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African Tumbas of Kenya is a powerful Folklore
group of dancers acting as cultural ambassadors for more than 42
native ethnic groups of Kenya. Formed in 1996 in Kenya’s capital city,
Nairobi, African Tumbas aims to promote and exhibit the rich art of Kenyan
folklore through song and dance. The practice of using folk music and dance
as a medium of social, cultural and spiritual expression is a resonant theme
in African cultural traditions and abundant in African Tumbas’ performances.
African Tumbas dances reveal the
strong narrative history involved in the practice of African folklore and
dance. The group’s dances represent marriage, birth, initiation ceremonies,
harvest, war, religious festival and death. This tradition finds its root in
the role of the tribal hunters as they related stories of hunting to their
community via song and dance. This practice can be found in all facets of
Kenyan life, revealing the history, religion, and social customs of the
nation’s multiple ethnic communities.
African Tumbas dances' repertoire
is testament to Kenya’s wide range of regional and ethnic communities, using
dances such as the Isukuti from the Luhya community in the western part of
Kenya, to the Kilumi of Kamba community in Kenya’s east.
A dance such as the Maasai represents equally important events
in the Kenyan community including coming of age ceremonies for tribal
warriors – Known as Eunoto in Maasai community – and simple day to day
activities. The dance can be performed in multiple variations from its
jumping dance form, as seen during Eunoto, to a visual representation of the
flirting between young men and women. Accompanying such dances is the
ever-present pulsating rhythms of drums – composed of anything from scrap
metal to gourds – and songs organized around a call and response system.
While our dances are performed by us as a single group, we are
representative of Kenya’s collection of ethnic communities that range from
the Maasai, Luo and Luhya, to the Kikuyu and Giriama tribes. Gaining
exposure and praise from our participation in multiple folk festivals
throughout Kenya and Europe, African Tumbas dances bring to life the rich
cultural communities of Kenya.
Kenyan music, dances and songs as embodied in the
entire concept of African culture, is a cherished treasure and a source of
pride for Kenyan people everywhere, which could help to identify the Kenyan
and champion his dignity.
INSTRUMENTS
The instruments used to produce the pulsating rhythms that
accompany the dances also come from different communities within the over
42 ethnic communities. These instruments includes the Kigamba by the
kikuyu community, Nyatiti an eight stringed instrument and Orutu a one
string instrument, Ohangala drums and Mier bul 8 drums from the Luo
community, Mabumbumbu, Mchirima and Msondo drums from the Giriama and Digo
communities just to mention but a few.
COSTUMES
All Kenyan dances come with different costumes depending with
the dance and the occasion. These dances are colored with costumes from
respective communities, which are made from different materials ranging from
Sisals, animal Skins and normal cloth materials.
In the 13 years of existence, African Tumbas has
participated in many folklore festivals and youth projects both locally and
internationally.
LOCALLY
1998 – Staged our own
production ‘ROOTS’ at British Council and Goethe Institute auditorium.
1999 – A country wide tour
staging another own production ‘SOUNDS OF AFRICA’ a revival and inheritance
of African Culture Programme.
2000 – Participated in
Vihiga Cultural Festival in western Kenya.
2006 – Produced our first
audio CD ‘HAKUNA MATATA’
2009 – Participated in City
council of Nairobi Intercity festival in Nairobi.
INTERNATIONALY
1998
– Participated in a project ‘Instant Acts against Racism and Violence’
organized by Interkunst e.v. in Berlin, Germany.
2000 – Participated in different folk festivals in Italy
and Slovakia.
v
25th Festival Della Collina
Cuori
v
Festival International Folclore Sardgenia
Island
v
Festival International Folclore Benneventon
v
31st Festival Dei Cuori Tarcento
2004 –
Participated in different folk festivals in Spain, organized by Mostra
International Festival.
ü
VIII Mostra Iternacional De Les Arts Popular
Quart de Poblet
ü
XVII Festival Folklore La Esteva Segovia
ü
XXVIII Festival International De Folklore
Burgos
ü
XXIV Mostra Internacional Folklrica Soller,
Mallorca
ü
IX FestivalInternacional de Folklore Ingenio,
Gran Canarias
ü
4th Festival Internacional de Folklore Arona
Teneriffe
2005 –
Participated in different folk festivals in France and Spain organized by
Pyrenees International folk festival.
·
Les Poupes d’or du Folklorique Etain
·
28th Festival Internacional de Folklorique
Romans
·
18th Festival de Folklore de Issore,
Issoire
·
Festival Folclorico Internacional Gijon
·
10th Festival des Cultures du
Monde Quillan
·
43rd Festival Folclorico de les pirineos
Jaca, Spain
·
XXII Xonadas de Folklore Ourense, Spain
·
43rd Festival Folklorique des
Pyrenees
·
9th Festival International de
Danse et Music Espellete, Basque
·
Festival Musique et Danses de monde Airvault,
France
·
46th Festival du Folk Mondial Haguenau,
France
2006 –
Participated in different folk festivals in Belgium, France and Slovenia
organized by Festival Mondial de Saint – Ghislain.
Ø
Olloy, France
Ø
6th Festival Mondial Folklore en
Val de Sambre Viron, France
Ø
14th Festival de Musique et
Danses Folklorique Anor, France
Ø
Chauny, France
Ø
Festival International de Folklore Malmedy,
France
Ø
Mureaux, France
Ø
Quievrain, France
Ø
Hanauit, France
Ø
Musique du monde centre culturel Virton,
France
Ø
Sallaumines, Belgium
Ø
Tournai, Belgium
Ø
Les 25th Sacres du folklore
Reims, France
Ø
Hams,
Ø
Lunerite
Ø
Hergnies
Ø
Hiergies
Ø
Maribor, Slovenia
Ø
Festival Mondial Folklore Chambery, France
Ø
Les 6th rencontres internationales de folklore
La Garde, France
Ø
51st festival Folklorique international du
Rouergue, France
Ø
20th festival Folklorique
international de Haute Tarentaise Bourg saint Maurice, France
Ø
Rodez, France
2007-
Participated in different international folklore festivals in Belgium and
France organized by Festival Mondial de Saint Ghislain.
Ø
Les 26th Sacres du Folklore
Reims, France.
Ø
20th Edition of Wereld Folklore
Izegem, Belgium.
Ø
49th World Festival of Folklore
Schoten, Belgium.
Ø
48th Edition of Festival des
Folklores du Monde Jambes – Namur, Belgium.
Ø
7th Rencontres Internationales
de Folklore Toulon, France.
Ø
Festival de Martigues, Martigues, France.
Ø
17th Festival International du
Luberon, Manosque, France.
Ø
Festival International du Brix, Normandy,
France.
2008 –
Participated in different international folklore festivals in Portugal and
Spain organized by FOLKFARO festival in Portugal.
v
Festival Folklorico de los Pueblos Del
Mundo de Extremadura (Spain)
v
FolkFaro International festival (Portugal)
v
Internacional Festival de Musica y Danzas
de Villablanca (Huelva, Spain)
v
Encuentro Internacional De Folklore Ciudad
de Zaragoza ( Zaragoza, Spain)
v
41 Festival Internacional De Folklore En El
Mediterraneo (Murcia, Spain)
2009 –
Participated in different International Folklore Festivals in France and
Spain from 4th July to 7th September, a tour organized
by Festival Du Sud in France.
·
45 Festival International de Folklore de
Chateau Gombert (Marseille, France)
·
26th Festival “Danses et Rythmes
du Monde” (Langon, France.)
·
Festival des Cultures du Monde (Gemenos,
France)
·
Festival International en Pyrenees Audoises
(Quillan, France)
·
Festival International des Pyrenees (Jaca,
Spain)
·
15th Festival International de
folklore Concello de Vigo (Vigo, Spain)
·
Festival Colours du monde (Castres, France)
·
Festival des Cultures du Monde (La Fage St.
Julien, France)
·
Festival International de Folklore de Las
Preses (Esdan, Spain)
·
Festival International de Folklore de
Valencia (Valencia, Spain)
·
Festival International de Folklore de Vila
Real (Spain)
David Kavashia MBUGUA
African Tumbas
P.O. Box 3198
00200 Nairobi - KENYA
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