Sapeurs of the Congo

Sapeurism is, so to speak, a philosophy of public appearance and a broader way of life. Life is a theatre on whose stage it routinely 'performs', with in-built and enduring passion. 

It is a legitimate tradition now, for those who have chosen to live a life of particular refinement, as defined solely by them and unperturbed by the fact that its earliest days were shaped by external influence. 

Also Read: The Congolese Dandies. 

It is, certainly in the Sapeurs' own eyes, of a uniquely Congolese character now. They have appropriated it, just as hundreds of millions in the 'Third World' have appropriated (have nyakuad) English, and turned it this way and that, as their own language now. They have done things with it -- influenced by their natural and socio-cultural  ecosystems -- which no one else could. 

Here, Read what I said Earlier: About Kanda Bongoman and Sapeurism 

As you will see, in the concluding chapter of that piece I said this:

"It will be said in the days to come, I imagine, that straight out of the "Heart of Darkness," sapeurism, a sartorial classic in its own right, as supremely confident of its body language and ingenuity as of its view of the world, its weltanschauung, was able to create a classic or two, and then a fistful, in another genre -- music -- which it offered to a skeptical world not quite ready to grasp the connections"

Now: play the video below:

Here: Witness even more


Melody: Watch Kanda Bongoman go through the Sapeur paces in "Billi"!

NOTE: This post was updated in Nairobi on January 21, 2018