Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This group is called Ababeramuco, they are made up of four older men who have been playing professionally their entire lives. The leader of the band is Mushabizi who plays the Inanga and is the uncle of Sophie Nzayisenga who we had seen the day before. She learned much of her Inanga expertise from her uncle Mushabizi and father. We also met Mushabizi’s son, Muttire Theogene Mushabizi who is a musician in his own right, plays the Inanga and manages this group.
The instruments played were:
Inanga – A zither played on the lap
Umuduri – A tall single string instrument played with two small stick and a Inzebe rattle
Iningiri – A small single string instrument played on the lap with the bow called a agaheto
Icyembe – A thumb piano
Musicians:
Mushabizi, playing the Inanga, but switches instruments
Ayirwanda Godfried
Rusatsi Gerard, playing the Umuduri, but switches instruments
Motabaruka Sylvane, playing the Ininguri, but switches instruments
The songs done by Team Mushabizi (whole group):
- Candali – Written by Mushabizi. This song is about cows, why they are important to society, where the came from, the milk they provide to the people and how they are used. Sung like a story.
- Nyirabisabo (a kind of beer)- Traditional song used at parties to make people happy and create a good party.
- Umuhigo – Written by Rusatsi Gerard. About the king who needs clothes and tells the people to find the animals to make him new clothes made of leather and fur. There’s a distinctive action in the song that means: “I’m finished, it’s done!” This is sung like a story being told. In the first take he threw a bell shaker on the ground with an exclamation of “It’s done!!” In the final take the bell throwing was taken out as it interfered with the vocals but the intention is still obvious.
The songs done by individual musicians:
- Zaninka – Written by and performed by Mushabizi on the Inanga. He wrote this for his neighbour who was a bad person and used to abuse his children. He tells him to be quiet and stop being a bad person. He gives advice on how to be a good and decent person.
- Inyangabirani – Written and performed by Ayirwanda Godfried on the Icyembe. This is about a person who is very selfish and doesn’t appreciate others. The song is telling him to stop and how to be a good person.
- Segihobe – Written and performed by Rusatsi Gerard on the Umuduri. A description of how to live life, how to dress and day to day life. It gives advice about how to live a good life.
- Amaribajinka (To Take a Drink) – Written and performed by Motabaruka Sylvane on the Iningiri. About taking the cows to drink water.
Recorded: 24.09.23
Location: Butare, Rwanda.
This group is called Ababeramuco, they are made up of four older men who have been playing professionally their entire lives. The leader of the band is Mushabizi who plays the Inanga and is the uncle of Sophie Nzayisenga who we had seen the day before. She learned much of her Inanga expertise from her uncle Mushabizi and father. We also met Mushabizi’s son, Muttire Theogene Mushabizi who is a musician in his own right, plays the Inanga and manages this group.
The instruments played were:
Inanga – A zither played on the lap
Umuduri – A tall single string instrument played with two small stick and a Inzebe rattle
Iningiri – A small single string instrument played on the lap with the bow called a agaheto
Icyembe – A thumb piano
Musicians:
Mushabizi, playing the Inanga, but switches instruments
Ayirwanda Godfried
Rusatsi Gerard, playing the Umuduri, but switches instruments
Motabaruka Sylvane, playing the Ininguri, but switches instruments
The songs done by Team Mushabizi (whole group):
- Candali – Written by Mushabizi. This song is about cows, why they are important to society, where the came from, the milk they provide to the people and how they are used. Sung like a story.
- Nyirabisabo (a kind of beer)- Traditional song used at parties to make people happy and create a good party.
- Umuhigo – Written by Rusatsi Gerard. About the king who needs clothes and tells the people to find the animals to make him new clothes made of leather and fur. There’s a distinctive action in the song that means: “I’m finished, it’s done!” This is sung like a story being told. In the first take he threw a bell shaker on the ground with an exclamation of “It’s done!!” In the final take the bell throwing was taken out as it interfered with the vocals but the intention is still obvious.
The songs done by individual musicians:
- Zaninka – Written by and performed by Mushabizi on the Inanga. He wrote this for his neighbour who was a bad person and used to abuse his children. He tells him to be quiet and stop being a bad person. He gives advice on how to be a good and decent person.
- Inyangabirani – Written and performed by Ayirwanda Godfried on the Icyembe. This is about a person who is very selfish and doesn’t appreciate others. The song is telling him to stop and how to be a good person.
- Segihobe – Written and performed by Rusatsi Gerard on the Umuduri. A description of how to live life, how to dress and day to day life. It gives advice about how to live a good life.
- Amaribajinka (To Take a Drink) – Written and performed by Motabaruka Sylvane on the Iningiri. About taking the cows to drink water.
Recorded: 24.09.23
Location: Butare, Rwanda.
