Wamwiduka Band

Wamwiduka band is a Tanzanian uplifting, and vibrant traditional music band that mixes with urban music. Currently in 2024, Wamwiduka Band won the HAPA Awards (Hollywood Africa Prestigious Awards) as the best traditional band in 2023/24, and the same year also won the category of best traditional musicians in the Tanzania Music Awards 2023/24. All of these achievements were made possible under the guidance of a youth talent center called Home of the World (https://www.musicinafrica.net/directory/home-world), a non-governmental organization that grooms and mobilizes youth who have artistic talents and even cultural professionals, and Wamwiduka Band are among the active members who have been nurtured and brought up by these centre.
The band was formed in 2012, and its origin is from Mbeya region, found in the southern highlands of Tanzania. The origin of the word Wamwiduka is derived from the Safwa ethnic community from the Mbeya region, which means Wadukani (shop products or something that has value and can sell itself).The music played by the band is called ‘’Babatone music, which has become very popular in many eastern countries of Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, and even other southern-east African countries. The instruments they use are made with homemade tools, which include the self-made string guitar, drums, marimba (a deep-toned xylophone), percussion, and a bass guitar that creates a traditional banjo sound.
During 2020, the band managed to record a mixtape of 16 songs, which was named ”Wamwiduka Mixtape.” Among their major hits are  ‘‘Niwewe, ‘‘and ''Kilingeni,” which is famous on the street from lyrics that state ‘‘Nahonga pakubwa nakula padogo’’ which means men bribe women a lot of money compared to what they get in return. On July 28, 2023, Wamwiduka Band released their debut EP, which is called ‘’Mdundo wa wamwiduka,” collaborated with other artists from other music genres, and recorded various songs, including Mpishe Mama Apite, featuring Ben Pol (who is Tanzania's famous bongo fleva singer), Oa, featuring Tamimu (a Singeli musician), Safari, Moyo, and Nigongeshee, featuring Tanzania's legendary traditional singer Dokii.

DISCOGRAPHY:
This Nomadic band is rapidly gaining popularity around Dar es Salaam (the capital city of Tanzania), and they started to get invitations to perform on big festival stages starting on;
 7th–10th February 2019, SAUTI ZA BUSARA at Zanzibar.
 23rd–25th August 2019, ONGALA MUSIC FESTIVAL at Malaika Beach, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
 30th August 2020, Live Session for “MIDEM AFRICAN FORUM"-Spotlight on East Africa at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
 7th–10th December 2020, ONGALA MUSIC FESTIVAL at Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
 26th–December 2021, Tanzania, SERENGETI FESTIVAL at National Stadium, Tanzania.
 28th–30th ,October 2021, INTERNATIONAL BAGAMOYO ARTS FESTIVAL at Bagamoyo, Tanzania–
 27th November 2021,ACCES MUSIC IN AFRICA CONFERENCE at Johannesburg, South Africa.
 4th December 2021, KOMAA CONCERT at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
 11th–13th February 2022, SAUTI ZA BUSARA FESTIVAL at Zanzibar.
 26th November 2022, ACCES MUSIC IN AFRICA CONFERENCE at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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