Seven Luhya Music & Dance Videos (Kenya)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post features seven music and dance videos from the Luhya ethnic group in Western Kenya. Information about the Luhyah is also included in this post along with several comments from the discussion threads of those featured videos.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thank to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE LUHYA (in Kenya)
From http://www.africa.upenn.edu/NEH/kethnic.htm "Kenya -- Ethnic Groups"
"There are over 70 distinct ethnic groups in Kenya, ranging in size from about seven million Kikuyu to about 500 El Molo who live on the shore of Lake Turkana. Kenya's ethnic groups can be divided into three broad linguistic groups Bantu, Nilotic and Cushite. While no ethnic group constitutes a majority of Kenya's citizens, the largest ethnic group, the Kikuyu, makes up only 20% of the nation's total population, The five largest - Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, Kamba and Kalenjin- account for 70%. 97.58% of Kenya's citizens are affiliated with its 32 major indigenous groups...

They [the Luhya] are Kenya's third largest ethnic group after the Kikuyu and the Luo.

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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luhya_people
"The Luhya (also known as Abaluyia or Luyia)[2] are a Bantu ethnic group in Kenya.[3] They also live in Uganda and Tanzania albeit a minor populace.[3] They number about 5.3 million people, being about 16% of Kenya's total population of 38.5 million, and are the second-largest ethnic group in Kenya.[1]

Luhya refers to both the people and their language. There are 18 (and by other accounts, 19, when the Suba are included) tribes that make up the Luhya. Each with a distinct dialect. The word Luhya or Luyia in some of the dialects means "clan", and Abaluhya (Abaluyia) thus means "people of the clan". Other translations are "those of the same hearth."

[List of] The sixteen tribes...

The principal traditional settlement area of the Luhya was in what is now the Western province of Kenya...

The western province is the most densely populated part of Kenya...

Most modern day Luhyas are Christians; for some (if not all) the word for God is Nyasaye or Nyasae.

The word Nyasae when translated into English roughly corresponds with 'Nya (of) and Asae/ Asaye/ Sae/ Saye/ (God). The Luhya traditionally worshiped an ancient god of the same name. When Christianity was first introduced among the Luhya in the early 1900s by Christian missionaries from Europe and America, the Luhya took the name of their traditional god, Nyasae, forgot about that idol, and gave that name to the God of Christianity.

The first Luhyas who were converted into Christianity took words, names, their perceptions of what Christian missionaries told them about the Living God (the Creator), and other aspects of the religious traditions that they were born into, and applied them to Christ and God."...
-snip-
Click http://www.luhya.net/ "LIFE IN A TRADITIONAL LUHYA VILLAGE" and http://www.luhya.net/HTML_files/music.html
"Luyha Culture"

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FEATURED VIDEOS
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date on YouTube with the oldest dated posts presented first.

Example #1: Kenyan Dance Tindikiti (Mulongo)



okhwaomina's channel, Uploaded on Aug 10, 2007

Bukusu song

Webuye Juakali Band
-snip-
Comments:
sarah alubaka, 2008
"Natural luhya dance, big up guys!!!!"

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Gsug Guy Uff, 2014
"Hey listen to this tune mulongo and be ready to dance only shoulder"

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Example #2: Injila



Oweingo, Uploaded on Nov 3, 2007

Injila by Bernard Lukose yani Luseno Junior featuring Milembe stars with sukuti and shilili. Video graphics Kakamega Golf Hotel and Savona Isle on Isiukhu river
-snip-
Comments:
omuyemba, 2008
"injila kama ni swahili ni 'njia'"
-snip-
Google Translate: Swahili to English
"injila as is swahili is 'the way'"

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Andy Mac5 years ago
"I actually know this place,infact i knw some of this guys,i've even danced to this during a bull fighting event in my school.(Shamusinjiri primary school). Tsia tsia tsia...henaho butswa!Oh i miss home!"
-snip-
Shamusinjiri primary school is in the Western part of Kenya.

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Example #3: Lumbe



Oweingo, Uploaded on Nov 4, 2007

Lumbe by Bernard Lukose yani Luseno Junior featuring Milembe stars with sukuti and shilili. Video graphics Kakamega Golf Hotel and Savona Isle on Isiukhu river
-snip-
Comments:
Ayiera Muluka, 2008
"Very sad song indeed! Omwana yarira eshindu shimukhayanga munda! Banyola lumbe lumukhayanga munda!"

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wilson vincent koech, 2009
"I am a nandi and do not quite know what this talented guy is singing about but he really does have a good way of conveying the message. i love the music talent of the luhiya for though this song sounds as if tragedy has loomed at large."

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mwendapolee, 2009
"iam a bukusu i understand some his talkin of aids ."

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Example #4: ovurware vukongo



kamzzee, Uploaded on Aug 25, 2008

luhya music
-snip-
Comments:
jumasalmin, 2009
"I dont understand luhya but luhya but i know music to me music is composition so no matter what tribe or language its sang if the song is good i'll know and i'll like it. Now i once heard a luhya song i dont know its name is "luwere". They lyrics go like this "utawacha nyumba yako utaenda, utawacha mali yako utaenda, utaenda nyumbani kwa baba, luwere nyasae......" i've been looking for it but in vain, can someone please help me obtain this song its sang in luhya and Swahili"

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swiwt, 2009
in reply to jumasalmin
"@jumasalmin its just an amazing song about aids awareness"
-snip-
I think this comment refers to the song that is featured in the video.

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Example #5: webuye jua kali : baluhya



bartjelsma, Uploaded on Sep 18, 2008

webuye jua kali : baluhya
please enjoy this nice music from a great country called Kenya

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Example #6: Luhya Folk Song



Christopher Borges Uploaded on Jul 7, 2011

A Luhya Folk Song, performed by ___ (help with the school!) at the Vihiga District Festival, June 2011.
Comments:
saadouseydou, 2011
"I'm soo totally proud of these boys. They have so much amazing talent. This is a school from my home village in Tiriki. Nice piece. Love the arrangement and their costumes too."

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Roy Onyeka, 2013
"Thats my school...senende boys secondary"

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Isaac Tamey, 2013
"this song was originally kapsabet boys. we performed it severally upto the nationals annually. i can remember names like Shabanga agevi....

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Example #7: Wanyonyi khatundi- euyo.flv



gabbweks's channel, Uploaded on Jan 31, 2012

bukusu traditional.

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