CW-Department of Literature

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    Development and marketing of research innovation: The African experience
    (Kenyatta University, 2008-07-17) Kinya, Anne
    The study focused on analysing the performance of the dramatized Kenya Schools’ and Colleges’ Drama Festival oral narrative, which employs theatre craft. The narrative and dramatic aspects of the dramatized oral narrative, and the extent to which they are integrated in performance as well as the artistic and linguistic devices employed during performance are analysed. The study was carried out through observation. Viewing of the video-recorded narrative performances of selected Kenya National Drama Festival was employed. The study was limited to a sample of five systematically selected dramatized oral narratives. In order to meet the objectives of the study, performance approach, narrative theory and dramatic theory were adopted to guide the analysis. This study was motivated by the fact that studies done on the dramatized oral narrative at the Kenya Schools’ and Colleges’ Drama Festival focus on the possibilities available to the performers and not necessarily on particular performances. By analysing the Kenya Schools’ and Colleges’ Drama Festival oral narrative, the study will add a new dimension to the studies already done. This study will contribute to the appreciation of the role of the dramatic mode of performance in influencing the oral narrative. All the selected dramatized narratives involve multiple participants, use of wooden blocks on stage, and a backdrop that reflects the subject of the story being told. Inclusion of song is also evident in all the dramatized oral narratives analysed. Three narrative aspects were identified in the performances; recounting of events that happened in the past, description of events and actions, and direct communication between performer and audience. At the same time three dramatic aspects were identified; action happening now, use of dialogue and action, and indirect communication between performer and audience. Symbols, metaphors, song, repetition, and ideophones are artistic and linguistic devices that are creatively exploited during the performance of the dramatized oral narrative to the delight of the audience. The dramatized oral narrative integrates both dramatic and narrative aspects during performance. Action is artistically fitted into description. The performance of a dramatized narrative depends more on description than on action. Consequently, instances of direct communication between the performer and the audience exceed instances of indirect communication between performer and audience. The performance of a dramatized narrative involving one main performer integrates more action with description than those performances involving two main performers. Enactment of events on stage as well as the interaction between the performer(s) and the audience creates a sense of past events re-enacted in the present. This aspect gives the dramatized narrative a sense of immediacy. Allusion to songs, events and actions well known to the audience gives the dramatized narrative an aspect of currency. The dramatized oral narrative therefore succeeds in integrating dramatic and narrative aspects in its performance.
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    How Nduumo - a Gikuyu women's poetic form functions as a vehicle of protest against traditional and modern sexist oppression in Kenya
    (2003-09) Muhoro, Mwangi P.
    The women s Liberation movement, civil society activists, women rights affirmative action, women caucus, NGOs, CBOs and gender sensitive organizations have been on the fore front in advancing the case for equity and equality not only in the third world countries but in the developed world. The social struggles for equality has been and remains a contentious issue which more often than not revolves around ender disparities in the access to state resources. The womenfolk are entitled for basic protection of human rights and the right to exploit their own wealth. Thispaper addresses gender issue through thepoetry created by Nduumo women artistes as aform ofpursuing power emancipation reality in the third world matrix. What is Nduumo poetry? Who performs it? Where and how? In brief, Nduumo is a cultural dance for girls, young and elderly women in the Gikuyu community of Kenya. It is a folk dance performed in Nyakinyua (elderly women) groups as they participate in the development of the nation. Nduumo poetry is central in Kenya s social and political structure. It is the poetry of harambee functions, political rallies, women social meeting and also as an electioneering tool to key politicians in Kenya. Nevertheless, protests against male chauvinism and sexiest oppression are central in Nduumo poetry. In the paradigm of poetry and society, it is a verbal weapon for voicing social, cultural, political and economic affairs in the unprecedented disparities in a patriarchal and male dominant world.
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    Theatre arts for disseminating information on wealth in African indigenous vegetables
    (Kenyatta University, 2009) Mwai, Wangari
    The purpose of this paper is to show case how theatre in research and development ( Th.l.R.D) can be used to disseminate the wealth identified in various natural and other resources during a research endeavour.Th.l.R.D is a communication tool that is rich for conscientization, mobilization and iconoclasm. This is a conclusion reached at after a research and performance on African Indigenous Vegatables (AIVs) in the Lake Victoria region This paper largely draws from a multi-disciplinary research carried out in the three East African countries that share the major landscape of the Lake Victoria. A team of five scientists from renowned research institutions in the region carried out the research'. However this paper will only refer to the experiences from the Kenyan landscape. The study made the assumption that promotion of AIVs will empower communities in general and marginalized groups to produce their own food and thus remain ensured of food security. The project assumed that AIVs have both subsistence and commercial value for the poor. Another assumption was that women play an important role in both production and marketing of AIVs and was thus a major target group. To economically empower a given people means to ensure that they are able to own and be in control of the information given and can also make decisions on how to utilize it. Community ownership in this area has been lacking and the scientists saw the need to incorporate people not only during information gathering but also in re-educating them, thus in disseminating the generated information. The dissemination was done through Th.l.R.D a tool that they are already familiar with and identify as their own, the process of empowerment is easily achieved.