By George Orido

Colour and Kenya’s authentic cultural diversity are the two things that always take centre stage at the annual Kenya Music Festival that attracts tens of thousands of participants from all walks of life.

While the 600 classes in the competition are set to allow for every imaginable but reasonable musical and elocution ability to be on stage, the most splendour is in the African folk songs and dances based on the many ethnic sources found within the borders and outside the country.

This class stands out as it is full of teachings of African mores and norms from the old generation to the young ones through oral traditions.

According to a group of girls from Nyanza’s Ahero Girls’ School who performed at the just concluded competition in Meru, the dances have helped them understand traditions better and are able to reconcile them with modernity.

Learning is made through fun and enjoyment, an effective pedagogical approach.

From the costumes of Mukomari Girls’ Secondary School, who staged their dance, Muyoka, one immediately associated the dance with the Isukha people of Western Kenya.

The vigorous performance of Muyoka was complemented by Isikuti players, giving it an electrifying effect. The dance celebrates the beginning of a family unit through a traditional wedding.

The song praises the bride for her good manners and encourages a peaceful and respectful life with her groom.

It also wishes them to have many children — a value traditionally associated with a fruitful marriage.

“The choice of this dance is crucial in helping mentor our girls as they transit from puberty to mature women,” explains the dance choreographer and school principal, Jael Khayosi.

This message resonates with the graceful Dodo dance among the Luos presented by many teams including St Barnabas Girls from Seme and Ahero Girls from Kisumu.

Dodo is based on slow but calculated feet movement that sends the owalo (sisal) skirts flying to make a canopy formation.

“The canopy seeks to enhance the image of fertility in young women and that is why Dodo is sang during wedding ceremonies,” explains Sylvester otieno an adjudicator at the festival.

So elegant and immaculate are the patterns and steps that the dancers end up keeping the audience on the edge of their seats — but with a relaxing effect.

Sight to behold

Narok Secondary School’s Moran dance explains the gender roles among pastoralists communities.

Their unmistaken props of walking sticks depicted Maasai’s long tradition of their livelihood as cattle keepers.

Their red linen and shining ornaments was a sight to behold. In its beauty, the song was vocalised with no accompaniments like most of the other dances from the rest of the country.

Many performers had their bodies immersed in red ochre and had ‘mowhawk’ hairstyles.

“With equally graceful but faster movements, the Maasai and Samburu dances were hunter-like, ever stealthily moving toward a wild animal that threatens the herd,” explains Nicholas Moipei, a trainer and teacher of music. The Kisii and Kuria dances were showstoppers. The Abagusii’s obokano (stringed lyre) or ‘kamba nane’ in Kiswahili (because of its eight strings) buzzed with every strumming.

The obokano players were also the main soloists. Their headgear, made of of chicken feathers, gave them some sort of power. And, of course, powerful renditions.

When Kithurina Girls from Eastern and Mwasere Girls’ High School from Coast put up their show, it was clear the footwork and subtle shoulder movements were key to making the Kisii song memorable.

Messages from dances presented in this category included   thanksgiving for bumper harvests and rains. They also advised the community to consume the harvest sparingly so that it could last till the next season.

Yet, real action was spared for the Pokot, Turkana and closely related ethnic styles.

In this class, it was manifest that the illicit but highly rated economic activity of cattle rustling has influenced dance movements and tempo of the songs.

In what Mike Ahendere, a teacher, dubs ‘high voltage’ the dances start on a climax and end with a climax.

The two Kordich neighbouring schools, Kordich AIC and Kordich Boarding, have cut a niche for themselves as the undisputed kings of this theme.

Ever in bright colours of yellow, orange and blue, the dancers had beautiful accessories of monkey fur headgear and elaborate neckwear.

Spectators had a chance to understand the genesis of rustling and why it was difficult to abandon the practice.

Over to the coast, the Giriama and Digo dances ran supreme with complex footwork always pairing men and women in the dance patterns.

While blue, red and white was the colour of choice, the big drums of Mabum bum drums and the Marimba accompanied with the flute made the presentation remarkable. They talk of love and sorcery. An explanation of the genesis, beliefs and effects.

The Gikuyu, Embu, Meru and Mbeere sang about circumcision, love and war.