Song and dance are powerful cultural medium in any society. Song and dance were not only used as a preserver but also a transmitter of history. Kamba community expressed their feeling through song and dance. Song and dance were used in all aspects and perspectives of the Kamba community. This study focuses on the characteristics of Kamba song and dance in the precolonial period. The community originally occupied Makueni, Machakos and Kitui before expanding to other parts of the country.

The study seeks discuss the different cultural practices that song and dance was practiced as well as the different types of song and dance and the occasions when they were practiced. Clearly, there is no doubt that song and dance are powerful conveyers and transmitters of a society’s history. Indeed, song and dance were used as an avenue of communication. Song and dance in every community has its own characteristics that make it distinct from the other communities. Kamba songs and dance has been part of oral literature which has been passed from one generation to the other through stories and testimonies. The community history, culture and identity were passed on from one generation to the other through song and dance. Traditional musical instruments were also used. Kamba song and dance was utilitarian hence was used as an aspect of identity to the community.

With colonization, urbanization and western cultural influences, it is evident that traditional Kamba song and dance have decreased due to the emergence of new idioms that combine African and western elements. Changes to Kamba song and dance occurred as a result of external cultures and the interactions among African societies. Therefore, this study is an eye opener to the dying Kamba traditional song and dance. Traditional Kamba song and dance ought to be documented since is at the verge of being forgotten especially by the current generation.

Excerpt

Table of Contens

Introduction

Kamba Song and Dance

Cultural Practices among the Kamba
Birth
Circumcision
Marriage
Death
Religion

Types of Kamba Songs
Maio
Mbathi Sya Wia
Mbathi Sya Kivalo
Myali

Types of Kamba Dances

Mbeni
Mwasa
Kilumi
Kisanga
Nduli

Conclusion

REFERENCE

ABSTRACT

Song and dance are powerful cultural medium in any society. Song and dance was not only used as a preserver but also a transmitter of history. Kamba community expressed their feeling through song and dance. Song and dance was used in all aspects and perspectives of the Kamba community. This study focuses on the characteristics of Kamba song and dance in the precolonial period. The community originally occupied Makueni, Machakos and Kitui before expanding to other parts of the country. The study seeks discuss the different cultural practices that song and dance was practiced as well as the different types of song and dance and the occasions when they were practiced. Clearly, there is no doubt that song and dance are powerful conveyers and transmitters of a society’s history. Indeed song and dance were used as an avenue of communication. Song and dance in every community has its own characteristics that make it distinct from the other communities. Kamba songs and dance has been part of oral literature which has been passed from one generation to the other through stories and testimonies. The community history, culture and identity were passed on from one generation to the other through song and dance. Traditional musical instruments were also used. Kamba song and dance was utilitarian hence was used as an aspect of identity to the community. With colonization, urbanization and western cultural influences, it is evident that traditional Kamba song and dance have decreased due to the emergence of new idioms that combine African and western elements. Changes to Kamba song and dance occurred as a result of external cultures and the interactions among African societies. Therefore this study is an eye opener to the dying Kamba traditional song and dance. Traditional Kamba song and dance ought to be documented since is at the verge of being forgotten especially by the current generation

Introduction

A People’s way of life must have an origin which is directly related to their civilization and all its processes of continuity and change. Culture can be expressed in people’s values, beliefs and rituals. It is depicted by their songs, dances and value systems (Nyamwaka 2000). In order to understand the place of songs and dances among the Kamba, it is important to appreciate their general environment in which they live. This is because it is against environmental background that the social, political and economic aspects of the society interplay.

Kapiyo, Kiruthu and Muma (2011), asserts that the Kamba are a Bantu speaking community. They form part of Eastern Bantu who claim to have dispersed from Shungwaya. The Kamba point to the area around Mount Kilimanjaro as their original homeland from where they moved to Taita Hills before finally reaching Tsavo West. It is believed that around the mid – 15th century AD the Akamba followed the eastern Bantus of river Athi. From here one group moved south to the Galana River and settled in the region around Chyulu hills north of Mount Kilimanjaro. By around the mid -16th century a group of the Kamba people had settled in the Mbooni hills in Machakos. Further the trio concur with Mwikali (1990) that the kamba are closely related to the Kikuyu, Embu, Mbeere and Meru. They all form the eastern Bantu speaking communities in Kenya.

Their main economic activities are agriculture and animal husbandry as well as trade. Craftsmanship is practiced by the members of the community. The items most in evidence –woodcarvings are actually least traditional, but most remunerative. The Kamba migration and settlement was significantly influenced by the environment. For example, near Mbooni, they began to practice agriculture as the area was fertile and experienced ample rainfall. Soon their population increased, necessitating further migration to Iveti, Kulungu and Masaku (Kioko 2012). Those who moved to Kitui adopted pastoralism and hunting. This group participated in long distance trade mainly because most of Kitui land had very poor soils and unreliable rainfall and therefore needed an alternative economic activity.

According to Kapiyo, Kiruthu and Kimori (2011), the outbreak of famine in Ukambani in 1899 made the Kamba to adopt long distance trade. Ukambani is centrally placed between the Coast and interiors. This position enabled them to trade directly with the Coast and the Mount Kenya people. This gave them an advantage. Also, the famine weakened sections of the Kamba, making them incapable of staging a very meaningful resistance to the British According to Kapiyo, Kiruthu and Kimoro (2011), the Kamba organized caravans that left for the coast on weekly basis to sell ivory, gum, copra, honey, bees wax, rhinoceros horns and skin. To make the long journey ‘shorter’, the Kamba people used songs to motivate themselves to press on. The Kamba traders organized themselves onto hunting and trading parties. Their caravans consisted of as many as 500 to 1000 porters and slaves. They moved as far as Mount Kenya, Abagusii land, Lake Baringo and Samburu. This was made achievable through the motivation as songs which they sang on their journey.

The most spectacular manifestation of Kamba culture is the traditional dance. It is characterized by some exceptional leaping, flinging dancers. Several of the dances have military themes, directly derived from their participation in large numbers in the country’s armed forces.

Kamba had several cultural practices which they practiced and helped them to be very different from other Kenyan communities. This included birth celebrations, circumcision of both boys and girls, marriage and death. This rites of passage were mandatory to very member of the society. Song and dance was of key importance in keeping the participants in the spirit of the specific event at hand (Mwikali 1990).

Kamba Song and Dance

The Kamba people expressed their love for song and dance in their impressive performances in their day to day lives and during special occasions. The Kamba displayed their prowess in dancing styles as they performed acrobatics and remarkable body movements. The mostly known manifestation of traditional Kamba culture was their dancing performed to throbbing polyrhythmic drum beats. It was characterized by exemplary acrobatic leaps and somersaults which flung dancers into the air. Dances were accompanied by songs which were composed for such an occasion (birth, naming). The songs were lovely and melodious (Mwikali 1990).

The Kamba people had a very unique way of expressing their feelings through songs. The composers of the songs expressed their skills through the content of the songs they composed and sang. To the Kamba the happiness and sorrowfulness of life could be expressed through song and dance which was embraced by all members of the community, from a toddler to the old in the society. For instance, when a new member of the community was born, it was accompanied with song and dance to welcome the new member and also to thank the gods for the safe delivery.

After fourteen days from the day of birth, the mother underwent a cleansing ritual (kuuswa) which was performed to cleanse the mother since it was thought that the state of pregnancy was unclean. The mother had to cut her hair short to assume a clean nature and be acceptable in the society. Libations were poured and invoking of the ancestral spirits was done in order to accept the new born to the world and protect the kid. Charms were given to the child for protection. During all this processes song and dance was used to express the feelings of the society. A naming ceremony then followed to give the new child a name according to the traditions and as earlier noted that song and dance prevailed life of the community, therefore song and dance was performed to culminate the event. As the child grew, it learnt the traditions, culture and different aspects of the society. This process involved informal administration of knowledge. In most cases to make the teaching and the whole process interesting the elders would throw up a song to draw the attention of the learners and avoid boredom. Other than “school”, children would learn from their playmates different songs.

The performance of the songs was always done differently as per the nature of the song. There existed those songs that were performed with body accompaniment while others had no body accompaniment. Other than body accompaniment there also included musical instruments which were played to the rhythm of the song (Kilonzi 1992).

A soloist (ngui) was key in Kamba song and dance as they were the ones to lead the other singers in the song and dance. Kamba songs were classified with respect to the age of those who composed and sang the songs. This means that there were songs of young children to old people.

The mode of transmission of Kamba song and dance has been through the word of mouth. According to Zake (1986) there existed no specific people endowed with the role of composing songs hence every community member had the ability to do the work. This could be well expressed in a case where a baby sitter would pick up a sobbing baby and sing a song to sooth the baby to stop crying. Consequently, the baby would respond and would listen to the singer. This would be passed on from the baby sitter to the baby who would equally pass it to its siblings.

Cultural Practices among the Kamba

The Kamba cultural practices that are discussed in this study cover the Kamba traditions and practices which will provide a firm background for the understanding of song and dance of the community.

Birth

The Kamba continuity of the community was very important. This could only be achieved through procreation. Therefore having a child was seen as the greatest blessing from god. It was seen as a blessing to any couple. Being married as a woman meant giving birth and hence lack of a child was seen as a curse from the gods and ancestors for a breaking a taboo. Sometimes it could be totally impossible for a woman to bear a child hence the community would encourage polygamy as an alternative solution to that problem. Equally if the man was impotent, the woman would be allowed to get children out of wedlock. However sacrifices were offered to appease the aimu (ancestral spirits).

An expectant woman was given special treatment in that she was not supposed to do heavy duties, they were also exempted from certain traditional ceremonies especially the ones which needed vigorous dancing and hectic movement which could affect the pregnancy. Pregnant women were not supposed to go near a grave to avoid orienting the new born child to sorrows. Above all it was a taboo for anyone including the husband to beat a pregnant woman. To mark the birth of a child ululation was done. When a child was born, there followed moments of great joy which was expressed through singing and dancing. A boy child was received with prolonged ululation and screams than a girl child. The songs sang would praise the mother for the good work done. Also they could praise the child such songs included:

Ngai nutuathimite,

Mwana uyuuu aliliiiii

Ngai ninamwitya matei

Mumuathime mwana uyuu

Ona nyinya wakeee

Ngai ila sya maithe maitu

Mumuathimeee

Manenge vinya,

Na umasuviane na mauthuku moothe

God you have blessed us

This kid aliiliiii

God we call upon you

To bless this kid

Even the mother

Gods of our fore fathers

To bless her

Give them good health

Protect them from the evils

During birth, kilumi dance was performed. Kilumi dance was categorized into four: 1) worship kilumi 2) therapeutic kilumi 3) cleansing kilumi 4) initiation kilumi. The dances are categorized according to the various spirits which were believed to possess individuals in the kilumi dances. This dance was done by elderly women for the purpose of cleansing the mother and also to honour the spirits for safe delivery (Ndanu M. 2013). Specific attires were put on before performing the dance. Bangles, necklaces and ankle laces made of iron were the most common since they could produce certain sound which was always per the rhythm of the dance. Foot stamping was key in the dance. The dance lasted for thirty minutes.

Circumcision

According to Nyamwaka (2000), circumcision was an important rite of passage among the Bantu communities. It was through circumcision that one would graduate to adulthood thereafter marriage. The Kamba people circumcised both boys and girls at puberty stage. Circumcision was important among the Kamba since it was through it that initiates were given certain skills and teachings such as: sex education it was also through initiation that one could graduate from childhood to adulthood. This was majorly done during the seclusion period. Also responsibility and bravery was emphasized on.

On the D day for the initiation ceremony the initiates woke up very early (around 1:00AM) where they dipped themselves in cold stream of water, whereby the cold water served as anesthetic to reduce pain during the cutting of the foreskin. A huge number of young circumcised men accompanied the initiates.

Initiates were not supposed to cry as it was an abomination. At the end of the circumcision the circumciser was given his dues and could lead sacred songs which were sang to appease the ancestral spirits and God (Ngai) to have mercy on the initiates for fast healing. After this the initiates were escorted home with mbathi sya nzaiko (initiation songs) which were sung throughout the journey to the initiates’ seclusion place.

On arriving home, women sung and danced to usher the initiates back home. It’s worth noting that women were not allowed to see the initiates as this would be bad omen. Songs were sung to remind the initiates that they were adults and had a greater task ahead and that the society was looking up on them .The grandparents, the elderly and the parents would then bless the initiates and this marked it that the initiates were now ready to marry since they were considered adults. Such songs included;

Maacha yeeeee leleee kasingi wamakae aaa,

Wamachwa nikwithya walilikana mwenyu na au aaa,

Maacha yeee kasingi wa makae aaaa

Walekilye aimu nyumbani ya syana aaa

Macha eee kasingi wamachwa nisyau aaa

Na mwenyu nu kulilikene aaa

Muthinzi eee muthinzeee aaaa

Akuthisye eee, ndwi kana ingi aa

Wiyuumiisye utwike mundu muima aaa

Macha yeeee leleee Kasingi why are you worried

You are worried because you have remembered your parents

Macha yee ,kasingi you are worried

And your mother is still remembering you

You left spirits to misuse the kids

Macha eee kasingi why are you worried?

Circumciser circumcise him

To circumcise means you are no longer a child

Be brave and face the knife and don’t cry for you are an adult

The most popular dance during this period was known as Nduli. It was a condition that any teenager attending Nduli session must be circumcised, for it is in the Nduli dance that one may choose a partner for life. Its instruments were set of four drums and three whistles. It was usually danced in pairs. One session would last for fifteen minutes because of its tiring pace. The dance was for the unmarried people. Its mode of dance included the male dancers jumping into the air, while their female counterparts vigorously swung their waists and shoulders.

Marriage

Marriage (mutwaano) was seen as a very important stage among the Kamba. Every member was supposed to marry as it was the only way for procreation and sexual fulfillment. Those not married were termed as outcast as well as children born outside marriage. In fact if anyone died before getting married and had attained marriageable age they would be kicked on their buttocks using wood ash (Muu) and some alterations made in order to cast such people never to exist in the community since marriage &family was seen as the only way to enhance continuity of a society.

According to Mwikali (1990), Celibacy was a term which was never heard of. It was the responsibility of the parents to get a spouse to their child. The community had a set character traits of the lady to be married. This included being hardworking, well behaved and industrious. Marriage was supposed to be exogamous. Once the man was satisfied with the lady to marry, the bride groom’s father would go to the bride’s home for dowry negotiations.

The dowry agreed on was to serve as a sign of appreciation to the bride’s family for the good (lady) they have from the family. The groom and kin had to meet some basic requirements and perform specific rituals minimum threshold for a legitimate marriage.

He further explained that, Ntheo (dowry payment) was an important ceremony among the Kamba which was conducted by the grooms family. This ceremony demonstrates the bride officially belongs to the man she is engaged to. A legitimate Ntheo ceremony must involve at least three goats of which one is a he-goat that is uncastrated however he may have more than three goats but the number must add up to an odd number .

The he-goat is slaughtered by the groom or a brother of the groom. As soon as the blood of the he-goat spills on the ground the bride becomes “officially owned” by the groom that very moment. At that specific time songs are sang and dances conducted to praise the man for his brave step and to welcome the lady into the world of responsibilities and also welcome her to the new family. The man is advised to cut short behaviors of young men and take responsibility as the head of the family and protect it. For the ceremony to be complete, a piece of soft meat known as kikonde gotten from the slaughtered goat is given to both the bride and groom who must eat a piece as a sign of covenant that ‘they will’ keep their marriage. Thereafter the process of buying a wife begins and the items to be presented are now negotiated at friendly basis.

To crown the process, the groom’s family is supposed to throw a big party to the in-laws and the entire village. A castrated bull (ilute) is slaughtered for the ceremony. During this time a lot of singing and dancing is done to celebrate the new couple. The age mates of the bride go to sing at the bride’s parents in sorrow for having one of them leave them. Kilumi dance crowns the ceremony as the songs plead with God and ancestral spirits to bless the newly married couple.

Virginity was highly regarded hence after marriage the sisters of the bride were supposed to present a gift to the groom for work well done of breaking the virginity of their sister (in most cases cooked muthokoi- which is traditional Kamba meal made of peeled maize was used) and in turn the bride groom’s family would appreciate by giving them grains. Divorce was highly discouraged hence negotiation was emphasized to solve conflicts between the spouses.

Example of a wedding song;

Mutua, yu niwatwaana.

Umanye, yu wi mutumia. Na uekane na kila kitindo kikuu

Mutua niweeka nesa, na ndueka kuenda ndanzini il unaendaa

Mutindi niwatwawa. Manya yu wi kiveti .

Utie anyanyau ala unekalaa namo

Uuwie mutumia avune na syana.

Mutua, you are now married.

You should know you are an elder and forget your old companies.

Stop attending the dances you used to attend

Mutindi you are married.

Know that you are a wife

Leave your former friends

Cook for your husband and kids

Mbeni dance could be done during this session. This dance was for the unmarried who it was believed had ‘lost’ their friends, who had graduated to another level in life and they were not allowed to associate with them freely except the day of the wedding. Unlike the other dances where the youths were monitored by the elders, mbeni dance was never monitored as the community saw it as an avenue for the youths to get their partners.

Death

Death was the hardest thing among the Kamba. According to the understanding of the Kamba death was seen as a stage of development. As a sign of respect to dead, children were named after them. The dead were buried in the compound and those who gave certain instructions of their burial was followed and respected. The dead were invoked in celebrations.

Death was seen as a continuity of life among the Kamba community. The concepts of ‘life’ and ‘death’ are not mutually exclusive concepts. To Kamba community, death does not alter or end the life or personality of an individual but indeed causes a change in its conditions which is expressed in the concept of ‘ancestors’( people who have died but continued to ‘live’ in the community and communicate with the families) .

The dead were respectably send off in order to avoid the dead person from becoming a wandering ghost unable to ‘live’ properly after death and therefore a danger to those who remain alive. To the Kamba community if an elderly person died then a bull was supposed to be slaughtered for celebration. The songs sung during this time are full of sorrow as the living expressed the loss of their loved one. The dead could be accorded a lot of respect in that their will on the burial ceremony would be honored.

After the burial ceremony libations were poured on the grave by the elderly in the society in order to appease the aimu (spirits) to accept the spirit of the dead to the world of spirits. Singing and dancing was done since this was a ceremony according to the community to regain its identity and solidarity. Also they appealed to the deceased not to bring trouble to the living. Personal belongings were also buried with the deceased to assist in the journey to the world of the dead.

After the burial, cleansing ritual was done using a certain herb (mutaa) in order to cleanse the members from impurity for this time. After the funeral the members of the family could shave their hair since they believed that life is concentrated in their hair. Shaving the hair symbolizes death and its growing again indicates the strengthening of life.

Kilumi dance was performed to cleanse the family, the nature of the dance was not vigorous as it was thought it could disturb the spirits. No musical instrument that was played as no noise or loud voice was expected. The heads of the dancers bowed down as sign of the intense burden to those alive were facing.

Religion

According to Kapiyo, Kiruthu and Muma (2011), Kamba believed in one supreme god, who was prayed or sacrificed to and Kamba people had various names for him: Ngai, ‘Asa (the strong Lord) Mumbi (fashioner creator or maker) Mwatuangi (distributor or cleaner) and Mulungu(creator).

The Kamba also believed in spirits (aimu). In traditional life, families are careful to make libations and to give bits of food to the living dead (spirits) in order to appease them not to harm the living. The ancestral spirits were believed to control all endeavors among the Kamba. They could give instructions to the diviners and medicine men through dreams or appearance of the spirits.

The Kamba made sacrifices to God on great occasions such as the rites of passage, planting time before crops ripen at the harvest of the first fruits. Cleansing ceremony and when rains delay. Kilumi dance was conducted to appease the spirits when the need arose and also it could be done to thank God for his blessings. The Kamba were notorious in religion such that they could even sacrifice a child to appease the gods. The child was buried alive in a shrine (in case of a severe drought). A lot of respect was accorded to Shrines (ithembo) and only the elderly could visit them since they were believed to be sacred.

When a need for a sacrifice was identified the elders consulted the medicine men or women (mundu mue). The medicine man could dictate the kind of animal to be sacrificed (of one color) since stripped and spotted animal was considered to as incomplete (kiema).

In preparation for a sacrifice and after, there were regulations to be observed as conditions that the efficacy of the sacrifice was not notified. On the day of the sacrifice the Atumia ma Ithembo (men of the shrine) along with their wives took the sacrificed animal to the place of sacrifice where they slaughtered the animal in the presence of all members of the homestead. Then the blood was mixed with the beer and poured out at the foot of the tree or at the sacrificial grave, while uttering some prayers for rain, the end of famine or from an epidemic or whatever the community need was. The elderly women offered ‘women’s’ sacrifice of food that they brought and placed at the spot where the mixture of blood had been poured out. After the sacrifice the elders ate the meat first and then shared it out. During these ceremonies songs and dances were done to praise and worship god and the spirits.

One of the most common religious song was;

Nga wa matuni,

Twitunga muvea

Ni wiko wenyu

Ni muvea kwa usuvio

Mutuekeee thavu syitu

Kwa matei meenyu

Tunengei mumo

Ithyi syana syenyu

Na muuo yila twi kuu yiulu wa nthi

Na mutiendaaa

Na kutuiia mwanya,

Matuku maitu mathela tuke ku mui

Mwi aseo nimutusuviite

Ni asandi muno

God of heavens

We thank you

For your deeds

Thanks for your protection

Forgive us our wrong doings

In your mercies

Give us grace

Us your children

And peace as we live in this world

And continue

Keeping for us space

So that after our days are over we come where you are

You are great

Thanks.

Different religious dances were performed on different occasions. For instance, kilumi rain dance was performed by the elderly in the society to appease the spirits and the god responsible for rains in order to have rains. A dance known as Kisanga was performed during thanks- giving ceremonies especially when the village has had a good harvest. This is a celebration for all ages, both young and old. During the celebration a white goat is slaughtered, its blood poured under a certain tree (kitutu tree), and its meat left near the tree for Mulungu (God)

Types of Kamba Songs

The Kamba people had many types of songs and each type has a name. The songs included: Mbathi sya Kivalo, Myali (general social commentary and scathing attacks [nzeo] against miscreants), lullabies and songs for circumcision, marriages, work, and hunts (nzyima), maio. (Mwikali 1990).

Maio

Maio were songs sung by Unmarried girls. They sang Maio (“Mourning” songs) at a newly married girl to express their feelings towards the unavoidable detachment with their friend. They would sing to advice the groom to take care of the bride and provide for her. The bride was equally advised to respect and cook for the husband. The singers would further go ahead to call upon the couple to set a good example to the society and cut short all relationships they had before and act as a wife and a husband. The unmarried girls would therefore accept to leave the home of the newly married girl after dancing with the newly married girl as a sign of farewell. An example of such songs included;

Mwiitu uyu lilii

Niwaatwawae lili

Ni mwanake uyuu iii lili

ENi twataaananwa eee

Kweli utwae ni museo wethya kanini

niweetikila kutwawa aumane na kitindo kitu

mwikale maisya maseo na mandaia

munengane ndaia na muisuviana

wendo withye ngao yenyu na mutumwanwa na itindo ila munainasyona mwike syana mbingi kuendeesya mbai yitu

kanini tukakuliikanaa ta mwiitu meseo na uendeye nesa maisyani maku

This girl

Has now been married

By this man

We have now been separated

Surely marriage is important if Kanini

Has accepted to be married and abandoned our groupings

Live a good life with respect to one another

Respect one another

Let love be your shield and walk away from your youthful relations

And be blessed with many children for the continuity of the community

Kanini we will remember our relation with you and your goodness and how you touched our lives.

Mbathi Sya Wia

Work was a key element in the prosperity of the Kamba community. So to encourage the members of the society to work, songs were composed to motivate those taking part in such work. In fact the songs sang would be with respect to the rhythm of the sound produced by the tools of work involved in different works . On the other hand, the lazy in the society were sang a song to mock them and inflict a bitter feeling to them as a way of compelling them to work. For instance,th song below was used for mock the lazy.

Mutuuulu mutuuulu atindaa musyi

Aiya malenge me iko ayivaka muuu

Ithyi tuthukume tulee ukya

Ni ngya na itikindu

ekala ate kiveti

ndakatuthengeeye tutikumwenda

mutulu mutulu ukaunwa ni syau walea wia?

Lazy one lazy one

He stays at home to eat pumpkins and smears himself with the ashes

Let’s refuse poverty

The lazy one is poor and has nothing)

He will not marry for no lady would accept his marriage proposal

Let him not come near us for we don’t need to be associated with him

Lazy one how will you live without poverty if you don’t work

Mbathi Sya Kivalo

This were songs which it was mandatory for accompaniment by body movement and musical tools. They include kyaa, ngutha, mbalya, kuli, mbeni, kilumi, and ngulukulu. To him, Mbeni was a dance for the unmarried, which was vigorous and tiring hence took a very short session. The youths danced in pairs as it gets to the climax (kukwatika) then the male dance (anake) jumps about four feet into the air and summer saults.

For instance we had songs like,

Nthambi wa muchewa watwaiwe,

Waatwaie matuni,

Nthambi wa muchewa watwaiwe

Nthambi wa muchewa ko watwaiwe matuni

Nthambi wa muchewa watwaiwe

Kithyululuu kiimatuni,

Nthambi wa muchewa watwaiwe

Waatwaiwe vate kusyoka

Nthambi wa muchewa watwaiwe