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Egungun (CUBA RITMO) 
Kwanza Msingwana 

 
Kwanza Msingwana has traveled widely in Africa and the Caribbean. As an observer of 

political, religious, cultural and artistic trends in Africa and the Caribbean, he is 

keenly aware of life in those spaces. Kwanza is a percussionist, poet, and storyteller. 

He has performed for such notable persons as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson 

Mandela. He has also performed with poets Reg E. Gaines (from New York), U of T 

alumnus Dr. Afua Cooper, and David Robeson – grandson of Paul Robeson. Kwanza 

is co-author of a collection of short stories entitled Only Mountains Never Meet 

(1994). He is currently finishing a Master’s degree in Teaching at OISE/UT.  

 
i heard the egungun/ just above the arbo de carolina/ may be they 
was dancing/ or merely appreciating the rhythms of the orisa that 
pervade the terrain/ strong ties/ these rhythms/ that snake their 
way/ like dambala/ to the land of olodumare and obatala/ tega sikio/ 
as my people would say/ tune your ear/ 
 
i heard voices/ and they were countless/ from those haunted weather 
beaten walls that surround habana/ bear witness/ silently/ to too 
many an atrocity/ i stared at ubiquitous eyes/ that saw everything/ 
like those of olorun/ grant us safe passage/ o great spirit/ on our 
ways/ 
 
elegua/ shango/ whirling and prancing/ fancy step stepping in the 
middle/ with ogun perched on his broad shoulders/ while the 
rhythms of the bata/ okonkolo/ iya/ and itotele/ percolated above/ 
as sonorous kongas and tumba shook beneath/ emanating 
tremorous bliss that washed over us like ocean waves/ o feet please 
don’t fail me now/ 
 
i pray/ purify us/ o/ oshun/ with your waters/ and bless us with 
abundant love/ we who search and search/ seeking/ wisdom and 
guidance/ pray the wisdom of orunmila/ and yemaya’s riches/ like 
salt/ tastify our days with rhythm/ dance/ and good vibrations/ 
nourish our souls/ and/ pray/ o shango/ that your strength shall 
follow and guide us always/ 
 
asé.