African Heat

Patrick wanted to celebrate our first year on the Fulham Road in style and so he did. The Amazulu Cultural Ensemble were transported by road all the way from Victoria Falls to the homestead in the Umwimsi Valley, a three day ordeal. On arrival their drumming, dancing and singing skills were brought to the test in a 'battle of the bands' against Patrick's local perfomers or 'Chigures'.
 
They then boarded a plane for London, their first international flight. For three nights the Fulham Road was rocked by the African beat of these wonderful performers. With two hundred guests on each night, they became progressively tribal, by the last night the Amazulu's looked on to a full house giving it their best moves.
  


Gary Taylor, who is manager of the Group, told us a very interesting story. Two days before he left Victoria Falls he was sitting waiting to see someone, when an 'umdala', a very old man looked up at him and said 'You are going a very long way soon'. Gary nodded.  'To a very old house' (unbeknown to Gary the building on the Fulham Road is 199 years old). 'Maybe,' replied Gary. Then he was startled by the old man's next prediction: ' You will be playing drums and you will be doing a good thing. You will chase away all the 'mtagati' (bad spirits); you will do a good thing'. Well Gary's men beat their drums and it was a sight and sound no part of Chelsea has ever seen - and it was a marvellous celebration to mark the end of our first year.

These guests enjoyed the tribal rhythms of The Amazulu Cultural Ensemble