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…mmittee of the “Spotlight on Kenyan Music“ project which seeks to discover and promote young talent, performing a blend of African music. The Kenyan government through its Ministry of National Heritage and Culture also supports this project. Tabu is also the Project Coordinator of Ketebul Music’s Retracing Series. Supported by the Ford Foundation Office of Eastern Africa, the Retracing Series is a research based documentary project whose main obje…
Hiari Ya Moyo Group
…a song urging the youth to be brave in facing the challenges in everyday life Mwanana: a song in praise of one’s friend. Lyuwa Laloka: it is sunset and time to conclude whatever business and return home to your family…
Bukaala Twesitule Troupe Group
…d to the local economic development because it uses ingredients grown in Uganda. “Abag’ageno”: Talks about HIV and the factors influencing the spread of HIV and how the community can come together to deal with it. Very tragic song telling the story of deaths with man sobbing at one point. “Akabira” (Worship Song): Means a small forest where spirits tend to run, deep in the trees and high in the mountains. But they are not always well cared for and…
Nile Beat Artists Group
…of Lake Victoria. A previous member of the band was Seby Ntege, who left Uganda in the early 2000s and moved to the UK, keen to evolve his sound. He plays the Kora, and much of his writing combines West African instruments with an East African writing style. Song Meanings “Ikobo Kobo”: It is a type of herb. It is a song about a girl who is very bitter because her mother will not let her play with her friends freely. The mother explains to her that…
Bakuseka Majja Matta Group Group
…e tube fiddle; Kisame Ndaba on the thumb piano; Kirunda Awali on the flute and Nathan Matta Nyende, the lead vocalist and also playing the thumb piano. Song Meanings “Abalimperekera Baliba Muganda”: When I die, those that will escort me to be buried, will be many. “Enumba Y’eisubi Esana Buko”: If a woman refuses you, you go with a match and burn down her grass thatched house. “Atyamiisa Asekerera Adagha”: A person who is doing well will always lau…
Nyati Muchoya Group
…w bell), and Pangwa/Kipangwa (a double headed lyre). We recorded four performances, where each of the songs is named after the musical style: Nindo: A medley of songs including chimulombaje, muwalonjere and Nema Uganga, a song against witchcraft Muheme: a song urging all to get up and dance. Muziki: Msunyunsho: both songs showcasing musical styles of similar names and instruments….
Busolwe Post Test Club Group
…ut when you see someone who is happy and you know they have good fortune. But when you see them unhappy you know they are having problems. Magic Moment featuring the Tube Fiddle and Flutes. The flute (Omulelel) player is George Wandela. The two Tube Fiddle players are Wilber Mutanse and Geoffrey Wamagaga. …
Namaddu Troupe Group
…aki Ndamba”: Why do I have to suffer? A woman can’t have a baby so her husband beats her and sends her to the witch doctor who ensures she gets pregnant. She then returns to husband, who has been off drinking, and they reunite. “Kwakira Wiita”: A song about eating new food, particularly millet, after the harvest. But the children don’t stay home and are out all the time, so they suffer from bad spiritis. They need to be home in the house for the g…
Hannah Calascione Staff Profile
…re she starts her degree in Anthropology at Cambridge University in 2013. She is joining the Singing Wells team for the field visit to Northern Uganda 2012 and has researched the area in great detail, writing reports on the tribal groups and their music and traditional instruments. Hannah will be armed with a microphone as she interviews the musicians and documents their oral histories, providing the all important context for the songs and dances…
Umoja Wa Kusini Group
…mwezi. All the dancers where a necklace called Simbi, made of cowry shells and a ‘skirt’ around the waist called a Kibwaya. Their smaller drums are Dali Dali and larger drums are Mapipa. They also use the marimba. They played 9 songs, 5 regular performances and four ‘magic moments’: Mkwaju Ngoma: actually four songs in one. About a child going back to his village after a while and being accepted. Rushwa: about harvests, but also uses a metaphor of…
Kidedeya Group
…dedeya: A send off song, a marriage song Kidedeya: Freestyle Magic Moment: Omusingero again…
Baseki Group
…with their hoes, where they often tend to small plots at the school. Serengeti: We are near the national park and this is a song in celebration to Tanzanian parks and wild life. Freestyle filming with song Balimi Magic Moment: Song Makule Magic moment again: Balimi…
Biluli Dutwa Group
…with their hoes, where they often tend to small plots at the school. Serengeti: We are near the national park and this is a song in celebration to Tanzanian parks and wild life. Freestyle filming with song Balimi Magic Moment: Song Makule Magic moment again: Balimi…
Jackie Akinyi Group
…ted her career as an artist. She has always loved music, especially traditional drums and songs. This love for music started way back in primary school when she used to sing in a traditional music choir and continued even after joining Secondary School. In 1998, she started singing with Jambo Star Band of Mwanza Town, and while with them, she composed her song known as “Wawili Wawili” in the year 2000. After this song did very well on the Kenyan m…
Kigane Traditional Dancers Group
… Kigane Traditional Dancers, from Kigane Kithurini and Ngatia villages, Suri Location, Bogeta Division. They are 11 men, 12 women, led by Cyrus Kirigia. Their style is Kwimbo, and the songs ares sung to celebrate the harvest mostly in August and March. They are from the Ameru ethnic community and use the Kibere (leg shakers) and Vilingi (whistle)….
Kithara Group
…casionally. We managed to record one song but had to stop after that due to noise. We hope to have this group come to the hotel on our last recording day. We felt bad that they only were able to perform one song but they took it graciously. Performers: Rajab Suleiman (qanun and director), Mohammed Hassan (accordian), Fum Faki (bongo and tabla), Tatu Khamis Haji (singer) Songs: Chungu – means Pot, composed by Said Ali 10 years ago Usikhofu – means…