Disco Matanga - entertainment that espouses Logooli (luhya) culture

Near every person in Mudungu village and beyond can act. Awinja has broken the ice; encouraged, psyched and incensed the village to skills of acting. Both the young and the elderly. 

Many of Awinja's online followers wonder how she manages to convince the village to seamless action.

Through Disco Matanga [Disco at funeral], the world is introduced to Logooli [Maragoli] environment, lifestyle and beliefs. The Luhya rhythm is showcased and Kenya, Africa, is made proud.

Mudungu village is live to new visitors, people often seen on TV. Their presence in Mudungu rekindles its glory of dead notable names as of Peter Kibisu, Gimode, Bonanza and more.

Well scripted, the first series exposes the conflicting modern life with logooli traditional observations. Disco Matanga is both a tragedy and a comedy to the youthly generation who are developing a big preference of urban life.

In the 10 episodes of series 1, Awinja’s brother (Izianunu) dies. She steals the body from the city for custom rural burial. Through the days to burial much more is revealed about Izianunu. Peer diseased’s friends visiting from the city are mere revelers than mourners -  potent to cause more harm to the unsuspecting villagers; mock, steal, lie, get free sex.  

Perhaps that is why a majority of the castors are famed comedians in Kenya. A logooli native would have it pitiful, strict, passive, unworthy and maddening – as it has defined Awinja’s character. Bad language and bestial snaps as the goat-dick-suck torture can come out as far-fetched.

Yet again it would evade the senses of many where the comedy overtakes an important traditional practice. The ugly is beautified in comedy.

Though not everything should be plainly explained. It can later be in next serieses. Or it would be the work of ethnographers and anthropologists to point out hits, misses, overdoes and much more.

And all works are inspired. Izianunu, Awinja’s brother is not new to us. Many of our luhya sons have had similar ‘shame’ in death. Awinja is real. One would ask: But what is the opposite? Is it all doom? Everything falling apart for the luhya?

In the cast, Awinja, the crazy, is denying she was the only not cursed by her grandfather. But her brother is, who sees her as equally disturbed. With cursed sons (one dead) and a bipolar sister in denial we are set to see much more film. What entertainments do ‘perfect lives’ have? If anything culture and its demands only gets tougher to those who try to evade customary requirements.

Of lessons, this is a good opportunity for those who reminisce rural life can have a window to it. Many Valogooli and Luhya people are found far and away. By watching Disco Matanga they are reconnected to their roots, community and traditions.

So Awinja is offering all her creativity and resources for her community. Higher than the need to advance her A-WISH creative content works, she is having memorable moments with her blood people, helping them relieve their worries, lighten what weighs them down – poverty, failed expectations, premature deaths, failed marriages, traditional/modern demands and skeptical mentalities. What Awinja did at launch of season 1 is that she also organized for Cinema Community Viewing (see image) at Mudungu Primary courtesy of her sponsors – and it was all beautiful, one of a kind.

But Izianunu never died. That is discovered at end of series 1. He appears on the burial hour and all run berserk. Awinja faints. This is definitely a huge twist of things and all followers of the film are expectant. Any person with some knowledge of customs can start filling in the blanks – what happens when a wrong body is buried? What should the ‘assumed dead’ go through so as not to ‘sooner die’ as ‘already mourned’? etc

With Season 2 of Disco Matanga being filmed this October in Mudungu village, more and more people are involved to play a role or another. The elders have an opportunity to act as traditions would demand - while the young are involved in what best they should.

.... Watch Series 1 on YouTube