PATTERNS, REPETITION AND VISUAL IMAGERY IN BANGO SONGS: AN ANALYSIS OF SELECTED SONGS BY JOSEPH NGALA

Abstract

This study investigated the patterns of composition, systems of repetition and visual imagery in five of Mzee Joseph Katana Ngala’s bango songs: “Kadzo”, “Simba”, “Adam na Hawa”, “Vituko” and “Moyo Tulia”. The objectives of this research are: firstly, to identify common patterns of composition, systems of repetition and visual imagery in bango songs; secondly, to illustrate patterns of composition, systems of repetition and visual imagery used in bango songs and; thirdly, to examine how patterns of composition, systems of repetition and visual imagery develop the themes of love and gratitude in bango songs. The study employs New Criticism as the analytical framework. The five songs were systematically selected from a sample of fifty available songs of Mzee Ngala. The first song recorded in every decade from 1970 to 2019 was picked from the available recorded songs to constitute our sample. The study found that the patterns of composition in Mzee Joseph Ngala’s bango songs highlight the themes of love and gratitude through the use of formal verses and regular rhyme schemes. Repetition of words, phrases and entire lines in the songs adds change, development and meaning to the themes of love and gratitude since these central ideas are accentuated. It also found that visual imagery is employed in the songs to help convey the themes of love and gratitude through similes and metaphors. In brief, patterns of composition, repetition and visual imagery are seen to be strong tools in Mzee Joseph Katana Ngala’s bango songs that aid him to express the themes of love and gratitude. This study contributes to the understanding, enjoyment and appreciation of bango songs.