Dikanda is a world music band that originated in Szczecin, but gained recognition primarily on the international music scene. Dikanda performs numerous concerts, mainly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but also in Russia, India, and the United States. They have also received numerous awards, including the “Album of the Year” awarded by the German magazine “Folker” in 2005 for their album “Usztijo.”
The band has been active since 1997 and has released 7 albums, including a live DVD “Live” recorded at the Witkacy Theatre in Zakopane. Dikanda emphasises the preservation of an authentic style in their work, constantly exploring new musical directions, and the majority of their songs are original compositions. Their music draws inspiration from traditional folk sounds from various regions of the Orient, spanning from the Balkans through Israel, Kurdistan, Belarus, and all the way to India. Their compositions largely rely on Balkan and Gypsy sounds.
Dikanda is the word and at the same time the name of the group, which can mean “everything and nothing” is invented, like many lyrics sung by this band. After some time, however, it turned out that in the language of one of the African tribes Dikanda means – FAMILY. The Dikanda family comprises:Anna Witczak-Czerniawska (voice, accordion), Daniel Kaczmarczyk (percussion), Dominik Bienczycki (violin), Grzegorz Kolbrecki (double bass), Katarzyna Bogusz (voice), Piotr Rejdak (guitar) and Szymon Bobrowski (trumpet)
Dikanda’s concerts are emotionally charged musical journeys through ethnic sounds, energetic encounters filled with charisma and genuine emotions. A characteristic feature of Dikanda is their creation of new words in the lyrics of their songs, resulting in the development of a unique language called “dikandisz” within the band. All of this serves the purpose of conveying content and relationships between the artists and the audience as the central point of their creativity.
