Beloved Youth of Many Days – Stories About Mlimani Park Orchestra

Synopsis

Active since 1978, the band Mlimani Park Orchestra (aka Sikinde) has been acclaimed as one of the greatest rhumba bands on the African continent. The band was most recently singled out with a 2022 Honorary Award from the Music in Africa Foundation–a monumental achievement. Three of the original twelve members are still in the group, and several other original members are currently active in bands in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Though the band has experienced a decline in popularity over the past decade as its followers have grown older and younger fans have been exposed to other genres such as hip-hop, the group has recently experienced a notable revival in popularity via government recognition, niche radio shows, and festivals. The film focuses on individual band members’ personalities–especially the enigmatic Hassan Bitchuka–the long-time vocalist “star” of the band. By showcasing aspects of their individual creative lives, including their fame, experience, expertise, connections, musical abilities, collaborative processes, performance practices, and songs, this project demonstrates the significance of documentary film from a musicological and historical perspective. The tone of the film is not one of “sad, wistful nostalgia,” nor does it propagate a “capture-it-all-before-it-disappears” sentiment. Rather, this is a respectful endeavor that documents a vital, still-living music tradition. Edited with a musicians’ timing, the film comprises rehearsal and performance footage, archival stills, and interviews with significant current and former band members, fans, producers, managers, media personalities, and political figures, including his Excellency Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania.