World Music Star Papa Wemba Remembered at Funeral
Papa Wemba, a flamboyant and controversial figure in Congolese rumba music, was remembered today by thousands of fans at his funeral on Wednesday.
According to Billboard, Wemba’s funeral was attended by 2,000 people, including family members, local celebrities and officials at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. More than 15,000 people congregated outside of the building.
The late musician, who died at 66 on April 24 after a collapse on stage on the Ivory Coast, has been celebrated since Monday with several parades, concerts, and ceremonies. Further, several mourners filed in and out of Congo’s parliament building in Kinshasa to pay their respects to Wemba as he was laying in a white and gold casket.
Papa Wemba’s body initially had arrived back from the Ivory Coast to Kinshasa on April 28, where hundreds of mourners were said to have welcomed it back.
“For three days, as one man, the Congolese people, Africa and the world mourn the man who came to be known as the father of Congolese rumba,” said Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo.
Wemba’s coffin was draped in a Congolese flag before being moved to a burial site about 37 miles away from the cathedral. The guests, along with bishops and priests, gathered around the coffin prior.
BBC News reported that on Wednesday, a final memorial service for Papa Wemba was held in Lubumbashi, also known as Congo’s “second city.”
“Papa Wemba was able to make being a musician something valued,” said Congolese musician Ruinga Keps. “He taught us how to dress well, to be elegant, to make ourselves respected in society.”
“I salute the master of art, a man of talent and genius,” said Andre Kimbuta, mayor of Kinshasa, who said that a mausoleum is set to be built in the late musician’s honor.
An even higher honor was posthumously awarded to Papa Wemba on Monday. During a ceremony at the parliament building in Kinshasa, Congo’s President Joseph Kabila awarded Wemba the title of grand officer of the Order of National Heros Kabila-Lumumba.
According to Reuters, Wemba continued to tour up until his death with his band Viva La Musica, and made solo records as well as collaborating with other artists like Peter Gabriel. He continued to be one of Africa’s most popular musicians, and was hailed as a fashion icon by many.
When the news broke of Papa Wemba’s death, several big name musicians from Africa paid tribute to him.
Angélique Kidjo, who had worked with the world music star on the song “Ami Oh” for an album by the saxophonist Manu Dibango, described Wemba as shy, but friendly. She also spoke highly of his fashion sense.
“His whole attitude about dressing well was part of the narrative that we Africans have been denied our humanity for so long,” said Kidjo.
She continued, “People have always had stereotypes about us, and he was saying dressing well is not just a matter of money, not just something for Westerners, but that we Africans also have elegance. It was all about defining ourselves and refusing to be stripped of our humanity.”
Manu Dibango, who’s best known for the song “Soul Makossa” dubbed Wemba as “the voice of Africa” in a BBC interview and posted about the news on his Facebook page.
On his official website, Peter Gabriel shared a post proclaiming that he was shocked by the world music star’s death and praised his efforts to break misconceptions that Africa was “without hope.”
“He was such an extraordinary talent – music flowed out of him effortlessly and he could thrill people with one of the most beautiful and emotional voices I have ever heard,” said Gabriel.
Chinedu Ukabam, of The Fader, said that Papa Wemba’s unique brand of Congolese rumba could be truly cherished as international music, because he broadened the ideas of what African popular music could be.
(Photo by Remy de la Mauviniere/AP Photo)
