South African Music Archive Project

A topical song with accordian and struck iron. The accordian is used as a ground which creates a happy noise but has little, if any, melodic or harmonic relationship to the tonality or mode of the voice."The father of the girl I want to marry came to Mombasea leaving his daughter at home - so I came to Mombasa too and said to him 'Now how about it - I want to discuss the marriage arrangements'."
Further details refer ILAM field card number: F3B 5

A very simple dance song, sung in unison.
Further details refer ILAM field card number: D6T 8

Dance music for Muchongolo Tumbling dance with 3 drums and clappers. Recorded at C.M.R. Mine, Transvaal, South Africa. The tumbling dance which has been developed by the Ndau people has not only spread south to neighbouring tribes, but has now become a favourite spectacle on the gold mines of South Africa, where its performance delights the miners of other tribes as well. It is usually acrobatic and humorous, and is performed to complex rhythms on the drums.
The performance of the dancers is frequently of a high order demanding considerable gymnastic ability. Details from ILAM field card (H1F-4A - B)

Embrukoi dance song for men and women. The Embrukoi dance is characterised by highleaps into the air with a rigid body. The dancers will leap as much as 18 inches clear into the air, at the same time giving a characteristic lift to the chin. The song praises his friends who kill lions. He sings also that he himself found a lion beside the path and killed it with his spear, a not uncommon feat among these people. He also sings of a faction fight in his district between neighbouring villages. This is a well known song in the Arusha District. The use of a thin falsetto by the solo singer quite belies the look of the man, which is far from being effeminate and typical of the younf Masai moran.

Further details refer ILAM field card no. E2K-18.