OGOYA NENGO AND THE DODO WOMEN’S GROUP

TAL 01 / Ogoya Nengo And The Dodo Women’s Group / On Mande

TAL 02 / Ogoya Nengo And The Dodo Women’s Group / On Mande Versions

Ever since her childhood Ogoya Nengo, baptized Anastasia Oluoch, in about 1940, would excite listeners around her village with her singing abilities. Very soon she had received her stage name „Ogoya Nengo“ which in Dholuo (language) means: the most precious and expensive singer in the region of Siaya County, which is located in western Kenya near Lake Victoria. In her community Ogoya perfrorms her music predominantely during ceremonies such as weddings, funerals or wrestling competitions.

Dodo is a popular traditional female singing style amongst Luo communities. Men are welcome to support the singers on drums, stringed instruments or flutes and to comment the lyrics through heckling.

Most of Ogoya’s songs are appraisal songs to honor family members, people of the community, like the best electrician, the most popular wrestler, etc. For instance the song Elias Owino“, a famous chief of the region, tells about his far sighted politics. „Oyano Ojwang“ praises the power of a magic potion which brings back a lost lover. Dodo is being played to „give people a good moral“
as Ogoya once put it.

Since the release of her two albums (RANG’ALA, 2014/Honest Jon’s and ON MANDE/2016 TAL) Ogoya has gained a certain popularity in Europe and has frequently been invited to numerous important festivals. Together with her „Dodo Women’s Group“ she has been touring EU a few times by now. The line-up consists of

Ogoya Nengo: vocals, poko shaker
Margret Ondiege Asin: vocals, whistle, poko shaker
Maria Auma Ochieng: vocals, peke shaker
Joseph Omondi Oloo: vocals, ohangla drum, nyattiti
Victor Omondi Oloo: bunde drums, orutu