Songs and Politics in Eastern Africa

Table of Contents

v Table of Contents Foreword..........................................................................................xi 1 Religious Versification: from Depoliticisation to Repoliticisation by Kimani NJOGU............................................................................ 1 2 L’intellectuel populaire et l’imaginaire politique : Le cas de Joseph Kamaru by Hervé MAUPEU ........................................................................23 Kamaru, un prophète kikuyu chrétien........................................... 28 La religion prophétique comme cadre de compréhension du politique................................................................................................ 32 Une pédagogie du changement ..................................................... 32 Une théorie de la causalité............................................................ 35 Kamaru et le renouveau du nationalisme kikuyu ................................. 36 Un leader et pas un despote .......................................................... 37 Les élections comme mode populaire d’action politique.................40 Les femmes et le nationalisme kikuyu contemporain.....................42 Conclusion : Kamaru et les autres mises en scène kikuyu de la nation ................................................................................. 45 3 Artistic Discourse and Gender Politics in the Gĩkũyũ Popular Song ........................................................................ by Michael W. MWAŨRA..............................................................49 Approach and method.................................................................. 50 Roots in patriarchy of popular song expression.................................... 51 Patriarchal narrations ............................................................................... 53 Entry of the Queen: the woman talks back............................................ 62 Conclusion.................................................................................. 70 4 The Poetics of Gikũyũ mwomboko: Narrative as a Technique in HIV-AIDS Awareness Campaign in Rural Kenya by Mwangi P. MŨHORO ..............................................................73 Introduction................................................................................ 73 Socio-historical origins of Mwomboko poetry ...................................... 74 Performance of Mwomboko poetry......................................................... 77 vi Arrangement and dance movements in Mwomboko............................ 78 Music and entertainment in response to HIV-Aids awareness........... 82 The language of Mwomboko singers ....................................................... 84 Conclusion.................................................................................. 92 5 Hip-hop in Nairobi: recognition of an international movement and the main means of expression for the urban youth in poor residential areas by Aurélia FERRARI.....................................................................107 From street “free style”, to the studio, to the stage: the case of Kalamashaka and Mau Mau camp........................................................110 The beginning of hip-hop in Nairobi........................................... 110 &KHHGTGPVKPƀWGPEGU.................................................................... 111 The beginning of success ............................................................. 112 Problems encountered................................................................ 115 The rappers’ hopes...................................................................... 116 Lyrics: the division between militant and non-militant rap..............117 Language of choice..................................................................... 117 Major themes covered................................................................. 118 Conclusion................................................................................ 124 6 Folk poetry as a weapon of struggle: an analysis of the Chaka Mchaka resistance songs of the national resistance movement/army of Uganda by Musambayi KATUMANGA...................................................129 Introduction.............................................................................. 129 Resistance process and mobilisation ....................................................130 Mosaic Types.............................................................................. 138 Fixed Line Folklores................................................................... 142 Narrative Poetics....................................................................... 147 7 Ethnic Identity and Stereotypes in Popular Music: Mugiithi Performance in Kenya by Maina wa MŨTONYA ............................................................157 Introduction.............................................................................. 157 Music and Identity .................................................................................. 162 Stereotypes and Ethnic Identity.............................................................164 Cultural Nights........................................................................................170 Mau Mau Lyrics.......................................................................................170 Conclusion................................................................................ 172 vii 8 Song and Politics : the case of D. Owino Misiani by Adams OLOO...........................................................................177 Introduction.............................................................................. 177 Luo music and the Kenyan political scene...........................................181 Owino Misiani.........................................................................................182 Beyond Kenya: Misiani on governance in Africa................................183 Analysing the Kenyan political scene through music ........................185 Change of tactic: from controversy to support for the Government............................................................................................. 192 Return to controversy.............................................................................193 Conclusion................................................................................ 198 9 Orature of Combat: Cultural Aesthetics of Song as Political Action in the Performance of the Mau Mau Songs by Bantu MWAURA .....................................................................201 The Aesthetics of Gikuyu Orature in the Mau Mau Songs................204 Song as Political Action..........................................................................216 Song as Orature of Combat....................................................................220 10 Resistance and Performance Dynamics: the case of busungusungu vigilantes’ dance of the Sukuma of Tanzania by Herbert F. MAKOYE ...............................................................225 Introduction.............................................................................. 225 The Sukuma and Sungusungu ...............................................................226 Dance and song as a means of communication ..................................228 Conclusion................................................................................ 240 11 Music and Politics in Tanzania: a case study of Nyota-wa-Cigogo by Frowin Paul NYONI ................................................................241 Introduction.............................................................................. 241 Music forms in Tanzania........................................................................242 Kwaya....................................................................................... 242 Taarab ...................................................................................... 243 Jazz-band................................................................................... 244 Dance........................................................................................ 245 Ngonjera ................................................................................... 246 Historical Overview of Music and Politics in Tanzania.....................246 The early days of independence................................................... 246 viii The Arusha Declaration............................................................. 248 Party supremacy and its control over the arts.............................. 249 Democratisation process (multiparty political system) ................. 252 Case Study: Nyota-wa-Cigogo................................................................253 Nyota-wa-Cigogo: performance .................................................. 261 Conclusion................................................................................ 270 12 Hip-hop, Westernization and Gender in East Africa by Mwenda NTARANGWI .........................................................273 Introduction.............................................................................. 273 The Emergence of Hip-Hop in East Africa..........................................275 Hip-Hop in East Africa: a new phenomenon or old tradition? ........281 Hip-Hop and Westernization ................................................................284 Hip-hop and Gendered Identities.........................................................290 Conclusions............................................................................... 299 13 Thematising Election Politics in Swahli Epic: the case of Mahmoud Abdulkadir by Rayya TIMAMMY...................................................................303 14 Formation of a Popular Music: Hip-hop in Tanzania by Alice BANCET .........................................................................315 Introduction.............................................................................. 315 *KRJQRCFGſPKVKQP.................................................................. 316 Globalisation of a culture: the case of Tanzanian hip-hop.................318 From New York ghettos to Dar es Salaam .................................. 318 Introduction of hip-hop...