Akamba Traditional Music and Dance

Akamba Traditional Music and Dance

The Akamba people are known for their variety of complex percussion music. Their music and dance is divided into several groups according to age.

1) Kilumi:
There used to be many dances of women alone, but these seem to have died out. One that remained (and very popular) was kilumi. This was for married women of any age. It was performed at a village doctor’s home or at the home of a woman allegedly possessed of evil spirits, kathambi. Very old women danced the whole night, and the young but married women joined the dance during the day.

There was a strong belief among the Akamba people that evil spirits attack only women, and that it is through intense drumming and dancing that the spirits could be driven away. They also believed that the possessed person might die unless that dance took place. The dancers wore black sheets decorated with white buttons, and used muingu, fly whisk. Shakers (iamba) were in the form of small tins filled with stones, while young women blow whistles. The drummers were usually two elderly women, who also led the singing. All these women used a strong scented oil, kyutu, which gave a bad stench, but they themselves liked it.

Before dancing begins, a local brew of bear is served, prayers are offered for the sick person. The dancers all go out, have their cups filled and put on more oil. They come back to the house which is normally filled to capacity. This forces some to dance outside. Dancers face each other in pairs, shaking their shoulders. The sick woman slowly gains consciousness and joins the rest who, at this time, are allegedly getting possessed by the spirit.

There was another type of kilumi which was accepted by both the educated and uneducated. This type had no religious ceremonial connotations. It was mainly for competition and individuals come out to show their skills in singing and drumming. An example of such a kilumi lyric from Kitui went as follows:

Nzyululuke mukindu Let me go round a palm tree
Nyiye kuma mututi lale I Will lie under a tree on the main road
Tukatheka Then we laugh
Nzyululuke Kayolaa ngone Then I will go round Kilimanjaro and see

2) Mbalya or Nzulya: This dance also known Ngutha was for young men and women. It was danced at a popular village field (kituto) at night for entertainment, and for competition. Each clan danced separately. The usual costume was kaniki, a black calico decked with white buttons and one cent pieces (tulwela) sewn on with beads. Dancers move to the field in twos.

When the soloist commenced and the dance began, the dancers would face their partners about two metres away, they move two paces forwards, and two paces backwards (modern rap steps have actually copied from this dance), then back to their positions and dance shaking their shoulders vigorously. The only accompaniment heard, apart from singing, was the whistle blowing. The dance came to an end when the pairs crossed lines and the men, sitting on their heels, had the women kneel, and both touch one another's shoulders

.

3) Kiveve or Kilui: This dance was for a mixed group aged between 20 and 25 years. This took place at about two in the afternoon and ends at about seven in the evening. This was mainly a ceremonial dance that took place after a girl in the clan was married. It normally took place at the newly married girl's home and was danced by the age-mates of her clan to show her they were sorry that she was leaving them. One of the songs sung during this time was wathi wa maio (song of mourning). This made the young sisters of the newly married weep, as the words used implied they would neither see nor play with their sister again. Whistles accompanied this dance also.

Another form of Kilui or kiveve was danced after a day's work and every village had a field (kituto), where this dance took place. This is where young men and women danced without interference. They dance in two rows, boys facing girls. There was always a soloist who disciplines and conducts the dance. There is a lot of vigorous shoulder shaking, and competitions were usually organized to see which pair made the best performance. This dance, which continued until late in the evening, also provided opportunities for courtship, and partners continue to meet on these occasions. The best dancer was sometimes referred to as the son or the daughter of the bull. The soloist through his command gave directions which were obeyed by dancers. At times he called a name of a dancer, who responds by moving a step forward. This is a sign of respect. In this dance, the soloist may invite a couple to dance in the middle of the two rows while others watch.

4) Mbeni was mainly for young and acrobatic girls and boys because of its tiring pace, it had the shortest sessions. One session lasted less than ten minutes followed by a pause. Its instruments were a set of four drums and three whistles. Mbeni was danced in pairs. As it got to the climax, the male dancers (Anake = boys) jumped about four feet into the air and somersaults.

5) Nduli was the most popular dance among Kamba teenagers. It was a condition that any boy attending Nduli sessions must be circumcised, for it was in the Nduli dance that one had the free opportunity for courtship leading to choosing a partner for life.

6) Kisanga was a religious ceremonial dance on the occasion of thanksgiving. The dance was for all ages, both young and old. It was performed only when the village has had a good harvest. During the celebration a white goat was slaughtered, its blood poured under the Kitutu Tree, and its meat left near the tree for Mulungu (God).

7) Mwasa was a leisure time dance. It involved two drums, one small and one large, and was found in northern Kitui. While not primarily used for dancing, Mwasa served as an accompaniment while elders enjoyed uki beer. Mwasa was a relatively new drum beat, and came from a combination of nzumari style from the Giriama (one of the 'Nine Tribes' of the Mijikenda) and original Kamba Ngoma. It came into existence during the Second World War, when Giriama and Kamba soldiers served together in the colonial army.