Name: RWANDIKO RWA DATA
Duration: P00H04M01S
Description: I wrote that song while I was living in Nyamata, Rwanda. It's the first song I wrote in Kinyarwanda. Thanks to RURANGWA Lucien who helped me correct my errors in my new language. I used to sing it on Sunday at the Black and White in Nyamata. People called it the three languages song.

RWANDIKO RWA DATA

by Alain BERTRAND

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about

I wrote that song while I was living in Nyamata, Rwanda. It's the first song I wrote in Kinyarwanda. Thanks to RURANGWA Lucien who helped me correct my errors in my new language. I used to sing it on Sunday at the Black and White in Nyamata. People called it the three languages song.

lyrics

RWANDIKO RWA DATA (A Letter of my Father)

(BERTRAND Alain & RURANGWA Lucien, BERTRAND Alain)

Igihe navukaga yanyandikiye urwandiko
(When I was born he wrote to me)

U----rwandiko rwanyifuri----zaga byose.
(The longest letter he had ever written or a letter with all the words he could find)

Harimo byinshi yateganyije kumbwira
(Many things to tell me he had)

Urwo rwandiko rwamburiraga mbere yo kugenda.
(To warn me the day before he was to leave)

La vie est brève (Life’s a short story L’absence est longue Any longing’s too long
Souvent une lettre est Too often a letter
Tout ce qui reste Is all what’s left
De nos amours From our beloved)

Mama yararumbi----kiye kugeza uyu munsi
(My mother could keep them preciously until today)

Yam----paye bike ku byo data yanyandikiye
(She has just given to me the few words my father wrote to me)

Amazi yasibyemo byinshi kubera igihe byari bimaze.
(But time and water had erased most of the words)

Muri byose icyo nabashije gusoma: Urukundo rwa data.
(The only thing I could read was : Love of your father

The day I was born that man decided to write for me
That kind of letter where to find the right things to say

So so many things, so so many truths he wanted to say
So many warnings he had for me the day he was to leave

Quelle sera ma lettre ? What will be my letter ?
Et quelle sera la vôtre ? And how will be yours ?
Chacun doit une lettre Don’t we owe a letter
À ceux qu’il invite To those we bring
À la vie ? Into this world ?

Mother kept it for me so preciously until today
Just gave it to me, the very last words Daddy wrote for me

Time and so many tears had washed away most of the words
But at least I could read a few trembled letters:
Your Daddy loves you

(2-18 janvier 2009)