Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Watch: One country's trash is musical treasure in DRC

The band aims to raise awareness of DRC's waste problem
The band aims to raise awareness of DRC's waste problem Copyright  Reuters
Copyright Reuters
By Reuters
Published on
Share this article Comments
Share this article Close Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copy to clipboard Copied

A rubbish dump may seem an odd place to seek inspiration, but not for band Fulu Muziki.

ADVERTISEMENT

A rubbish dump in the Democratic Republic of Congo's bustling capital Kinshasa may seem an odd place for most people to seek inspiration.

But for Congolese musician and the founder of Fulu Muziki group Piscko Crane, this is the perfect place to find the recycled material he will use to create his band's unique sound.

"I see this bottle and I can see that it will provide a good sound, it'll give me a good Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do. So this will make a good instrument for our music," he said, as he picks up a plastic bottle that he intends to make into a musical instrument.

The genre Fulu Muziki – meaning "music from the garbage" in the local Lingala language – has one special feature that makes it unique; rather than buying instruments, band members create their own from rubbish they have retrieved.

A lack of proper waste management and recycling facilities has seen Kinshasa become littered with discarded plastic bags and other waste which often blocks the city's drainage system. The country as a whole produces 9,000 tonnes of waste a day.

"My wish is to see this music genre recognised worldwide and also raise awareness on the importance of waste management, especially in Africa. We want to find a good representative who can help us spread this message through our music and also train young people to practice recycling," added Piscko Crane.

Video editor • Thomas Duthois

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share this article Comments

Read more

Feline baffled: 'Cats' cinematic adaptation provokes strong views

DR Congo and Rwanda set to sign US-brokered peace deal

M23 rebels withdraw from DR Congo peace talks as EU imposes sanctions