Samuel Namatete - 'Kuzuia Ni Bora'

In Kulisiru village of Sirisia location in Bungoma County, Western Kenya- we visited Samuel Namatete Wepukhulu, a locally famous player of the litungu– a seven-string traditional lyre, which originates in the Bukusu sub-group of the Luhya community. Namatete started playing the litungu in 1982, but founded his first serious band in 1992. His current band, simply called “Namatete Band – Bungoma” counts five members and performs locally at community celebrations and rituals (such as weddings, burials, etc.), as well as at political rallies and events by the County government. According to him, the style of music they play is known as tindikti. Because of his wish to reach a larger audience, Namatete performs most of his original compositions in Kiswahili. His band is composed of the following instruments: LITUNGU – a 7-string traditional lyre; ISIRILI – a one-string fiddle; LUENGELE– a percussive idiophone composed of a wooden bowl struck with wooden sticks on both the outside and the inside; ENG’OMA – a generic term for drums, use it for several drums of different shapes and sizes; CHICHUKA – shakers made out of gourds; metal ring struck with wooden sticks metal plate used as a drum-set cymbal. The charismatic Namatete played for us 6 songs and did one of his song (“Oche Kombe”) together with Fadhilee on guitar. We also recorded a magic moment with percussive instruments only. Audio recorded and mixed by Steve 64 Kivutia. Camera operators Patrick 'Sapat' Ondiek / Martin ‘Drix’ Muyeshi / Hunter Allen / Edited by Hunter Allen