Day Three: January 20th, 2019

The next morning we left early and drove from Bariadi toward Manzwa, stopping at the village of Budeka to record three groups:

Group one: Baseki:   This group was formed in 1975 by the parents of the current band members. They are from the Sukuma Ntuzu community and play in the Bulabuka style.

The play drums, which they call Ng’oma ya bula buka. The drums are made from the Mahama tree.

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We recorded eight songs with them:

  1. Balogi Wa Ngamboshi: This is about the Wizards of Balogi, where wizardry is perceived as a negative thing, evoking witch doctors and snake oil salesmen.
  2. Simiyu: A song for praise for the region.
  3. Bahuni ba ng’wanza: A song referring to local women of questionable virtues
  4. 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 school kids walking to/from school with their hoes, where they often tend to small plots at the school.
  5. Serengeti: We are near the national park and this is a song in celebration to Tanzanian parks and wild life.
  6. Freestyle filming with song Balimi
  7. Magic Moment: Song Makule
  8. Magic moment again: Balimi

Group 2: Biluli dutwa:   This group was formed in 1984 and performs in the Busumabudo style.  Lake the Snake Dances we recorded during our last trip, this group is part music, part circus, part acrobatics.   A wonderful crowd pleaser!

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We recorded five performances:

  1. Busumabuno
  2. Kulima: A song about farming
  3. Watoto wakalime
  4. Freestyle on Kulima
  5. Magic Moment Busumabudo, focus on percussion

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 blades, knives, etc… It wasn’t really part of the Singing Wells Field Visit but we were thrilled to stumble across it!

From the village, we then drove a little over three hours to Mwanza, and stayed at Malaika Beach hotel, where we would stay for two days.

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