Nursery Rhymes›Ingoma Lullaby
Ingoma LullabyIngoma Lullaby
A lullaby from Rwanda

Ingoma Lullaby

Key: A minor~53 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Ingoma, Rwanda
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Ingoma Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by Ingoma, the royal drums of Rwanda, a powerful symbol of Rwandan heritage and ceremony. For centuries, Ingoma drums could only be played within the royal court, their sound reserved exclusively for the king and important ceremonies, and in the years since 1994, Rwanda has worked to revive and share Ingoma drumming more widely, turning it into a unifying symbol of national culture and pride. Here you will find the lyrics, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.

Verse

Am Dm Am
Sleep now, nyina’s little one, the royal drums rest tonight,
Dm Am E7
the hillside terrace lies quiet now, beneath the fading light.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the morning mist is near,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep now, nyina’s little one, the royal drums rest tonight, the hillside terrace lies quiet now, beneath the fading light. Sleep now, little one, the morning mist is near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E7
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
Good to know

What “Ingoma Lullaby” Means

“Nyina” means mother in Kinyarwanda. Ingoma, the royal drums of Rwanda, were once played only for the king and remain a powerful symbol of Rwandan heritage and ceremony. This original lullaby draws on those royal-drum and hillside images of Rwandan life, with “nyina” used as a warm address rather than a literal translation.

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