John Otieno (Rapasa)- 'Ukalo Matek'

John Otieno ‘Rapasa’ is a young Nyatiti maker and player based in Nairobi. Rapasa is well acquainted with the lore of the Nyatiti and taught the Singing Wells team about its history, symbolism and current use. His collection of fourteen Nyatitis was a testament to his love for the instrument.

The Nyatiti, which is the instrument of choice for the Luo community living along the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya, is used to celebrate births, marriages or to mourn the dead.
Its strings were originally made from cow tendon but have been replaced by fishing line made from various synthetic polymers that are readily available to this fishing community. The Nyatiti is crafted by carving a bowl-shaped piece of wood covered with stretched cowhide that acts as a resonator to amplify the sound. Strings are attached to the body and run over two reed-like pieces of bamboo and wooden elements held in place with beeswax.
There are various theories as to the etymology of the Nyatiti. Ayub Ogada, true to his unconventional views, had his own. According to him, Nyatiti is a portmanteau of the two Luo words ‘nyar’ and ‘titi’; ‘nyar’ meaning daughter or queen, and ‘titi’ the sound produced by the instrument, hence the name queen or daughter of the clan.

However, many musicologists believe that the instrument was earlier known as ‘thum’, meaning music in the Luo language, and later as ‘thum nyatiti’, derived from the single ‘titi’ note or sound produced by the instrument and to distinguish it from the sound of the acoustic guitar.

The Nyatiti is traditionally played by Luo men sitting on a low stool called an ‘orindi’ or ‘then’. Metal shakers called ‘gara’ are then attached to the player’s right ankle, with a metal ring called ‘oduongo’ fixed to the right big toe. These are struck against the bottom of the instrument to create a constant rhythm.