Discography
The Melodic Realm. Where Tradition Sings and Cultures United.
WANA MZIKI AFRIKA is a powerful Folklore group of dancers acting as cultural ambassadors for more than 42 native ethnic groups of Kenya. Formed in 2004 in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, Wana mziki aims to nature talents promote and exhibit the rich art of Kenyan folklore through song and dance. The practice of using folk music and dance as a medium of social, cultural and spiritual expression is a resonant theme in African cultural traditions and abundant in wana mziki performances.
About us
History of the group
WANA MZIKI dances reveal the strong narrative history involved in the practice of African folklore and
dance. The group’s dances represent marriage, birth, initiation ceremonies, harvest, war, religious festivals, and death. This tradition finds its root in the role of the tribal hunters as they related stories of hunting to their community via song and dance. This practice can be found in all facets of Kenyan life, revealing the history, religion, and social customs of the nation’s multiple ethnic communities.
WANA MZIKI songs and dances are a testament to Kenya’s wide range of regional and ethnic communities, using dances such as the Isukuti from the Luhya community in the western part of Kenya, to the Kilumi of Kamba community in Kenya’s east.
A few words about us
A dance such as the Maasai represents equally important events in the Kenyan community including
coming-of-age ceremonies for tribal warriors – Known as Eunoto in Maasai community – and simple day to day activities. The dance can be performed in multiple variations from its jumping dance form, as seen during Eunoto, to a visual representation of the flirting between young men and women. Accompanying such dances are the ever-present pulsating rhythms of drums – composed of anything from scrap metal to gourds – and songs
organized around a call-and-response system.
Our tour
About Our Tours
While our dances are performed by us as a single group, we are representative of Kenya’s collection of ethnic communities that range from the Maasai, Luo, and Luhya, to the Kikuyu and Giriama tribes. Gaining exposure and praise from our participation in multiple folk festivals throughout Kenya Asia and Europe, WANA MZIKI AFRIKA dances bring to life the rich cultural communities of Kenya. Kenyan music, dances, and songs as embodied in the entire concept of African culture, are cherished, treasured, and a source of pride for Kenyan people everywhere, which could help to identify the Kenyan and champion his dignity.
