Amiri Mkufya
Meet Mkufya, one of Tanzania's leading traditional artists. In summer 2002, Mkufya visited the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to perform an award-winning show with the group "Charles Zawose and African Fire".
Mkufya offers performances, workshops, tanzanian instruments, as well as carvings.
International Touring
1997 Falun Folk Festival, Sweden (Tondo)
1997 Performances in Norway (Bagamoyo College Group)
1998 Tour in Germany (Hakuna Matata)
1999 Tour in Germany (Hakuna Matata)
2002 UK performances, inc. WOMAD (Charles Zawose &
African Fire)
2002 Award-winning performances at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
(Gogo)
Current Projects in Tanzania
- Hakuna Matata - traditional trio
- Jambo Africa - 10-piece band
- Tabata Educators Association (a new NGO that offers AIDS education through art)
- Music and Dance Workshops, Dar es Salaam
- A shop specialising in carvings, traditional instruments and
costumes.
Recordings
- Music From Tanzania and Zanzibar 2 (Caprice CAP 21573)
- Hakuna Matata Group
This is what Mkufya says:
Generally, African dance and music - this is my life! I began these things when I was still young...
When I started school (Handeni in Tanga region), I very much enjoyed such classes. But I wanted to learn more from other tribes from all over the country, so I travelled and learnt dances from the different traditional groups that I met. Then I joined Bagamoyo College of Arts, where I broadened my horizons.
Now I am an experienced teacher of African dance and music (theory and practical!). I like both xylophone and dance very much, and have composed many traditional songs (recorded by Caprice Records). I can present workshops on my own, but I like to perform with other artists.
Hakuna Matata and Jambo Africa
I am the founder of two groups in Dar Es Salaam. Hakuna Matata has three musicians. We present music with two xylophones, drums, thumbpiano, traditional violin and dance. We toured Germany in 1998 and 1999 in a collaboration with Warnfried Artman, a German saxophone player, and released a CD.
Jambo Africa is a new group with 8-10 musicians and dancers. We are one of the first groups in Tanzania to try mixing traditional with electric instruments. Instruments we perform include: xylophone, lead guitar, thumbpiano, bass guitar, drums, keyboard, traditional violin. We are currently composing new traditional songs, and are looking for opportunities to record and perform in Tanzania and beyond.
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My Shop
I decided to open up a shop in 1999 so that people can get a fuller dose of African arts when they meet me! I run my own shop in Dar Es Salaam. I make xylophones and drums myself, and sell these in the shop, together with other instruments, carvings and home-made costumes (soon!):
- xylophones
- mbira thumbpianos
- drums (made by me)
- shakers
- traditional violins
I also specialize in carvings. These are made from ebony by Makonde artists, whom I have met in the villages and now collaborate with.
Finally...
I would be interested to hear from anyone who is interested in buying instruments or carvings, or learning African rhythms or dance!
amkufya@yahoo.com, Tanzania 0744 31 43 98