Day Three: Bungoma Town to Kakamega Story
Tuesday, February 20th, 2018: Today, we returned to record Wilbert Wanyama in Bungoma Town. As mentioned, we met Wilbert on the evening of February 19th, but were unable to record his band due to thunderstorms. So we returned to Santa Maria Resort to record him the next morning. And the weather was sunny and crisp, following the previous evening storms. First, Wilbert told us the history of the band. The band, Bungoma Roots Band, started in 2005…
Day 2 – Sunday 2nd July 2017 Story
…yer’s imagination and can be adapted to the occasion and/or to tell the praise of a different person. The fact that Meshack picked up the instrument only once his father had passed away brought about several hypothesis on the meaning of this generational gap and questioned the possibility of an existing cultural taboo concerning two generations of players from the same home playing actively at the same time. From K’Orengo’s homestead we went on to…
Kika Boys Cultural Troupe Group
…he group comes from Masaka Nyendo and have been performing together since 2007. Group Leader: Dumba Charles, other performers include: Nassonko Passy (lead vocals),Waswa Cosmas, Ssembusi Huzairuh, Kalema Frank, Katongole Hakim, Nalwadda Shadia Style of Music: Nganda from Buganda Song meanings Mbidde (A medley): The Mbidde is the banana plant that makes the local brew and the song talks through each step to make the brew that locals consume: Butuus…
Day Two: February 17, 2020 (Stonetown) Story
…rs on a scholarship from the DCMA to study violin and the oud starting in 2000. He’s been teaching at the academy for 18 years. Members of this group include: Mohamed Othman Faki – leader, on violin, Kheri Mizaka Aliy on African Bass, Makame Ali Juma on drum, Buruhami Makame Haji on 2nd drum, Mgeni Seleiman Makame on sticks, Said Ame Othman on shakers, Aikazija Abdala Ame -dancer, Mirianaharus Juma Hamis – dancer. All sang but Mohamed Othman Faki…
Nile Beat Artists Group
…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 she was barren but…
Adagha Nalya Drama Group Group
…y agree on issues and speak on language. “Waiswa Mugudde”: A Dance song. This is the name of a first born male twin and the song is about a proverbial Waiswa of old who used to shy away from women. It is a common folk song. “Omuntu Kyakola”: When someone is jealous about what someone else is doing; when some one works hard, others want to bring you down. “Yoyenda”: The one you love. The song invites everyone to show who they love to the rest of th…
Eridat Makwiri Group
…ong 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 Mukhana”: The person who killed Paul was a…
Mohamed Uthman Kidumbak Group Group
…rs on a scholarship from the DCMA to study violin and the oud starting in 2000. He’s been teaching at the academy for 18 years. Members of this group include: Mohamed Othman Faki – leader, on violin, Kheri Mizaka Aliy on African Bass, Makame Ali Juma on drum, Buruhami Makame Haji on 2nd drum, Mgeni Seleiman Makame on sticks, Said Ame Othman on shakers, Aikazija Abdala Ame -dancer, Mirianaharus Juma Hamis – dancer. All sang but Mohamed Othman Faki…
Elgon Ngoma Troupe Group
…ilimbwa Julius. Julius is a member of the Bagisu tribe, who founded it in 2009 as a group for orphans or disadvantaged youths. Julius helps these students develop their natural talents to the next level, in the hope of finding work with their skills. He struggled through his teens with no support, but found his way gradually as a musical performer, working with the National Theatre and various troupes around Mbale. He was always extremely proud of…
A Report by Professor James Isabirye – Indigenous music learning in contemporary contexts: Nurturing learner identity, agency, and passion News
…enous teaching methods used with the young people involved in the project, what this meant for the sustainability for the instruments future, and how this impacted the young people’s identity and associations with the Bigwala-playing community. You can find the full report on the Sage website here: https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/EBNMQEBVD9ECYMFJF8EP/full Professor Isabirye’s extensive work in reviving lost instruments so that they will be pas…
Serengeti Group Group
This group, formed in 2016, was from the community of Kuria and played in the Ritungu style – this style refers to the form of dancing where the two lead dancers ‘nodded’ their head in almost a trance like way to the music and to their large eight-stringed instrument. We were mesmerized. Their instruments included the: Zeze, Virandi (shakers), and Ritungu (eight stringed instrument, huge Nyatiti). The group had three musicians in ‘red’ and two da…
Global Influences Project: Loop Library Page
…at we can grant you a license. Loops By Tempo/BPM Adungu Cultural Troupe – 111bpm Joginda Boys -116bpm Hiari Ya Moyo – 121bPM Rubanga Kingdom Awach Boys – 127BPM Otacho Young Stars Shoe Shine Box – 143BPM Aloka Ohangla Drum Solo – 146bpm Ekhunjwe Musical Group – 153bpm Watmon Cultural Group – 154BPM Nyatiti group – 158bpm Kidinda Cultural Group – 158bpm singingwells · SW Samples – Adungu Cultural Troupe 111BPM Adungu Cultural Troupe – 111BPM The A…
Muturi wa Wandindi Group
… Muturi wa wandindi (Actual name is Geoffrey Mutwiri, Mbaraka). He is from Kigane Village, Nkevene Sub-location, Nicwene Division. He started performing in 1964 and is from the Ameru Ethnic Community. He plays the Wandindi (thus his performance name), which is a ‘tube fiddle’, or what the Luo call the Orutu. …
Mariene Traditional Dancers Group
Mariene Traditional Dancers, formed in 2003, led by Simon Munuki. They are from the Ameru Ethnic Community. Their musical style is Kirarire and Authi. The lead singer wears Murungi, an ornament on both sides of the arms which is worn by the initiator/circumciser; it signifies a man of respect and authority. Their costumes include Lesos, necklaces, face painting, spears, fly whisks, gourds, and head gear, called Nkoroimade out of cow skin, with M…
Kochia Traditional Dancers Group
…ll need to entertain) and monkey fur. They are accompanied by drumming, and the Tung’, the Luo horn. You can contact the Kagan Kochia group for bookings on +254 700 600881 Sources: www.hivisasa.com www.allafrica.com Homa Bay, Kenya Leader: William Odero Ondiek…
Support Singing Wells Page
…funded by the Abubilla Music Foundation a UK registered charity (reg. no: 1142173). Our work to record, archive and share the music of East Africa is funded by donations. Funds are used to support our field recording trips, provide a permanent music archive and also to help the communities we visit gain an income from their music. You can help us support music communities in East Africa by sponsoring a song, a music group or a whole field recordi…