Mwachelele Cultural Group

Michael Baird: "The Mwachelele Cultural Group from Mpanshya, led by master drummer Samson in the wooly orange knitted hat and with whistle, performing here at the Chiwela Ku Mushi ceremony of Chief Mpanshya, Rufunsa district, Lusaka Province, Zambia, 20/09/14. The Soli people have 4 chiefs and Mpanshya is one of them. This cultural group were intense, with Samson feeding the dancers constantly, giving cues and building up to the communal 'collapse' (the woman in orange did not injure herself, she was just in a trancelike state and we see her continuing to dance after being helped back to her feet). Many other Soli people joined in the dancing, all celebrating the occasion. When the clip starts, the group had already been at it for some time, and they continued way after I stopped filming - I just wanted to capture the way Samson led the proceedings!" For more Soli music, recorded by Michael Baird, go to SWP 054 'Chikunda/Nsenga/Soli/Cewa' - one of 4 cds in the mediabook SWP 053 'Luangwa to Livingstone', listen and buy at https://www.swp-records.com and https://swp-records.bandcamp.com