This paper presents an overview exposition and critical reflection on the role played by oral arts and performance throught history as far as the preservation of African indigenous knowledge and moral ethics is concerned.This study takes songs and dances among the Gusii of south-western Kenya as its unit of study . It seeks to address fundamental issues that are in the verge of being forgotten especially by the youth of this generation. It argues that music and dance among the Gusii have traditional roots and serves as a source of understanding the cultural history of the community as part of indigenous knowledge moral and societal ethics. Indeed, without knowledge of a community’s cultural history, the historical destiny, indigenous knowledge and moral education cannot be easily comprehended. This history makes it one of the most essential genres that the Gusii community employs to explore the past indigenous education through musical and dance generic forms. This paper proceeds from the premise that, in the pre-colonial times, the Gusii had evolved elaborate music and dance forms conditioned by their social and natural environments. It can also established in this discussion that African music and dance, as practised by the Gusii nurtured, enhanced, preserved and brought up emotionally, psychologically, ethically, socially stable and a unitary indigenous community. The theories employed to explain the phenomenon of the functionality of among the Gusii pre-colonial music and dance indigenous knowledge preservation and moral education were, Evolution, Diffusion, functionalism and theories of dance. The Study methodology into historical enquiry of the pre-colonial music and dance was carried out in three major phases as follows; employing data collection techniques on a systematic basis beginning with secondary sources in libraries, the marshalling of primary source materials in the Kenya National Archives, and the gathering of data through oral interviews and observations in the research field. In this study, respondents were selected through snowball and purposive sampling techniques in order to obtain key custodians of the Gusii cultural history. Oral interviews were conducted between 1996 and 1998.Respondents included sixty elderly men and women from Gusii land thought to be knowledgeable on the community’s cultural history.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Objective and Justification of the Study of the study
1.2 Methods of study
1.3 Theoretical framework
1.4 Gusii people
1.5 Gusii traditions and the origin of songs
1.6 The development of Gusii songs and dances
1.8 GUSII SONGS AND DANCES EXPRESSIONS
a) Dances
b) Songs
c) Musical Instruments
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this research is to examine the role of songs and dances in the preservation of indigenous knowledge and cultural ethics among the pre-colonial Gusii community in Kenya. It explores how these artistic expressions functioned as essential mediums for historical continuity, societal values, and identity formation.
- Historical evolution of Gusii musical traditions.
- Functional roles of songs in daily life, work, and ritual practices.
- Inter-community cultural exchange and its influence on musical development.
- The relationship between indigenous belief systems and oral performances.
- Preservation of cultural ethics through oral art and performance.
Excerpt from the Book
1.5 Gusii traditions and the origin of songs
Among the Abagusii all young people of a clan were informally instructed in the traditions of their ancestors and society. After evening meals they would assemble around fires in the huts of elders who told them tribal traditions like stories, myths, riddles and legends. The elders answered questions from the youths that were directed to all aspects of the Abagusii life. To arouse interest and memorisation power of the youth in the community’s traditions, elders could use songs and dances. Songs especially touched on very interesting aspect of Abagusii traditions and hence kept the youth attentive so that they could listen to stories, myths, riddles and taboos for long hours.
Tradition, thus was not merely Some sentiments, or theoretical, or merely dead dogma but rather, a relevant and practical aspect of live of the community which was handed down from generation to generation and which was therefore a living embodiment of the past and present.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting the significance of Gusii musical traditions in preserving cultural history and moral values against the backdrop of changing societal structures.
1.1 Objective and Justification of the Study of the study: Defines the specific goals of the research, focusing on tracing the evolution of Gusii songs, instruments, and the impact of cross-community interactions.
1.2 Methods of study: Details the qualitative research methodology, which combined library research, archival analysis at the Kenya National Archives, and extensive oral interviews with community custodians.
1.3 Theoretical framework: Outlines the sociological theories applied to the study, including evolution, diffusion, functionalism, and the cathartic theory of dance to explain cultural dynamics.
1.4 Gusii people: Provides a historical and linguistic background of the Abagusii as a Bantu-speaking community and their settlement patterns in south-western Kenya.
1.5 Gusii traditions and the origin of songs: Explores how oral traditions, storytelling, and songs were utilized by elders to educate the youth and transmit cultural history.
1.6 The development of Gusii songs and dances: Analyzes the evolution of musical forms, noting the incorporation of natural sounds and the adaptation of styles through inter-community contact and historical events.
1.8 GUSII SONGS AND DANCES EXPRESSIONS: Categorizes the various expressions of Gusii culture, specifically listing different types of dances, song themes, and the musical instruments used within the community.
Keywords
Gusii, Abagusii, Indigenous Knowledge, Oral Traditions, Ethnomusicology, Cultural Heritage, Pre-colonial Kenya, Music, Dance, Obokano, Folklore, Cultural Identity, Social Ethics, Oral Arts, History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The research focuses on the historical and functional role of songs and dances in preserving the indigenous knowledge and cultural ethics of the pre-colonial Gusii community.
What are the central themes explored in the study?
The study explores themes such as the evolution of musical traditions, the role of performance in education, the influence of environmental factors, and the significance of cross-community trade and interaction.
What is the core objective of the author?
The core objective is to document the historical significance of Gusii oral arts as a vital medium through which the community transmitted its identity and values to future generations.
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The author utilized a historical enquiry approach involving primary sources (archival documents and oral interviews with community elders) and secondary sources like books and theses.
What subjects are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the development of musical instruments, the impact of religious beliefs, the influence of historical events like famine and warfare, and the specific classification of songs and dances.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Gusii, Ethnomusicology, Oral Traditions, Indigenous Knowledge, Cultural Heritage, and Obokano.
How does the Gusii community view their traditional songs during circumcision?
The community viewed these songs as serious educational tools that emphasized maturation, gender roles, and the community's moral values, often using symbolic imagery like pythons and chameleons.
What role did blacksmithing play in the creation of songs?
Blacksmiths composed songs to improve rhythm during bellows operation, alleviate fatigue, and celebrate their contribution to the community’s economy through the creation of tools and weapons.
Why did the Gusii people refer to beer as the 'long water grass'?
This phrase refers to the river reeds used for medicinal purposes; since beer was also considered a restorative drink, it was symbolically associated with these healing plants.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Evans Omosa Nyamwaka (Author), 2021, Historical Dynamism and the Power of Song and Dance in the Preservation of Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Heritage among the Pre-Colonial Gusii of South Western Kenya, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1141863
