Manuel d'Oliveira

Emmanuel Mayungu d'Oliveira (1915 – 12 January 1988), professionally known as Manuel d'Olivera, was an Angolan-born Congolese singer, songwriter, performer, guitarist, and bandleader. A seminal figure in Central African music, he is notably recognized for creating the "Polka Piké", a distinctive Bantu dance rhythm rooted in Kongo traditions. His musical career flourished in the 1950s, especially after signing with the Ngoma record label in 1948, under which he produced several notable hits—"Basi Banso Tapale", "Chérie Bondowe", "Elongi Ya Chérie", "Mwasi Kitoko Kulala Na Nkuala" and "Maria Tchebo".

Born in São Salvador (now M'banza-Kongo), Angola, d'Oliveira relocated to Matadi in the then-Belgian Congo at the age of six. Early on, he trained in carpentry and worked various jobs at the port of Matadi, but by the 1930s, he turned to music. He learned guitar from West African "Coastman" and "Krou Boys" who had been resettled in Léopoldville (modern-day Kinshasa) during World War II. In 1944, he founded the San Salvador group, which became known for its mastery of "Polka Piqué", a rhythm that complemented the emerging Congolese rumba sound.

In 1947, d'Oliveira moved to Léopoldville, where he learned Lingala and began performing in local bars and cabarets. His popularity grew rapidly, leading to his signing with Ngoma the following year. After Angola gained independence in 1975, d'Oliveira returned to his homeland in 1984. His contributions to Kongo culture were formally recognized by the Angolan government, which awarded him the Angolan Medal of Merit in 1987. He passed away in Luanda, Angola, on 12 January 1988.