Angola mourns Moisés Kafala

He passed away on Thursday 8 September while undergoing medical treatment.

Speaking to the local media, his brother Zé Kafala said, "Unfortunately Moisés left us today, around 3pm in a medical unit in Namibia where he was moved to treat a disease linked to his vocal cords."

At the time of his death, Kafala was the provincial Director of Culture in Bengo, Angola.

The Angolan Minister of Culture, Carolina Cerqueira, described the late musician as a cultural man who dedicated his life to the arts and died while defending Angola’s cultural identity through creating songs reflecting on the daily lives of his countrymen.

Born in the village of Mazoso, in the province of Benguel, Moisés Kafala launched his music career with his brother Jose. Dubbed the Kafala Brothers, the duo had its debut performance in 1987 in Luanda, capital of Angola. Their music, which is best described as Angolan folk music, blended influences from Congo, Brazil and Cuba. It was revolutionary in nature, capturing the real life experiences of a country ravaged by 30 years of war and a struggle for national reconciliation.   

With a guitar and flute, the brothers managed to tell stories of war, sadness, love and joy with conviction. They sang in Portugese, Kimbundu and Umbundu.

In 1989, the Kafala Brothers released their debut album, Ngola. The album was recorded and released in England, and became the first Angolan album to be distributed internationally. After the release of Ngola, the Kafala Brothers began a world tour, visiting 20 countries.

The music earned the brothers regional and international recognition, helping the duo win several national awards. They recorded two more albums, Sapilo and Bálsamo. Sapilo (1988) was recorded and released in England; Bálsamo (2000) was recorded in France.