Africa-Press – Angola. The tribute act, for his deeds, to the musician and composer “Mestre Kituxi”, held on Saturday night, in Luanda, was marked by his absence, at the last minute, for health reasons.
Despite the announcement of the musician’s absence on stage, which caught those present (fans and contemporaries alike) by surprise, who were eager for the artist, the activity program was carried out in full, as if the honoree were present.
Among the moments that marked the tributes, the highlight fell on the more than 50 children and students of the Fundação Arte e Cultura (FAC), who interpreted Kituxi’s songs in the national Kimbundo language, played musical instruments, danced, exhibited a play and recited poetry, which portrayed the life and work of the musician.
With regard to music and dance, the children went up on stage to interpret the titles “Santa Maria”, “Ongo” and “Kyamukambe”, which to the sound of the guitar, dikanza, piano and drums, with typical Semba choreographies, raised applause from hundreds of people who filled the tribute venue.
To spice up the “hot dish” to the size of a night in cacimbo time, the tribute was also marked with a performance by the musical group “Nguami Maka”, who interpreted the titles “Manico” and “Minga Kabetula” by Mestre Kituxi, as well as showing other songs from his repertoire.
In an atmosphere of demonstration and appreciation of Angolan culture, who also did not hesitate to take the stage was the special guest of the tribute gala, the musician Vlademiro Gonga, who took the famous title “Nguitambulé” from Kituxi’s repertoire, bringing the audience to vibration.
In this environment, many of the people in the audience were forced to get up and move their chairs/benches away to participate in the party with a dancing foot and follow the choreography of the stage, that is, while some vibrated standing up, the more timid ones danced sitting down, with their bodies waddling.
In addition to the music and dance, which served to travel back in time and recall the past of many “kotas”, the FAC children also offered the musician a painting with their portrait and a gourd made with recycled material, demonstrating the cultural capacity and artistic vein of the little ones.
After several manifestations of recognition of Kituxi’s accomplishments, the ceremony culminated with the rise to the stage of the groups Nguami Maka, students from FAC and the special guest, who in unison sang the song Nguitambolé, demonstrating the essence of what Angolan culture is worth, in a miscellany between the current and former generation.
At the end of the event, the musician Dionísio Rocha, praised the organization’s initiative and considered the moment as an act of Kituxi’s dimension.
“I learned a lot with Kituxi, because I have in my repertoire songs that are authored by this Master, so I also feel applauded with the homage made today”, he revealed.
On the other hand, the musician Raul Domingas, one of the survivors of the Kituxi group, recognized the act as a tribute that recognizes, in particular, the pioneer of Angolan Semba.
For Jorge Mulumba, lead singer of Nguami Maka, Mestre Kituxi is a “teaching father and example to follow” for the cultural formation of the new generations, having called for the emergence of more institutions similar to the Fundação Arte e Cultura, to rescue the values of national culture.
The director for the social area of the Fundação Arte e Cultural, Xavier Narciso, said that the event aimed to recognize the value of music in transmitting the habits and customs of the Angolan people, a fact that allows bringing the past into the present in order to preserve the country’s historical-cultural future.
The tribute promoted by the Fundação Arte e Cultura comes a month after “Kituxi” was also distinguished by the institution “Cristo Platina”, last June, on the occasion of its 83 years of age.
Master Kituxi Profile
Miguel Francisco dos Santos Rodolfo “Mestre” was born in Luanda, in the Marçal neighborhood, on the 4th of June 1940, he is an excellent player of the hungo, quissange and ngoma, musical instruments that dominate the Semba.
The beginning of his artistic career takes place in 1957, when he joins the associative and cultural group “Feitiço Negro”.
His greatest achievement took place in 1980, when he founded the musical group with which he would mark the history of Angolan music, Kituxi e Seus Accompaniments, founded on May 13, 1980.
The group is the most international in Angola, with performances in Hungary, Zimbabwe, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Yugoslavia, Norway, Brazil, Bulgaria and Portugal.
The group included Chico Açucareiro, Inó Gonçalves, “Antóninho Parte os Cornos”, Adãozinho, Manuel Baptista “Manuelito”, Zé Fininho, Gregório Mulato, Manuel Constantino and Nick.
In their repertoire they feature songs like “Mu Ilumba”, “Dingongenu dia Mona”, “Ngitabulé”, “NzaMundelé”, “Santa Maria”, “Amba”, “Nzala” and others that appear on the albums “Nguitambulé” (1984), “Dingongenu” (2001), “Kufikissa” (2009) and “Kené Kimoxi” (2016).
Currently, the group is led by Jorge Mulumba, nephew and successor of “Kituxi”, away from the stage for health reasons.
The group’s compositions have been interpreted by other singers: “Ngitabulé” interpreted by Conjunto os Merengues and Banda Maravilha, “Ngido dia Henda”, in the voice of Eddy Tussa, “Mano Ngiami” interpreted by Dina Santos, “Maniku” by Paulo Flores, “Nza Mundelé” by Yuri da Cunha, “Rosa Rosé” interpreted by Kiezos, “Dizuminu” and “Soba” interpreted by Dionísio Rocha, in the Conjunto os Negoleiro do Ritmo, “Santa Maria” performed by Paulo Flores and Naná Vasconcelos, percussionist.
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