La ronda catonga

(Candombe)

The kids on the corners
form the Catonga round,
circle of all hands
that roam around the round wheel.

Macumba macumbembé
the African little ones
too form a round
holding hands with the night.

To scare away the devil,
macumba macumbembé,
you have to throw an arrow
and dance the candombé.

There's so much tiringutingo
tiringutango tiringuté,
here comes a lovely black girl,
prettier than I don't know what.

The stars form a round
when they play with the sun
and in the sky's candombe
the moon is a big drum.

To the wheel, wheel,
to the round, round,
the white Mandinga,
the black Catonga.

* Alfredo Zitarrosa says