Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents information about the Bemba language. This post also provides information about the meaning of the Bemba word "mulopwe" and showcases two Zambian Gospel songs entitled "Mulopwe".
The content of this post is presented for linguistics, cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are associated with the Mt. Sinai Choir and thanks to Deborah C. and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE BEMBA LANGUAGE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bemba_language
"The Bemba language, ChiBemba (also Cibemba, Ichibemba, Icibemba and Chiwemba), is a Bantu language spoken primarily in north-eastern Zambia by the Bemba people and as a lingua franca by about 18 related ethnic groups, including the Bisa people of Mpika and Lake Bangweulu, and to a lesser extent in Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Botswana. Including all its dialects, Bemba is the most spoken indigenous Bantu language and a lingua franca in Zambia where the Bemba form the largest ethnic group.[4] The Lamba language is closely related and some people consider it a dialect of Bemba.”...
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TWO ONLINE REFERENCES THAT INCLUDE THE WORD "MULOPWE"
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Luba
The Kingdom of Luba or Luba Empire (1585–1889) was a pre-colonial Central African state that arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression in what is now southern Democratic Republic of Congo.
[...]
Luba Empire
Government
The kingdom of Luba's success was due in large part to its development of a form of a government durable enough to withstand the disruptions of succession disputes and flexible enough to incorporate foreign leaders and governments. The Luba model of governing was so successful that it was adopted by the Lunda Kingdom and spread throughout the region that is today northern Angola, northwestern Zambia, and southern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Law and order were handled by the king, known as the Mulopwe ('sacred king')[1],"...
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Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Kalonji
Albert Kalonji Ditunga (6 June 1929 – 20 April 2015)[1][2] was a Congolese politician best known as the leader of the short-lived secessionist state of South Kasai (Sud-Kasaï) during the Congo Crisis.
[...]
On 12 April 1961, Kalonji's father was granted the title Mulopwe (which roughly translates to "emperor" or "god-king"),[6] but he immediately "abdicated" in favor of his son.[4] On 16 July, In April 1961, Kalonji took the royal title Mulopwe ("King of the Baluba") to tie the state more closely to the pre-colonial Luba Empire.”...
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Mulopwe-Mt Sinai Choir
Mt Sinai Choir, Jan 26, 2014
Mulopwe From Mt Sina Choir.Kitwe Zambia.
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Maureen Tonga, 2016
"Thanks to youtube,am enjoying zed gospel far from from zambia #greatful"
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2. Fyson Magalasi, 2017
"beautiful song. If translated into English wonders would have happened as the audience would be expanded thereby redeeming many."
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REPLY
3. Hendrix Chalwe, 2019
"It is a beautiful song of praise fashioned after the Bemba traditional way of paying homage to their chiefs. Terms like "Mulopwe", "Kanabesa" are equivalent to "Your Majesty", "Your Honor", "Your Worship", "My Lord..." In other words, the singers are praising Yehova as King and hence their use of terms for Royalty."
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Example #2: Deborah C _ Mulopwe Nimwe _2019 Zambian Gospel Song
Deborah C Music, Apr 24, 2019
Worshiping God in my language.
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Here's information about the meaning of the word "ninwe" from https://pclive.peacecorps.gov/pclive/index.php/pclive-resources/restricted-resources/1207-zambia-bemba-trainees-book/file
“Nimwe. It's you (Sing-resp/plural)”
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