Makunga Group
…l ceremony where she reaches puberty and now must be hidden from village for 40 days (song acts out how girl learns to reject the advances of men, represented by two men playing shakers) Muziki: A song to gain support of the people for the music and dance Muziki: Freestyle Muhongwa: another song from the circumcision ceremony, named after the instrument used (the wooden trough)…
Kochia Traditional Dancers Group
…have built a reputation for themselves as one of the most exciting groups to perform traditional Luo music, with their vibrant regalia and dance moves to match. Their brightly coloured outfits (replacing the more traditional clay colours that dancers would adorn themselves with) are augmented by attention-grabbing ostrich feather headdresses (the ostrich, a symbol of beauty and courage, represents the courage they will need to entertain) and monk…
Albums Introduction Page
…borate with the groups we record. In the event that we have invited one of the musicians back to the Ketebul Studios in Nairobi to record, we will also include these recordings. The albums are available to download through our Bandcamp store in your choice of formats. The proceeds from the sale of our albums will be fed back to the musicians involved in the recordings, wherever possible. CDs may also be available in the future. Join the mailing li…
Eridat Makwiri Group
…ning to the husband. The message in the song is to not wait for everything to be done for you. “Paulo Wawanyera”: This is someone’s name, meaning Paul, son of Wawanyera. Paul was a chief. He visited certain places and found they had made him party with lots of food and drink. He actually visited his brother in law who was jealous of him as a chief. So he decided to poison him. The singer is trying to warn Paul that his death is coming. “Sinairi Mu…
Day Three: January 20th, 2019 Story
…! We recorded five performances: Busumabuno Kulima: A song about farming Watoto wakalime Freestyle on Kulima Magic Moment Busumabudo, focus on percussion https://youtu.be/dHeTdA5m5gQ Group 3: Awilo: The group, which is a comedy circus act, is from Ikungu lya nkoma and performs in the Bununguli style. They are from the Sukuma community and were formed in 1981. They played the Ng’oma and entertained the kids with circus acts involving fire, razor bl…
Day Five: February 20, 2020 (DCMA) Story
…them all to come to the hotel unexpectedly today. After this we drove back to Stonetown to record at the DCMA and the Culture Musical Club. The three groups: Kithara – This group was formed by Rajab Suleiman. They have played together for 20 years and all live in the same neighborhood. They play for weddings and festivals in a traditional Taarab style. It was good to see them again on the grounds of the Ngalawa hotel. Performers: Rajab Suleiman…
Nyota Ze Meremeta Group
…tel for over twenty years and teaches at the Dhow Countries Music Academy. For 50 years he’s taught music in Zanzibar and promotes other musicians. Other members of this group include: Ramadhan Muhidan (accordion), Ali Ibrahim Musa (Kanan or Qanun), Tatu Hamisi Amur (accordion), Asha Khemisi Amur (violin) and Malick Anas (fiddle). Malick is 75 and has played with the Professor since 1961. All songs were very Arab influenced by all the lyrics are S…
Matende Culture Isukuti Youth Group Group
…gs around a “Bull Fight” or Mayo Dance Woyo: The song you sing as you move to the venue to watch two bulls fight Ndulu Mumbo: The song you sing to celebrate the winning bull Songs around a funeral (Lwikhulu): Tsimbasi Tsia Mama: A song to console the mother who has lost a loved one. Mwoyo Kulimbila Mwikulu: After you die your heart will be able to rest. Songs for weddings (Shiselelo) Nukhufwale Maua: Giving flowers to the bride after the wedding W…
Watmon Cultural Group Group
…Eventually he had people coming to him asking to be a part of it, and from that point the group became an institution. In the fallout of the war against Idi Amin’s regime, many people were looking for an escape, and the troupe presented just such an opportunity. The group performed for President George Bush during a state visit to Uganda. They were also recorded in 2012 for the BBC’s World Routes album, presented by ethnomusicologist Lucy Duran. T…
Page
…s and songwriters to show how this “traditional” music is still relevant into today’s modern world. Below you will find links to the musical loops we have selected that are available to download for the project, If you are interested in joining the Global Influences Project, you can download the project brief here or get in touch with us with any questions you may have. SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE NOW CLOSED. Click here to access the Global…
Day Six: January 24, 2019 From Mwanza to Dodomo to Nzali to Nairobi Story
…ny stops. But we digress. From the Dodoma Hotel, we drove about 90 minutes to Nzali to record four groups: Group 1: Makunga: This group is from Dodoma and the Wagogo Community, which they argued is the main indigenous community of Tanzania (always from the land, never migrated into Tanzania. The group was formed in 2018, but was built on a much older group. They perform in the Wuyina style. Their instruments/costumes include the: Ndulele (Horn…
Biluli Dutwa Group
…gative thing, evoking witch doctors and snake oil salesmen. Simiyu: A song for praise for the region. Bahuni ba ng’wanza: A song referring to local women of questionable virtues Balimi: A song about farming where the band brought up children from the village and taught them about hoeing the soil to the song. Later we saw several videos of how this song is used in the fields to motivate farmers, who hoe to the beat. Throughout Tanzania, we saw scho…
Hannah Calascione Staff Profile
…ogy 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 we will be recording in the field. …
The Kalenjin of Kenya Album
…ancers both featured. The latter – a nice addition to the lineup, as the field day coincided with World Women’s Day. Eddie Grey was part of the team for the recordings, and he joined a number of groups to join them for Influences recordings. Two of these have been included on the album – his guitar playing accompanying The Elimu Cultural Promoters and the Kewamoi Women Dancers….
Bakuseka Majja Matta Group Group
…he group are Fred Tavakumuwa on the 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…
Kaniini Kaseo Group
…er, played by Mumbi Wambua) and Vilingi (whistle): Mutambo wa iiu: This means the trunk of a banana tree; it says that the trunk can’t be climbed by boys. Mutongoi: This is a song sung to a political leader in the area. The song praises the politician and asks the people to vote for him – he’s Kyonekana na nengwe. His name means, “if seen give it to him”. Kolleji or College: This is sung in the Itheke genre. The song praises a local politician (Ma…