Le Mali

Le Mali (popularly known as Pour l'Afrique et pour toi, Mali – French: For Africa and for you, Mali or A ton appel Mali – French: At your call, Mali) is the national anthem of Mali. The words were written by Seydou Badian Kouyaté and the music was by Banzumana Sissoko. Adopted as the national anthem in 1962, its themes are patriotism, national, and African unity. It states the willingness of the people of Mali to lay down their lives for their nation and for liberty. A common theme throughout the song is the desire to strive for a united Africa. Its music is a traditional European style military march.^[1]

It was officially adopted less than a year after independence, by loi n° 62-72 du 9 août 1962. It is traditionally played at state ceremonies by the band of the Garde Républicaine of the Armed Forces of Mali. The Malian Young Pioneer movement of the 1960s translated the anthem in the Bambara language for its rallies.

Lyrics

The first verse begins:

A ton appel Mali

Pour ta prospérité

Fidèle à ton destin

Nous serons tous unis

Un Peuple un But une Foi

Pour une Afrique Unie...

Translated as:

At your call, Mali

for your prosperity

Loyal towards your destiny

we will be all united,

One people, one struggle, one faith,

For African unity...

The chorus is as follows:

Pour l'Afrique et pour toi, Mali,

Notre drapeau sera liberté.

Pour l'Afrique et pour toi, Mali,

Notre combat sera unité.

Ô Mali d'aujourd'hui

Ô Mali de demain

Les champs fleurissent d'espérance

Les cœurs vibrent de confiance

Translated as:

For Africa and for you, Mali,

Our banner shall be liberty.

For Africa and for you, Mali,

Our fight shall be for unity.

Oh, Mali of today,

Oh, Mali of tomorrow,

The fields are flowering with hope

And hearts are thrilling with confidence.

THE SINGING OF NATIONAL PIONEERS OF MALI

This is the Africa Day

It's time for Africa

Oh oh youth

It is the joy

At night the sun disappears radius fresh

Enroll in those

Freedom

Register unit

Register unit

This is the Africa Day

Oh oh youth

It's time for Africa

What a great experience

Our father in dignity Konate

We will follow your way

We want your liver

The Battle of memory

The battle for the future

We will win their

We will win their

This is the Africa Day

Oh oh youth

It's time for Africa

What a great experience

We made those oaths

We will do the Mali

We will Africa

We will Africa

Even if our blood must

We will move forward

Although it is our blood

We go running

This is the Africa Day

Oh oh youth

It's time for Africa

What a great experience

References

• Presidency of Mali: Symboles de la République, L’Hymne National du Mali: history and lyrics, updated 13 June 2003.