by Daniel Onyango

Created on: December 22, 2008   Last Updated: January 06, 2009

REVIEWS: ANYANGO POPULARIZES NYATITI INSTRUMENT

'chalre tee, romre tee,

chalre tee kata imewo,

romre tee kata idhier' ,

Eriko Mukoyama aka Anyango nyar Siaya intones enchantingly. Her audience, composed of men and women, young and old, watch in enthralment and joy as this twenty-six year old girl from Japan, who had only lived with them a couple of years, demonstrate the mastery of the heart and soul of nyatiti music. She begins her performance with this slow rhythmic praise song dedicated to a friend 'Otieno Kogola jaugenya'. In it as is customary, she melodiously calls out other friends of Otieno like Adhingo jasega, Ajeni nyar ugunja and Othieno janaya .

Typically the praise song highlights Otieno's heroism(he owns a fast-driving car) and also throws in some political jibes at dictators Amin and Mobutu who owned aeroplanes, but killed hundreds of people. She reminds her audience of the fickleness of class or division in society- 'charle tee, romre tee!' We are all the same; we are equal, rich or poor. The nyatiti instrument is slow and rhythmic in tune with 'chalre tee, romre tee'. It is a happy song, and mostly women swing their waists in time with the beat.

It is clear that Anyango's encounter with thum nyatiti is not a one-off love affair. I have listened to maestros like Ogwang ko Okoth, Ojwang Ombembo and Ogola Opot. They are not only skilled nyatiti artists, but also purveyors of Luo poetry. If you listen keenly to any of their ode, chant, eulogy, teaching or jesting, you will be transported through different levels of emotions. The music is meant to capture every mood and emotion and that is why not every strummer will get an audience.

All these jothum will take you wherever they want; make you weep, cry, laugh and dance. At the best or the worst of times they will evoke or incite you to stop their music, so that you may pakri. When you are moved to praise yourself, it is as though your spirit or juogi has been awakened not only to appreciate the musician, but also to introduce yourself to the audience. Sometimes it is the musicians who introduce themselves, as Anyango does at the beginning of Otieno Kogola jaugenya:

'An Anyango gwok yombo jadwar ekudho to onge akala!'

Her audience cannot believe what they are hearing. For starters, nowhere in Luoland are there any female nyatiti musicians, least of all those who are of Anyango nyar Siaya's expertise. Indeed pakruok requires as much aptitude as playing the instrument and singing. Your stage name should be

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