Uploaded May 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Singing Wells Spotlight shines a light on the music of different groups across East Africa.
From our hotel, we drove a short distance to the village of Nia Njema, where we stayed all day recording Bigilia. They were cooking fish under the main tree and the women were sitting on the Mbuzi, which is used to cut the coconut for Wali (Coconut Rice). The dancers all had lovely necklaces (Usalu), hats (Kigarama) shakers (Mbugu), whistles (Firimbi), and ‘brooms’ (Usinga). The group leader was Asha Saidi Kazidi. The style was Unyago.
They played 12 songs, including Magic Moments and Influences Sessions:
Zakulola: You’ve come to see us play
Wake Kwa Ume: Female to male
Nataka kusema kasi naogopa: I would like to say something but I am afraid
Umpati Ng’o: You’re never going to get them
Magic Moment 1
Utalikologa Utalinywa: If you mix it, you’ll drink it.
Tueheze Zembwela (local dialect)
Bonanza
Nataka Kusema: Includes a song with Leo, which is ‘I want to say’
Utalikologa Utalinywa: If you mix it, you will drink it.
Kiingereza (English) This is Leo’s song from his album, Bangili (bangles)
To watch the full performances, check out our Youtube channel!
Singing Wells Spotlight shines a light on the music of different groups across East Africa.
From our hotel, we drove a short distance to the village of Nia Njema, where we stayed all day recording Bigilia. They were cooking fish under the main tree and the women were sitting on the Mbuzi, which is used to cut the coconut for Wali (Coconut Rice). The dancers all had lovely necklaces (Usalu), hats (Kigarama) shakers (Mbugu), whistles (Firimbi), and ‘brooms’ (Usinga). The group leader was Asha Saidi Kazidi. The style was Unyago.
They played 12 songs, including Magic Moments and Influences Sessions:
Zakulola: You’ve come to see us play
Wake Kwa Ume: Female to male
Nataka kusema kasi naogopa: I would like to say something but I am afraid
Umpati Ng’o: You’re never going to get them
Magic Moment 1
Utalikologa Utalinywa: If you mix it, you’ll drink it.
Tueheze Zembwela (local dialect)
Bonanza
Nataka Kusema: Includes a song with Leo, which is ‘I want to say’
Utalikologa Utalinywa: If you mix it, you will drink it.
Kiingereza (English) This is Leo’s song from his album, Bangili (bangles)
To watch the full performances, check out our Youtube channel!
