Zam Zam Group
Their leader and teacher is Ibrahim Ali Hassan. He teaches and performs in Nyumba Ya Vipaji, The House of Talent, in Rahaleo. All male group ranging from age 7 up to 40, ten all together today. They sing Islamic and secular songs for weddings and celebrations. It was mainly an acapello performance with one flute made out of a bamboo stick. The singers included: Ibrahim Ali Hassan (lead singer, flute ), Issa Ali Hassan (lead singer), Mlenge Ali H…
Aynu Traditional Group Group
…ums) and a tin sheet for percussion. The Lugbara Tribe Population: Around 900,000 History: They were known in the 19th century as ‘The Naked People’, due to the lacking importance of clothes in their culture. In the early days, the Lugbara were a mainly chiefdom-based community. They did not have kingdoms and kings presiding over them as like other ethnic groups in Uganda. They mainly had chiefs who were their leaders. They formed friendly allianc…
Buganda Music Ensemble Group
Buganda Music Ensemble: founded in 2004 and led by Albert Bisaso Ssempeke Jr, son of the legendary Dr. Albert Ssempeke Senior. Music style: Kiganda Song Meanings “Ggangalwa”: A king servant tried to play with the princess. All women in the palace, however, are controlled and possessed by the king. He was punished by cutting off his fingers. His friends eventually found out due to all the rumors circulating the palace. They tried to ask him abo…
Recording Resources Page
…side some amazing musical technicians, videographers and ethnomusicologists. However, it has taken us time to really work out the best processes for working effectively out in the field. With that in mind, we have created some resources for other groups to use for working in the field. Please feel free to use the below resources for your field trips in whatever region you are based, and please do reach out to us. We love to meet others who are pas…
Day Two: 8 March 2022 (Ilesi) Story
…g session was finally figured out the actual recording started at about 17:00 hours. The three sisters and their two brothers have pleasantly matured musically and it was really encouraging to see them helping to keep their father’s legacy alive. All was done a few minutes to 8:00pm. After the routine photo shoot the Obasie Palnyang brothers and sisters were off to their serene village in Kodedema, close to the Kenya-Uganda border. After the long…
Eridat Makwiri Group
…kwiri, also known as Mazune, playing the Litungu. Song meanings “Wangoyo”: This is a song about co-wives. One lady was lazy. And she would wait for the co-wife who had already woken up and prepared the food. The wife who had prepared the food tried to keep the food away from the lazy wife and the lazy wife would go complaining to the husband. The message in the song is to not wait for everything to be done for you. “Paulo Wawanyera”: This is someo…
Bukaala Twesitule Troupe Group
…he group leader is Ikula Charles. The group was started in 1991 with over 200 members, 50 of whom are still active. Lead vocalist: Jane Babirye Musical style is Baganda. Song meanings “Bana Uganda Banange”: It is about a particular brand of beer called Senator Lager. It has contributed 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 t…
Watmon Cultural Group Group
…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. Their performance was described by Sounds and Colours as an ‘instrumental extravaganza’. Sources: Sounds and Colours www.dailymonitor.co….
Matende Culture Isukuti Youth Group Group
…ture Isukuti Youth Group, which is led by John Stone Khakabo Asutsi since 2006. There are 35 members of the group. The soloist is Stanley Liai. Their instruments include: The Isukuti Isatsa: The Big Bass Drum Mutibo: The bigger, ‘mother’, of the smaller drums Mutiti: The smaller, ‘son’, of the smaller drums Imbati: The horn Shirili: Single string instrument Tsichenjele: The rings The group dances in ‘processions’ for different ceremonies, so we as…
Otacho Young Stars Group
…n Rongo, Nyanza Province, Kenya. We recorded them on our field trip in late 2011, capturing the music of the Luo people. They performed for us in Dinky’s Resort Club, an old dance hall with a grass arena behind it that made the perfect stage for their upbeat and energetic performances. They performed five songs with us at the resort, including ‘Charles Manager’, a sincere song showing gratitude to the manager of a factory who has been doing a good…
Kirundo Group
…dents at the DMCA performing with a well known drummer and teacher of music. This band has been together for 2 years. Songs: Mwaludeje – Tradition after the harvest. New composition. Mjomba – Uncle, celebrating the good hunt. New composition Uye – Come Back Please, used at a wake after someone is buried. New composition. Uringe – Be Proud. Old Traditional song Kyaso – old traditional Zanzibarian song of celebration Mnyamwana – Respect for women. N…
Kaniini Kaseo Group
…i, from the village of Kiongwe. They have 16 members and were formed in 1980. They performed 3 songs, all of which use the Ileve (tin shaker, 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 nengw…
Makunga Group
…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), the Nindo (Shakers), the Mbega: (Animal Skins), the Muheme (Drums), the Kabati (Shakers), the Kalimba (Thumb Piano), the Zeze (Orutu), the Izeze (5 string large instrument), and the Muhongwa (Wooden water troughs, played on ground like calaba…
Ayub Ogada Group
…Bomas of Kenya in the 1980s. He remembers he had gone for 6 lessons (at a 100 shillings) only and then continued practicing and experimenting by himself. It was equally interesting to hear his theory of the name nyatiti, which he translated from the Luo word nyar as queen and titi, making it “the queen of the clan”. The most interesting points Ayub had made were on the difference between playing at home, in an informal or traditional setting and p…
Kithara Group
Kithara 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. When we got to their village in Mpendae we had some difficulty finding a place in the shade that was quiet. There were airplanes and motorbikes going by occasionally. 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 r…
Gacharaigu Gitiro Women Group Group
…ocation, Muguru Ward, Muguru Division, Kamgema District and was formed in 2006 and dedicated to self-help. Its style is Ndumo, an old women’s dance purely for entertainment and preservation of culture. For all their songs, the ladies used the Kigamba (leg shakers) The group played 6 songs: Ndumo: sung by Wambui Mwangi. Ngucu: sung by Charity Muthoni and Grace Njuguini Muthuo: sung by Mary Wambui Kimunya: sung by Grace Njuguini Gitiro: sung by Mary…