JUA pays homage to Sudanese heritage through new single ‘Hadandawa’

Produced by ISAT IRAT and MR. LU*, the project has been developed over two and a half years and explores East Africa’s shared musical heritage through contemporary electronic production.

‘Hadandawa’ draws inspiration from the music, movement and cultural resilience of the Hadandawa, the largest subgroup of the Beja people, whose communities are spread across eastern Sudan, Eritrea and Egypt.

The song focuses on a community with a long history as pastoralist nomads across the deserts and Red Sea Hills. Hadandawa cultural traditions include distinctive forms of swordsmanship, craftsmanship and expressive movements involving the shoulders, chest and neck.

“‘Hadandawa’ is dedicated to our brothers and sisters of the Hadandawa and the wider Beja community, whose culture spans Sudan, Eritrea and Egypt. Their unwavering pride in their identity continues to inspire the rest of East Africa,” Jua said.

The duo also dedicated the track to Sudanese people displaced by conflict and living away from their homes.

“To our brothers and sisters from Sudan, scattered across the world during these difficult times, we hope this rhythm reminds you of home,” the duo said. “Like the wind that carries no footprints, but never forgets the way, a people's spirit can travel far while always remembering where it comes from. May the day come when every path leads you back home.”

The release follows ‘Mass High’, which drew musical connections between the Amhara people of Ethiopia’s highlands and the Maasai communities of Kenya and Tanzania. Through CHIKKA, Jua aims to bring greater attention to lesser-known musical traditions from across East Africa and introduce them to new audiences.

Jua comprises Ethiopian producer and researcher ISAT IRAT, whose real name is Guta Wakuma Chimsa, and Kenyan producer MR. LU*. The collaboration began in Nairobi as the two explored rhythmic links across the region’s musical traditions before developing into CHIKKA, a project combining cultural research with contemporary electronic production.

The album is the first flagship project of Misrak Studio, an East African music innovation hub established in Nairobi in 2024 to support cross-cultural collaboration, research and creative exchange.

At the centre of Misrak Studio’s work is DARAJA, a platform whose name comes from the Swahili word for “bridge”. It brings together artists, producers and researchers to investigate East Africa’s shared musical heritage and develop new approaches to the region's music.

CHIKKA is planned as a 10-track album featuring more than 30 artists from seven countries. The project seeks to connect the region’s shared 6/8 rhythmic traditions and develop them into a contemporary East African sound.