The rebirth of Ohangla

“Ohangla ok budhgo miaha”, so goes the old Dholuo adage which means ohangla is never to be used for entertaining a woman or a bride for that matter. But the Luo sages who coined this saying must now be turning in their graves. For today, ohangla is used for common entertainment, including at wedding parties and campaign rallies. In the olden days, ohangla was mainly played at funerals, beer parties and during Yawo rut (a celebration to mark the birth of twins). No Luo worth his salt would attend an in-law’s funeral minus ohangla.

Gone are the days when the musical outfit was mainly associated with vigorous gyration of the hips, suggestive dances, obscene lyrics and liberal changaa (illicit brew) drinking among fans and players. Indeed, in the early 1980s, the then chief of West Alego in Alego/Usonga constituency, Siaya District, Peter Osowo, banned the performance of ohangla within the location after one of his wives eloped with a physically challenged ohangla player. “Ere kaka puth nyalo maya dhako?” (How can a crippled man take away my wife?), protested a fuming Osowo at a local chief’s baraza (gathering).

But ohangla has now been reborn. Whereas in the olden days the music was mainly enjoyed by middle aged and old men and women from the Luo community, today, ohangla, whose original beats and vocal harmonies have been infused with modern instruments cuts across all age brackets and tribes. The themes of the songs mostly revolve around love and the perils of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Other musicians simply immortalize prominent people in society, such as Langata MP, Raila Odinga.

Both the young and the old, Luos and non-Luos have embraced ohangla, almost with fanaticism. It is not surprising to hear a Kikuyu, for instance, humming to the lyrics of ohangla, which never misses from the entertainment menu at any major event. Even foreign tourists, especially those from Europe frequent ohangla night spots and can be seen dancing wildly to the beats. Notably, the Luo theme nights mostly celebrated at the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi are never complete without ohangla. For those who want to enjoy the pulsating beats any time in Nairobi, the places to go are the Deep West Resort Club in Nairobi West, The Tents Club along Mombasa Road, Club Big Five in Kibera, Hill Breeze Restaurant in Upper Hill area and Choma Zone on Thika Road, among others.

Though a number of veteran ohangla players like “Dr” Oduor Odhialo and Jack Nyadundo have kept the ohangla flame alive, a number of upcoming artistes are giving them a run for their money. They include Jack’s younger brother Tony Nyadundo, Odongo Mayaka, Ken wuod Alego, Odhis Les Les and Otieno Luoka. But the one whose music has revolutionized the country’s entertainment industry is Tony. Notably, tracks from his album, Isanda gi hera, (You persecute me with love) have become almost an anthem, being played at every music shop and radio station all over the country. Even toddlers in kindergarten know about Tony Nyadundo and his beats, and do not miss an opportunity to hum a tune or two. A walk along Nairobi streets reveals that most motorists, as well as matatu drivers, play the younger Nyadundo’s songs in their car stereos. Ohangla tunes also compete for space in cell phones, where their ringbones are now common.

Needless to say, the ohangla players are now household names in Kenya’s entertainment industry, not to mention the monetary gains that accompany the fame. But one problem with ohangla players is that they imitate each other and pirate each other’s songs, even as they decry the high rate of piracy within the music industry. For instance, it has been difficult to tell who owns the copyright to chartbuster, Ayaki Matieka. This same song has been played by Odhialo, the Nyadundo brothers, Odongo Mayaka and Ken. The players would also be advised to diversify their beats for presently, they all seem to be playing the same tune which has now become monotonous.