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Vingwengwe: The Rhythm of the FipaUncovering a Living Musical Tradition: A 400-Year-Old Mystery
Documentary Screening and Q&A with Dr. Buis
Thursday, September 25, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Barrows Auditorium | 500 College Avenue, Wheaton IL 60187
This documentary is the result of eleven years of research inspired by a retired Norwegian engineer’s account of a unique musical ritual in Western Tanzania. At a bridge opening in Kigoma, he witnessed nuns turning stools on claypots in different rhythm patterns, while others played drums, danced, and sang in complex, layered rhythms (polyrhythms).
Intrigued, Dr. Buis began a furtive quest leading him to Gabriel Ng’honoli, a choir director and government communications officer in Kigoma, who became a key informant. His insights and recordings revealed three distinct celebration dance styles tied to different generations, highlighting a rich and sophisticated oral tradition among the Fipa people of Sumbawanga.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Barrows Auditorium at Wheaton College, 500 College Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187-1909, United States
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