Mutariko Arts & Cultural Project

African Dance & Music

Profile

Nestled in the heart of Nelspruit, Mutariko cultural project is an organisation that brings to life the African ancient times’ way of life in the modern world  through indigenous African dances, poetry, drama, storytelling and music  instruments that include but not limited to the following (Marimba, Mbira, Isitolotolo Uhadi/umakweyane, nyanga pen pipes, djembe and vungu Drums. The group which hails from Nelspruit in Mpumalanga province fuses South African cultural music with traditional music from other African countries.

Through music, dance, storytelling, drama, script development and poetry, the organisation awakens African traditional values. Music of the past is brought to life by the modern man and uses it to transmit cultural values and indigenous traditional beliefs. MUTARIKO brings together the modern and old generation as by listening and watching the group on stage, you are connected to the ancient good old times, at the same time experiencing the modern day music and theatrical performances.

Literally translated “MUTARIKO” means a bridge, but in the context of the group’s name and in the context of general everyday use.  Mutariko is a word of hope bridging the modern day generation and the ancient generation that is cultural, traditional, core values, belief systems and social morals that form the bedrock of African against abandoning her own African identity to transform herself into an imitation of western culture.  It urges Africans to be Africans and to remain totally so, no matter what adversities and resistances have to be met in order to maintain our Africanism and therefore our true humanity.

Mutariko Cultural Project is arguably the supreme and absolute South African traditional indigenous music king.  It has firmly established itself as the indigenous, unassailable- maestro, Mpumalanga’s ultimate kings of Marimba, Mbira, Uhadi, Nyanga pen- pipes, ngoma just but to mention a few.  Its highly original and complex brand of indigenous music has proven both inimitable and unassailable, elevating them to be upwards into the real African flavour and experience.  Trailblazer in every sense of the word, Mutariko Cultural Project’s music is that one will never hear from anyone else but Mutariko.  The infinite sound of Mutariko Cultural Project’s artistic creativity is second to none.