Magical beat of the dancing drummers

For many visitors to Tharaka-Nithi, a stop in Chuka Town — its largest commercial centre —immediately evokes images of the popular Chuka dancing drummers.

Yet their renowned skill has become a vanishing art. The result is that the few remaining groups of drummers are in great demand at tourist venues like the Mt. Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki, where they regularly perform.

The groups are also popular at political events, where they routinely receive loud applause after their energetic drumming, accompanied by acrobatics.

One troupe of the drummers performing to raise school funds near Kibugwa came from Mukuuni Ward, were paid a minimum of Sh5,000 for a single performance. Its members, with skills passed from fathers to sons, were proud professionals.

Started in 1935 were passed down, the group is today headed by Eustace Njuki, aged 63, who said his skills were taught by his late father, Bundi M’Ng’ombe.

Among its members today is his grandson, Royford Muchiri, 28, who is determined to carry on the family tradition, alongside another family member, Jasper Kinyua, 40.

Travel opportunities enjoyed by the members are enormous, and a beaming Njuki recalled visiting Algiers in 1969 and Athens in 1971, performing in both cities on the recommendation of President Jomo Kenyatta.

“I normally accompany them during their travels, and it is because of them that I first set foot in State House,” said Royford Muchiri.

Already excited by the prospect of another public performance, the drummers heated their drum skins over a small fire.

Riding the drums like hobby-horses, the drummers soon appeared to be lost in a trance.

Wearing green T-shirts, they sported colobus monkey headdresses that danced on their heads as they moved rhythmically and they also wore woollen epaulettes and raffia skirts, reaching to just above their knees, above thick cotton leggings in the national colours.

Their routine comprised rapid shaking of the legs to the rhythm of rapid drumming, followed by each dancer suddenly sitting on his drum.

There would then be a silent pause, raising the expectancy of the audience, followed by the whole troupe suddenly springing back to their feet.