que nos aïeux ont cultivé.
Nous travaillons pour te rendre prospère,
Un beau jour enfin nous serons arrivés.
De l'Afrique sois fidèle enfant
Et progresse toujours en paix,
Espérant que tes jeunes enfants
T'aimeront sans bornes à jamais.
Refrain
I
O Cameroon, cradle of our ancestors,
You once lived in barbarism,
Like a sun, you start to appear,
Little by little you come out of your savagery,
May all your children, from North to South
From East to West, be all love,
May serving you be our only goal
To fulfil their duty always.
Chorus:
Dear Fatherland, dear land,
You are our unique and true happiness.
Our joy and our life
To you, love and great honour.
II
You are the grave where our fathers sleep,
The garden that our ancestors have cultivated.
We work to make you prosperous
One fine day we will finally get there.
Be Africa's faithful child
And always progress in peace
Hoping that your young children
Will love you without bounds forever.
Cameroon