Review: African Music and Instruments

‘chalre tee, romre tee,’
‘chalre tee kata imewo,’
romre tee kata idhier.’

Eriko Mukoyama aka Anyango nyar Siaya intones enchantingly. Her audience, composed of men and women, young and old watch in enthralment, and joy as this twenty-six year old girl from Japan, who had only lived with them a couple of years, demonstrate the mastery of the heart and soul of nyatiti music. She begins her performance with this slow rhythmic praise song dedicated to a friend ‘Otieno Kogola jaugenya’. In it as is customary, she melodiously calls out other friends of Otieno like Adhingo jasega, Ajeni nyar ugunja and Othieno janaya .

Typically the praise song highlights Otieno’s heroism(he owns a fast-driving car) and also throws in some political jibes at dictators Amin and Mobutu who owned aeroplanes, but killed hundreds of people. She reminds her audience of the fickleness of class or division in society- charle tee, romre tee! We are all the same; we are equal, rich or poor. The nyatiti instrument is slow and rhythmic in tune with chalre tee, romre tee. It is a happy song, and mostly women swing their waists in time with the beat.

It is clear that Anyango’s encounter with thum nyatiti is not a one-off love affair. I have listened to maestros like Ogwang ko Okoth, Ojwang Ombembo and Ogola Opot. They are not only skilled nyatiti artists, but also purveyors of Luo poetry. If you listen keenly to any of their ode, chant, eulogy, teaching or jesting you will be transported through innumerable levels of emotions. The music is meant to capture every mood and emotion and that is why not every strummer will get an audience.

All these jothum will take you wherever they want; make you weep, cry, laugh and dance. At the best or the worst of times they will evoke or incite you to stop their music, so that you may pakri. When you are moved to praise yourself, it is as though your spirit or juogi has been awakened not only to appreciate the musician, but also to introduce yourself to the audience. Sometimes it is the musicians who introduce themselves, as Anyango does at the beginning of Otieno Kogola jaugenya:

‘An Anyango gwok yombo jadwar ekudho to onge akala!’

Her audience cannot believe what they are hearing. For starters, nowhere in Luoland are there any female nyatiti musicians, least of all those who are of Anyango nyar Siaya’s expertise. Indeed pakruok requires as much aptitude as playing the instrument and singing. Your stage name should be as descriptive of you as can be. Everyone knows that the daughter of Siaya was born in Japan, and only came to Karapul near Siaya township in her twenties, so when she says that she is the barefooted dog who runs faster than his master on thorns , nothing can be further from the truth. Many musicians will agree with Anyango that music as a vocation can be a delicate affair (like running barefoot on thorns), more so making a breakthrough in a foreign music genre.

Now her expression changes from a cheeky grin, to grim concentration as she launches into a faster tempo into the next song which she playfully laments the dangers of she faces from her competitors. Nabednade gi jobinde yaye Anyango, nabbed nade gi jobinde! loosely translates to what shall I do with their witchcraft dear me Anyango? As the instrumentation is faster, the dancers are also more agile and excited. Their hips swing faster, and they ululate as they dance.

She names several friends as she simultaneously strums the lyre with both hands. Again and again she acknowledges these friends and mentions their skills and generosity to her. Then suddenly she changes tune, to involve her audience. She launches into a popular playful rhyme An Anyango nyar agoro gacha oruwo yago. In this final song, the instrumentation is much more sophisticated and quicker. The female dancers are quicker in their swings, and steps. They gyrate their hips and shake their shoulders in rapt concentration.

The three song non-stop changer demonstrates Eriko’s expertise in nyatiti music. Her relaxed, and cheerful demeanor shows that she is not only at ease, but she also enjoys her music. Her message is clear and touching, showing a deeper understanding and interpretation of the Luo poetry.

The audience is now at her mercy. If she wanted she could launch into a dirge, and the audience would be silently caught up in this sombre journey. As Anyango weaves their emotions through her melody and expression, I cannot help wondering about the oddity of the scenario.

Here is Anyango a twenty first century wonder girl, born hundreds of thousands of miles away in the Japan, transporting us through a journey in Luo culture on the strums of nyatiti.

Video Links to Eriko Mukoyama playing the nyatiti:

http://mickey.tv/r/Video.aspx?v=CF8OjizFghA&key=eriko
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ZB5jqpxK
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Np73WWfkg&feature=related

Glossary of Luo terms
Luo English
thum music
nyatiti An eight stringed musical instrument or lyre played by Luo people in Kenya
pako (infinitive) to praise (verb)
Pakruok praise (noun)
Pakri act of (praising) yourself
Juogi spirits
Jathum a musician
Jothum musicians