Lesson 2: Learning “Kikondé”
Aim: What are some distinctive rhythms in Dominican roots music?
Summary: Students will learn to sing “Kikondé,” and will discover the Congo del Espíritu Santo style of music, rhythms, and dance.
Materials: Musical Explorers digital resources, Musical Explorers Student Guide
Standards: National 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11; NYC 1, 2, 3, 4
Vocabulary: congos, rhythm, steady beat
“Kikondé” is a congos song from La Cofradía de los Congos del Espíritu Santo de Villa Mella (The Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit of Villa Mella). The Cofradía, which today includes all genders, plays music for religious ceremonies and funerals in the region of Villa Mella. Congos developed in the 17th century by enslaved Africans in Villa Mella, and it is one of the oldest musical styles in the Dominican Republic. Inspired by West African dance and spiritual chants, the Confradía musicians accompany the congos with congos (hand drums that give the style its name), a canoíta (a hollowed stick in the shape of a canoe and played like the clave), and maracas. In 2001, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared La Cofradía de los Congos del Espíritu Santo de Villa Mella a heritage masterpiece.
Sing “Kikondé”
- Listen to “Kikondé” to hear the full song.
- Learn the lyrics to the chorus using “Kikondé” chorus and pronunciation.
- Sing the chorus.
“Kikondé”
Text
Chorus:
Oh kikondea (oh oh oh eh eh eh ah)
Oh kikondea mama (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh kikondea papa (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh que te quiero ver (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh hasta el amanecer (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh dejate llevar (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh ola de la mar (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh que bonito baila (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh hasta por la mañana (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh ola de la mar (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh para navegar (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh yo te quiero ver (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh hasta el amanecer (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh espíritu santo eh (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh yo te quiero ver (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh oh déjate llevar (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh ola de la mar (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh que bonito baila (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh hasta por la mañana (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh que yo te quiero ver (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh hasta el amanecer (oh oh oh eh ah)
Ay Juana, ay Juana polo, ay Juana polo ven,
Ay Casimiro ven, ay Don sixto e’,
Ay Petronila ven, ay Cundengo ven**
Ay Juana, ay ola ola e’, ay ola ola e’,
Ay ola de la mar, ay para navegar,
Ay que bonito baila
Ay dejate llevar, hasta por la mañana
Y que te quiero ver, hasta el amanecer
(Repeat last two verses.)
*Kikonde includes untranslatable chant syllables.
**These are names of people in the community who celebrate Congo.
“Kikondé”*
Translation
Oh I want to see you (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh until the sun rises (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh let yourself go (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh wave of the sea (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh how beautiful she dances (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh until the morning (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh wave of the sea (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh to sail the sea (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh I want to see you (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh until the sun rises (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh holy spirit (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh I want to see you (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh oh let yourself go (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh oh wave of the sea (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh how beautiful she dances (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh until the morning (oh oh oh eh ah)
(Chorus)
Oh I want to see you (oh oh oh eh ah)
Oh until the sun rises (oh oh oh eh ah)
Ay Juana, ay wave wave e’, ay wave wave e’
Ay wave of the sea, ay wave to sail the sea
Ay how beautiful she dances
Ay let yourself go, ay until the morning
I want to see you, until the sun rises
*Kikonde includes untranslatable chant syllables.
Explore Call and Response in “Kikondé”
- One of the distinctive features of congos is call and response singing and chanting.
- The leader sings or chants a phrase and the other members of the Cofradía respond.
- Listen to the call and response section using “Kikondé” call and response, and then practice singing the call as a class.
- Divide your class into two groups to sing the call and response. Let each group take turns being the leader.
Explore Steady Beat and Rhythm in “Kikondé”
- According to legend, Los Congos de Villa Mella originated when the Holy Spirit (in the form of a dove) delivered percussion instruments to the members of the Cofradía at the community parish. It is believed that by performing rhythms on these instruments, one can reach heaven.
- The rituals and celebrations of the Cofradía continue to be rooted in these percussion instruments and their rhythms. The rhythmic performances serve to bring everyone into the celebration.
- In “Kikondé” there are three basic rhythms. The steady beat is performed on the maracas, a clave rhythm is performed on the canoíta, and the third rhythm is performed on the congos (the hand drums), which vary in size.
- Listen to these rhythms using “Kikondé” rhythm and practice clapping or tapping along.
Musical Word Wall
Add the words congos, rhythm, and steady beat to the Musical Word Wall.
Image Credits
Colonial Zone (Ciudad Colonial), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Colonial Architectures of the Palacio Consistorial by mauritius images GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo.