The following presentation contains audio, images and video clips. It is intended to give an impression of Kinshasa and what is known as traditional music in Kinshasa. As this is a musicological study, sound plays a key role. It is worth putting on headphones and setting aside a few minutes at a time to follow the content. If using a mobile phone, please select landscape mode.

Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with an estimated population of over 16 million. It is home to a diverse mix of people from across the country as well as from abroad. Although Lingala is the lingua franca, alongside French and the three other official national languages – Ciluba, Kikongo and Kiswahili – there are also numerous other languages, local dialects and linguistic communities. These include Mongo, Teke, Pende, Mbala, Yaka, Ngongo, Hungani, Mbund, Tandu, Nianga, Tetela, Kuba, Chokwe, Lele, Songye… Due to the rural exodus, Kinshasa has become a melting pot that also reflects the conflicts plaguing the country.

There are a number of groups in Kinshasa that practise ‘musique folklorique’, and professional musicians and dancers often gained their initial experience and training through these traditions. Alongside publicly active groups that are booked for weddings or funerals, there are also countless references to so-called ‘traditional music’ in informal settings, such as private celebrations or musical improvisations, and it is not uncommon for metaphors in popular music to be inspired by traditional imagery. This means that the relationships between traditional, rural cultures, contexts and roles, and urban society are diverse and are particularly evident in musical developments. Below are some film clips showing music that can be described as ‘traditional’, as the repertoire consists primarily of pieces from various regions of the country played on traditional instruments. The footage was filmed in Kinshasa in 2024 and 2025.

Ich habe wenig zusätzliche Informationen zu den Filmaufnahmen gegeben, da ich denke die Bilder und die Musik sprechen erstmal für sich. Bei Interesse schreiben Sie mir aber gerne und ich versuche Fragen zu beantworten. Die Musiker sind natürlich mit einer Veröffentlichung des Materials im Rahmen der Forschungsarbeit einverstanden. Sie möchten gerne, dass ihre Musik einem breiteren Publikum zugänglich ist.

As well as using film and audio recordings, I also work with interviews. Below you can read and listen to some excerpts in French. It is a good idea to listen to the audio recording whilst reading the text.