Seven Gospel Songs From Kenyan & Tanzanian Seventh Day Adventist [SDA] Choirs

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases seven Gospel* songs from Kenyan or Tanzanian Seventh Day Adventist [SDA] Choirs.

*I'm not even sure if I correctly categorized these songs as "Gospel". Maybe a more accurate genree would be something like "African Hymns".


All copyrights remain with their owners.

**As usual, I'm interested in observing & comparing the clothing, manner of presentation, hairstyles (particularly female hairstyles), musical instruments found in featured videos, and format of these featured video.

For example, it's interesting to me that so many of these types of East African religious (Gospel?) videos begin with the focus on the keyboardist. Also, it appears that the norm in Tanzania, but not in Kenya, that women members of these choirs wear their hair "afros" (and not straightened with a hot comb or a permanent). Also, while a number of female members of the featured Kenyan choirs wear their hair straightened- unlike Black choirs in the United States and in the nation of South Africa- none of those females dyed their hair blond or red. And it doesn't appear that any of those females have hair extensions, weaves, or wigs.

Furthermore, I find it interesting that these East African Seventh Day Adventist choir videos all have basically the same format: The video begins with a focus on the keyboardist, and includes scenes of the choir in various poses. Often in each scene the choir members are wearing different group coordinated robes or suits.

Although examples of this aren't numerous in this particular complilation, some videos of East African SDA choirs include scenes of Biblical images of a white skinned Jesus with other Biblical figures such as John the Baptist.

And as an African American, I'm interested in noting that in videos of East African Seventh Day Adventist choirs that I've seen to date, the choirs don't move rhythmically to the beat of the songs nor do they clap their hands in accompaniment or other actions that are done by Gospel choirs in the USA or in the nation of South Africa.

This post serves as a companion piece to an earlier pancocojams post of Kenyan religious music:

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/06/videos-of-kenyan-catholic-choirs-part-i.html

The content of this post is presented for religious, anthropological,** and aesthetic purposes.
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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in chronological order based on the posting date of the videos, with the oldest dated video given first.

Unfortunately, I don't speak or read Swahili, the language that I think is used for each of these featured songs. Information in English about these songs would be greatly appreciated.)

Example #1: AVSEQ03.DAT [Tanzania]



JEREMIAHONTIRI, Uploaded on Dec 26, 2009

Iringo sda musoma

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Example #2: Kurasini SDA- OLE OLE [Tanzania]



naomyatom, Uploaded on Jul 3, 2010
-snip-
Here's an explanation of the lyrics of the song from a commenter to that video's viewer comment thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCZA8401Mk

msaniiTZ, 2011
"Ole Ole ( Pity Pity),

Nimesimama njia panda mnisikie (I Pity You, That's Is Why I am standing at a busy cross-road to spread message of Salvation)
Kama Yohana alivyopiga kelele watu wakamsikia ( Like John the way he raised his voice to air the message of Salvation and people listened to him)"

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Example #3: Oh Bwana Wangu, Amazing SDA Church, Kitale Kenya [Kenya]



atotinc, Uploaded on Feb 1, 2011
-snip-
According to Google Translate, the English translation for the Swahili words "Bwana Wangu" is "My Lord"

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Example #4: Kizingo SDA Choir Mombasa - Mambo Ni Shwari [Kenya]



Calvince Ochar, Published on Aug 22, 2012

Mambo ni shwari Yesu akiwa Nahodha wa maisha yetu.
-snip-
According to Google Translate, the English translation for the Swahili words "Mambo Ni Shwari" is "Things are calm"

From Google Translate, the English translation for "Mambo ni shwari Yesu akiwa Nahodha wa maisha yetu" is "Things are calm him being captain of our lives."

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Example #5: Victory SDA Church Kisumu,Kenya (Sambaza)[Kenya]

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Augustine Nyamita, Published on Oct 29, 2012

CHURCH CHOIR BACKGROUND
Victory SDA church was established in April, 1996 as a Sabbath school of Kisumu central SDA church. The venue of worship was 'OFAFA MEMORIAL HALL' Kisumu-between 1996-2003
The establishment of the church saw the inception of victory SDA church choir. Thus Victory SDA church choir is as old as the church itself.

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Example #6: Nifanye Chombo Chako - Amazing Discovery SDA Choir - Kitale, Kenya [Kenya]



GEOFFREY WAFULA, Published on May 17, 2012

AMAZING DISCOVERY SDA CHOIR - KITALE, KENYA

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Example #7: Kinondoni Sda Choir - Agape [Tanzania]



kinondoni SDA, Published on Jun 18, 2012

Kinondoni SDA Chir sings Agape - Gideon Kasozi at the solo....

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Thanks to the composers of these featured songs. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post, thanks to those choir members and musicians who appeared in these videos and thanks to the publisher of these featured videos.

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