"" () is the

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and Europea ...

of Lesotho. The lyrics were written by French missionary François Coillard and Swiss missionary Adolphe Mabille, and the music is taken from an 1820

hymnal A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook (or hymn book). Hymnals are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts (normal for most hymnals for most centuries of Chr ...

composed by Swiss composer Ferdinand-Samuel Laur. It was officially adopted as the national anthem in 1967. The original composition that the national anthem was based on had five verses, though only the first and last ended up being adopted.

History

The song was written by French missionaries François Coillard and Adolphe Mabille and set to the tune of the 1820

"Freiheit" () by Swiss composer Ferdinand-Samuel Laur. It was introduced around 1869 as part of a collection of hymns and

work song A work song is a piece of music closely connected to a form of work, either sung while conducting a task (usually to coordinate timing) or a song linked to a task which might be a connected narrative, description, or protest song. Definitions and ...

s. This was immediately after the third and final

Free State–Basotho War Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procure ...

(1867–1868), and the lyrics encouraged the

Basotho The Sotho () people, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (), are a Bantu nation native to southern Africa. They split into different ethnic groups over time, due to regional conflicts and colonialism, which resulted in the modern Basotho, who ...

to accept the borders defined in the 1869 Convention of Aliwal North between Britain and the

Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled this are ...

Free State, which ended the war. The song is first known to have been performed at a party work party for Basotho chief Molapo in 1870. Originally sung by field workers, by the 1900s, mission schools run by the Paris Evangelical Mission Society had begun teaching the song to their students. Over time, the song became abbreviated, and only the first and fifth (last) verses began to be taught. The missionaries also organised public performances of the song by their students on special occasions. The song gained de facto use in important functions in the early 20th century, commonly being sung after "

God Save the Queen "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, bu ...

", and was already being referred to as the national anthem by the 1940s. A version including the first and last verses, shortened by choral composer

Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa (1908-1982) was a prominent choral music composer in Sesotho, the native language of the BaSotho people of Southern Africa. Early life Joshua Mohapeloa, a member of the Bataung clan, was born in Molumong in Lesotho ...

, was declared the official anthem of Lesotho on 1 June 1967, just over a year after independence on 4 October 1966.

Lyrics

Current lyrics

Original lyrics

Notes

References

External links

Lesotho: ''Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona'' - Audio of the national anthem of Lesotho, with information and lyricsarchive link

National anthem of Lesotho MIDI
- Vocal {{authority control Lesotho music National symbols of Lesotho African anthems 1966 songs National anthem compositions in B-flat major