Kubikira Amadinda / Emirembe Ngalo

Excerpt from Buganda Royal Music Revival FULL ALBUM LINK: FULL FILM LINK: “Kubikira Amadinda”After recovering the long lost amadinda (xylophone) which his father used to play for the king of Buganda (Uganda), Semuwemba George William had to perform a ritual to announce to the instrument that his father and other fellow players had died some years ago. Being the heir, Semuwemba had to pay respect to the spirit of his father who, otherwise, could come back to disturb him. Semuwemba washes off the tears of those who mourned with bombo and olweza leaves mashed in water and, because he and his father used to play this xylophone with large drums as part of the royal court ensemble called abantamiivu (the drunkards), he drinks and spits tonto (a traditional beverage made from fermented bananas) over the instrument. Semuwemba and his friend, Kakunyu Charles, then hit the lar