Life Onboard LAST UPDATE  September 26, 2009
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September 23, 2009 Peter Band –  Unity through Rhythm and Movement
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Over the years many different artists have collaborated as Peter Band. The 67th voyage was joined by (from left to right) John ‘Panri’ Muindi, Eric Mwangi, Dina Adhiambo and John Okoth Achieng.

Peace Boat where are you from?
Where are you going and what are you carrying?
I’m carrying peace.
Where are you taking the peace?
All over the world.

These words are the English lyrics to a Swahili song about Peace Boat written by Peter Band in 2005.
Many years since the musical group made their first appearance on Peace Boat, Peter Band remains a highlight. On the 67th voyage, passengers were captivated by spirited drumming, dance and song as the ship made its way across the Indian Ocean en route to Africa.
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Working up a sweat was an easy task with the high-energy moves performed by the band. Here Dina shows participants how to do the Nyatiti dance.
Peter Band affirms the universal appeal of music. Founded by Kenyan boxer, entertainer and conservationist Peter Orwa, the band has travelled the world spreading their message of unity among peoples. Their energy, enthusiasm and camaraderie were infectious. “Jambo”, the Swahili word for “Hello”, quickly became a part of daily conversation on Peace Boat.
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Learning to tie the Kanga was another popular workshop held by Peter Band. These ladies were fascinated by the number of options for dress and headgear offered by a single piece of fabric.
Over the course of two weeks, Peter Band hosted a series of workshops on Swahili, Djembe drumming, African dance and Kenyan fashion. Dancer and vocalist Dina said she was happy to see participants develop a hunger for more information about everyday life in Kenya.
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Like many of the workshops held by Peter Band, the Djembe Drumming workshop was very popular with the participants.
For drummer John Okoth Achieng, the response of the participants to the band was very satisfying. He hoped they would come away from the experience with a fuller understanding of the diversity and warmth of African culture.
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Saito Marie, one of the Communication Coordinators who worked closely with Peter Band on the 67th voyage, said that for her the depth of expression required for African song and dance was a liberating experience.
In addition to performing around the world, Peter Band is also involved in outreach projects in Africa. The band has been working with teenage mothers in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda over the last few years. Their project seeks to empower the young women through music, education and skills training. In the future the band hopes to start a School of African Music.