Felix Wazekwa - Lรฉopards Fimbu Na Fimbu Champions Chan 2016
AfricaShowsMusic : 100% Musique Africaine, Jan 13, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgXPkWvI6Q4
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases three YouTube videos about the Democratic Republic of the Congo's dance called "Fimbu" (also called "Fimbu Chicotte").
This post also presents a complete reprint of a 2017 online article about the Fimbu dance and two 2026 AI Overview write-ups about that dance.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, entertainment, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain wiih their owners.
Thanks to Felix Wazeka, the creator of the Fimbu dance. Thanks to Marc Jourdier and thanks to all past and present members of the Congolese football club. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all the publishes of these videos on YouTube.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-similarities-between-ways-whip.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "The Similarities Between The Ways The "Whip" & "The Whip/Nae Nae" Were Danced In The United States And How The "Fimbu" Was & Is Still Danced In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo."
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE FIMBU DANCE
Source #1
[Pancocojams Editor's Note: This is a complete reprint of this article. I reformatted it to enhance its readability.]
From https://sg.news.yahoo.com/dr-congos-dancing-footballers-leave-mark-africa-cup-025838837--so
"DR Congo's dancing footballers leave mark at Africa Cup of
Nations" by Marc Jourdier, 30 January 2017
They may be out of the tournament, but the Democratic
Republic of Congo's footballers will be forever remembered by Africa Cup of
Nations fans for their dance moves on the pitch. DR Congo players danced the
"Fimbu" seven times at the CAN 2017 tournament in Gabon -- once for
each goal scored -- as their supporters in the stands cheered with delight.
After each goal, the players would gather side by side, hold their left arm up
and wave their right as they moved down the pitch in unison.
The move is based on a much more elaborate dance
accompanying the Congolese pop hit "Fimbu" by Felix Wazeka, which in
a light-hearted music video with over half a million views on YouTube is
performed by dozens of men and women in colourful dress. "Everything about
this dance is easy," singer Wazekwa told AFP. "But what it expresses
is huge. It's the fact that we won, and that we're looking for the best way to
celebrate our goals." DR Congo's music is already known worldwide for its
upbeat tunes -- with superstar "rumba king" Papa Wemba leading the
Kinshasa music scene for four decades until he died last year.
In the Lingala language, the word "fimbu" refers
to a type of whip that was once a symbol of Belgian colonial violence in the
vast central African nation and is still used in many schools and homes,
despite a ban on corporal punishment. Despite the dark overtones, football
stars and fans say the "Fimbu" dance is all about fun. "The idea
(behind the dance) was never to mock the opponent or to go against the spirit
of sportsmanship or fair play," said Kabulo Mwana Kabulo, director of
sports at DR Congo's national radio and television service. "The goal is
to entertain the audience, it's just a way to express joy," he said.
Neeskens Kebano, the squad's number 10, is a little more provocative. "It
means 'whip' -- and quite simply, it's about whipping our opponents," he
said.
The dance seems to be spreading around the world, with
French player Blaise Matuidi of Paris Saint Germain and Cedric Bakambu, who
plays for Spain's Villareal, doing the "Fimbu" to celebrate their
goals. - World Cup dreams - Congolese players first danced the
"Fimbu" in 2016, during the African Nations Championship in Rwanda.
Far from being favourites, they surprised their fans by defeating Ethiopia 3-0
at the opening game. Winning one match after another, they ended up bringing
the trophy back home to euphoric supporters in DR Congo. This time, the team --
nicknamed the Leopards -- has fared worse, eliminated on Sunday by Ghana in the
quarter finals. But rather than mourn their loss, fans are already looking
forward to the next big challenge: the 2018 World Cup in Russia. And just for
the occasion, Wazekwa is working with rappers Maitre Gims and Youssoupha on a
new version of the dance. "My goal is for the 'Fimbu' to be danced at the
World Cup," Wazekwa said."
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Source #2 :
"Fimbu chicotte is a celebratory phrase and dance from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Popularized by Congolese singer Fรฉlix Wazekwa and embraced by the national football team (the Leopards), it playfully means "whip the opponent."
The term combines two words for a whip or hitting:
Fimbu: This means "whip" or "the whip"
in Lingala, a widely spoken language in the DRC.
Chicotte: This is a French word commonly used in Central and
West Africa to refer to a whip or a whipping, often rooted in a history of
harsh colonial punishments
The Dance and Its Meaning
During football matches or celebrations, supporters and players perform the fimbu
chicotte by raising their arms and hands to mimic the cracking of a whip.
The Spirit of the Celebration: Rather than having a violent
or genuinely malicious intent, the dance is used to playfully
"chastise" or "whip" a losing opponent.
Cultural Context: Wazekwa created the original song as a
plea to fight against impunity, essentially suggesting that those who commit
offenses deserve to be punished or "whipped."
The Leopards football team adapted it into a joyful,
rhythmic dance to celebrate goals and overwhelm opposing teams."
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Source #3- AI Overview #2 [This is the result of my questions "What is the name of the dance that congolese did in the 2016
YouTube video for the fimbu na fimbu song? What language are they singing and
do they still do this dance in 2026?]
"The dance performed in the 2016 music video is simply called
the Fimbu (derived from the hit pop song "Fimbu" by Congolese artist
Fรฉlix Wazekwa).
The song is sung in Lingala, which is the most widely spoken
language in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In Lingala, the word fimbu
translates to "the whip."
They absolutely still do this dance in 2026. It has remained a massive cultural phenomenon and the signature goal celebration for the Congolese national football team (the Leopards) at tournaments like the World Cup. The celebratory dance involves holding an imaginary object with the left hand while using the right hand to make a downward "whipping" motion, accompanied by short rhythmic steps."
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 -
FelixWazekwaOfficiel. Dec 11, 2017
danse inventรฉe par Felix Wazekwa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RntPPXoBMs
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - DR Congo Fimbu Dance ๐จ๐ฉ #drcongo #fimbu #worldcup #Soccer #๐จ๐ฉ
@whatzpoppinnews, Jun 20, 2026
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Members of Democratic Republic of the Congo football team the Leopards doing the Fimbu dance during the World Cup game to celebrate scoring. (In the United States and in a few other countries, this form of football is called "soccer").
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWFZ59oJYiI
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