Aiê O Berimbau Aiê

Category: Corridos

Lyrics, Translations, Music Video and Song Meaning

#corrido #berimbau- #zumbi #ganga-zumba

1341

Song Lyrics

00:02 - Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

Eng: Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

00:14 - O aiê

Eng: O aiê

00:16 - Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

Eng: Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

00:28 - Haviam dois reis

Eng: There were two kings

00:31 - Um reinado uma história

Eng: One reign one story

00:34 - Um defende a Regional

Eng: One defends Regional

00:37 - Outro defende a Angola

Eng: Another defends Angola

00:40 - Oh aiê

Eng: Oh there

00:42 - Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

Eng: Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

00:55 - Rei Ganga-zumba

Eng: King Ganga-zumba

00:57 - Que foi sangue de Zumbi

Eng: That was Zumbi's blood

01:02 - E foi Zumbi Que gritou a liberdade

Eng: And it was Zumbi Who screamed for freedom

01:07 - Ate o fim

Eng: Till the end

01:09 - Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

Eng: Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

01:22 - Era princesa

Eng: She was a princess

01:25 - Mas a corte não queria

Eng: But the court did not want

01:29 - Que Dona Isabel Assinasse a carta de alforria

Eng: That Dona Isabel sign the manumission letter

01:34 - Mas ela assinou

Eng: But she signed

01:36 - Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

Eng: Aiê, aiê Aiê o Berimbau Aiê

History and sentiment behind song

The song references Ganga Zumba, he was a slave who escaped bondage on a sugar plantation and eventually rose to the position of highest authority within the kingdom of Palmares, and the corresponding title of Ganga Zumba. Although some Portuguese documents regard Ganga Zumba as his proper name, and this name is widely used today, the most important of the documents translates the name as "Great Lord."

Zumbi was one of Ganga Zumba's nephews. Zumbi's mother Sabina was a sister of Ganga Zumba, who is said to have been the son of Princess Aqualtune, daughter of an unknown King of Kongo. It is unknown if Zumbi's mother was also daughter of the Princess, but this still makes him related to the Kongo nobility. Zumbi and his relatives are of Central African descent.

The song references Princess Isabel who abolished slavery. Although she signed the “Golden Law” cancelling abolitionism the song praises Zumbi for the freedom.