Culture of Kenya
Encyclopedia
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
has no single culture that identifies it. With such diverse regional peoples such as the Swahili
Swahili people
The Swahili people are a Bantu ethnic group and culture found in East Africa, mainly in the coastal regions and the islands of Kenya, Tanzania and north Mozambique. According to JoshuaProject, the Swahili number in at around 1,328,000. The name Swahili is derived from the Arabic word Sawahil,...
along the coast, several pastoralist communities mainly in the North and the different communities in Central and Western regions, having a mutually acceptable cultural identification is difficult.
There are about 37 different ethnic groupings in Kenya - each of these with its own unique culture, but majority of them with intertwining cultural practices brought about by the close resemblance in the languages, the similar environment and physical proximity of the ethnic groups. The ethnic groups are grouped into larger sub-groups - based on their cultural and linguistic similarities. There are three major unifying categories of languages: the Bantu
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
speaking people of the Coastal region, the Central Highlands and the Western Kenya Region, The Nilotes who are mainly found in the Great Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
and the Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
Region and the Cushites who are mainly composed of pastoralists and nomads in the drier North Eastern part of the country. Of note is that these sub-groups span a vast area of not just Kenya, but the East, Central and Southern African Region as a whole.
The Kikuyu tribe wears these bright red dresses with brown belts with many beaded necklaces for special rituals.
The Maasai culture owes its widespread identification to the tourist industry.
Historical and current politics of division practiced first by the colonizers and then by subsequent community leaders has led to a situation where Kenyans themselves barely know their own culture let alone that of their neighbours. The colonial administration in partnership with missionary activities and formal education wiped out most cultural practices leaving a gap that was filled by Western cultural attitudes and identification especially by the youth.
The recent attempts at coming up with a national dress testifies to the difficult nature of Kenyans' cultural identity. The top-down formula employed rendered the entire process irrelevant as it only involved the urban areas hence the better educated and wealthier segments of society. The result was basically a restricted set of pre-approved national dresses and outfits with questionable aesthetic appeal to the majority of Kenyans.
Cuisine
There is no singular dish that represents all of Kenya. Different communities have their own native foods. Staples are maizeMaize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and other cereals depending on the region including millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
and sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
eaten with various meats and vegetables. The foods that are universally eaten in Kenya are ugali
Ugali
Ugali is an East African dish of maize flour cooked with water to a porridge- or dough-like consistency. It is the most common staple starch of much of Eastern and Southern Africa...
, sukuma wiki, and nyama choma. Sukuma wiki, a Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
phrase which literally means "to push the week," is a simple dish made with greens similar to kale or collards that can also be made with cassava leaves, sweet potato leaves, or pumpkin leaves. Its Swahili name comes from the fact that it is typically eaten to "get through the week" or "stretch the week." Nyama choma is grilled meat - usually goat or sheep. It is grilled over an open fire. It is usually eaten with ugali
Ugali
Ugali is an East African dish of maize flour cooked with water to a porridge- or dough-like consistency. It is the most common staple starch of much of Eastern and Southern Africa...
and kachumbari
Kachumbari
Kachumbari is a fresh tomato and onion salad dish in East and Southern African cuisine. It is an uncooked salad dish consisting of chopped tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers . Variations of Kachumbari can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and in central African countries of Malawi and...
.
Among the Luhyas residing in the western region of Kenya, ingokho (chicken) and ugali is a favourite meal. Other than these, they also eat tsisaka, miroo, managu etc. Also among the Kikuyu of Central Kenya, a lot of tubers, ngwaci (sweet potatoes), ndũma (taro root) known in Kenya as arrowroot
Arrowroot
Arrowroot, or obedience plant , Bermuda arrowroot, araru, ararao, is a large perennial herb found in rainforest habitats...
, ikwa (yams
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
), mianga (cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
) are eaten as well as legumes like beans and a Kikuyu bean known as njahi.... As you travel around the country distinct differences are noted mainly based on what foods are locally available around such areas. Grains are a staple food for groups that grow grains e.g Kikuyu, Embu, Meru, Kisii etc. Other communities such as the Luo and the Coastal community have fish and sea food for their staple food as available in such areas. In semi-arid areas like Turkana foods made from sorghum are more staple food.
As you move towards the city- food eaten by working families vary according to preference. Rice and stew is more common with working families and other dishes like Chapati(parantha), Chicken stew etc.
National dress
Apart from the national flagFlag of Kenya
The flag of Kenya was officially adopted on December 12, 1963.-Symbolism:The Kenyan flag is based on that of Kenya African National Union. The colours symbolize black majority, red for the blood shed during the struggle for freedom, and green for Land; the white fimbriation was added later and...
, Kenya is yet to have a national dress that transcends the diverse ethnic divisions. With each of the more than 42 ethnic communities in Kenya having its own traditional practices and symbols that make it unique, this is a task that has proved elusive in the past. However, several attempts have been made to design an outfit that can be worn to identify Kenyans, much like the Kente' cloth of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
The most recent effort was the "Sunlight quest for Kenya's National Dress". A design was chosen and though it was unveiled with much pomp at a ceremony in which public figures modeled the dress, the dress design never took hold with the ordinary people.
Kitenge
Kitenge
Kitenge or chitenge is an African garment similar to sarong, often worn by women wrapped around the chest or waist, over the head as a headscarf, or as a baby sling....
, a cotton fabric made into various colours and design through tie-and-dye
Tie-dye
Tie-dye is a process of resist dyeing textiles or clothing which is made from knit or woven fabric, usually cotton; typically using bright colors. It is a modern version of traditional dyeing methods used in many cultures throughout the world. "Tie-dye" can also describe the resulting pattern or an...
and heavy embroidery, is generally accepted as the African dress. Though used in many African countries, Kitenge is yet to be accepted as an official dress as it is only worn during ceremonies and non-official functions. The Maasai wear dark red garments to symbolise their love for the earth and also their dependence on it. It also stands for courage and blood that is given to them by nature. The Kanga
Kanga (African garment)
The kanga which comes from the old Bantu verb ku-kanga to wrap or close, is a colourful garment similar to kitenge, worn by women and occasionally by men throughout Eastern Africa...
(Khanga, Lesso) is another cloth that is in common use in practically every Kenyan home. The Kanga is a piece of clothing about 1.5 m by 1 m, screen printed with beautiful sayings in Swahili (or English) and is largely worn by women around the waist and torso.
Music
Kenya is home to a diverse range of music styles, ranging from imported popular music, afro-fusionAfro-fusion
Afro-fusion is a type of music which blends contemporary music with traditional African rhythms to create a hybrid music style.One of the best known Afro-fusion artists is Freshlyground from South Africa. There are also many Afro-fusion artists in Eastern Africa. Another is Afro Celt Sound System,...
and benga music
Benga music
Benga is a genre of Kenyan popular music. It evolved between the late 1940s and late 1960s, in Kenya's capital city of Nairobi. In the 1940s, the African Broadcasting Service in Nairobi aired a steady stream of soukous, South African kwela, Zairean finger-style guitar and various kinds of Cuban...
to traditional folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
songs. The guitar is the most popular instrument in Kenyan music, and songs often feature intricate guitar rhythms. The most famous guitarist of the early 20th century was Fundi Konde
Fundi Konde
Fundi Konde was a Kenyan musician. He was one of the first popular performers from that country, and was said to be the first electric guitarist from East Africa. His music utilized Swahili lyrics accompanied by a mixture of regional rhythms and imported rumba...
. Other notable musicians of the 60s era include Fadhili Williams (recognised by many as the author of the hit song "Malaika
Malaika
Malaika, which means "angel" in Swahili , is the most famous love song in Kenyan pop music, as well as one of the most widely known Swahili songs...
" that was later re-done by Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
, Boney M
Boney M
Boney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...
and Daudi Kabaka
Daudi Kabaka
Daudi Kabaka was a Kenyan-born singer.The type of music he is known for is called 'Benga' a popular style in East Africa. His best-known songs include "African Twist", "Harambee Harambee" and "Western Shilo"....
).
Popular music in the 1980s and 90s in Kenya could be divided into two genres: the Swahili sound and the Congolese sound. There are varying regional styles, and some performers create tourist-oriented "hotel pop" that is similar to western music. Them Mushrooms
Them Mushrooms
Them Mushrooms is a musical band from Kenya, playing mostly Chakacha, some Benga and also some reggae. They are most famous for the Swahili song Jambo Bwana. The band is composed of Teddy Kalanda, Henry Ndenge Saha and Ben Mutwiwa. They mainly do covers of previously written hit songs.The group was...
, later renamed Uyoga, was one of the popular groups in this era.
In the recent past, newer varieties of modern popular music have arisen which are mostly local derivatives of western hip-hop. Two sub-genres have emerged: "Genge
Genge
Genge music, or simply Genge, is a genre of hip hop music that had its beginnings in Nairobi, Kenya. The name was coined by Clemo and popularized by Kenyan rappers Jua Cali and Nonini who started off at Calif Records. It is a style that incorporates hip hop, dancehall and traditional African music...
" and "Kapuka" beats. This has revolutionized popular Kenyan music and created an industry dominated by the youth. There is also underground Kenyan hip hop that gets less radio play than Kapuka or Genge because it is less club oriented and more focussed on social commentary. Early pioneers include the late Poxi Presha
Poxi Presha
Poxi Presha , real name Prechard Pouka Olang, was a pioneer Kenyan rapper. He emerged in the mid 90's with hip hop sung in Dholuo language ....
, Kalamashaka
Kalamashaka
Kalamashaka is a hip hop group based in Dandora, a ghetto estate in Nairobi, Kenya. It comprises three members: Oteraw, Kama and Johny. The group was formed in the mid 90's. They became popular with Tafsiri Hii hit in 1997...
, and K-South
K-South
K-South is a hip hop production company who are among the pioneers of hip hop in Kenya. The group composed of two members, Bamboo KC and Doobeez , now Abbas. K-South was founded in 1995. Their name is an abbreviation of Kariobangi South, an estate in Nairobi where they were based...
. In Nairobi, hip-hop is viewed as more of a style than as a musical culture. There is a great correlation between the youth who listen to rap music and their economical status in the country with the majority of them coming from wealthy economic backgrounds. Since hip-hop is portrayed through clothing, magazines, and CDs, all of which are expensive, only the wealthier individuals are able to enjoy these luxuries.
Mainstream artists include Nameless
David Mathenge
David Mathenge , better known by his stage name Nameless, is a Kenyan pop artist.- Biography :Mathenge was educated at Strathmore School, He rose to fame in 1999 through a star-search contest on Kenya's urban music station 98.4 Capital FM, which he won with his original song "Megarider." The song...
, Redsan
Redsan
Redsan is a reggae and ragga musician from Kenya.- Biography :His first album, Seasons of the San was released in 2002 under Ogopa DJ's label. Best known tracks on the album are "Julie" and "Wanipa Raha"....
, Necessary Noize
Necessary Noize
-Origins and Original Members:It was originally composed of female MC/singer Nazizi Hirji, singer Kevin Wyre and rapper Bamzigi, though Bamzigi later left due to personal and label disputes. The group was formed in October 2000 and released their self-titled debut album in 2000 under Audio Vault...
, Nonini
Nonini
Nonini , whose real name is Hubert Nakitare, is a Kenyan hip hop artist.- Biography :Nonini originally signed to Calif Records, but later joined Homeboyz Productions...
, Juacali, Kleptomaniax
Kleptomaniax
Kleptomaniax is a pop group from Nairobi, Kenya. The group consists of three members: Roba , Collo and Nyashinski ....
, Longombas
Longombas
- Career :The group consists of Christian and Lovi Longomba, who are twins. They are from musical family; their father Lovy Longomba was a member of Super Mazembe, while their grandfather Vicky Longomba was a member of TPOK Jazz. France-based Congolese musician Awilo Longomba is their uncle .The...
, Suzzanna Owiyo, Achieng Abura
Achieng Abura
Achieng Abura is a musician from Kenya, who performs Afro-jazz, Afro-fusion and gospel music.She debuted with a gospel album I Believe around 1990. Her following albums were Way Over Yonder and Sulwe. In 2002, when she had shifted to Afro-jazz, she released album Maisha. Later she released album...
, Eric Wainaina
Eric Wainaina
Eric Wainaina may refer to:*Erick Wainaina, Kenyan marathon runner*Eric Wainaina , Kenyan singer and songwriter...
and others. Their sounds run the gamut from Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
/Ragga
Ragga
-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
, Pop, Afro-Fusion to Hip-Hop. Contemporary Kenyan music is becoming quite popular, with African based music channels such as Channel O
Channel O
Channel O is a South African-based music channel which first started transmission in the early nineties. Its main concept is African music in Africa and the diaspora. Over the years, this music channel has made household names of its presenters such as Mimi, Nonhle, KB, Miss Candy.Channel O can be...
and MTV Base
MTV Base
MTV Base is a 24-hour music and general entertainment channel from MTV Networks International. The channel focuses primarily on music from the world of R'n'B, hiphop, reggae, soul and urban. The MTV Base brand first launched in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland on July 1, 1999,...
, giving them a greater audience than previously before.
Many Kenyan performers mix languages in any single song, usually English, Swahili, their tribal language or Sheng
Sheng (linguistics)
Sheng is a Swahili-based patois or slang-based language, originating in Nairobi, Kenya, and influenced by the many languages spoken there. The word is coined from the two words - wahili and lish....
(a hybrid of Kenyan languages and English/Swahili).
The Kisima Music Awards
Kisima Music Awards
The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa. Despite being Kenyan-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominately Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and incorporates a range of music genres.-History:Named after the Swahili...
, which recognize musical talent across East Africa, were founded and are currently based in Kenya. Every year numerous Kenyan artists take out categories in the scheme.
The African Children's Choir
African Children's Choir
The African Children's Choir is a large choir made up of children ages 7 to 12 from several African nations. Since its inception, the choir has included children from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana...
features children, many of whom are orphaned, from Kenya, as well as from other neighbouring African countries.
Film
Although the government has not been very supportive of the film industryFilm industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
in Kenya, the country offers some of the most spectacular sceneries and can only be compared to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Due to the nonchalant attitude and lack of enthusiasm exhibited by the government, the industry has remained considerably dormant whereby notable movies shot in the country have been few and far between. The most recent movie is the award winning The Constant Gardener
The Constant Gardener (film)
The Constant Gardener is a 2005 drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles. The screenplay by Jeffrey Caine is based on the John le Carré novel of the same name. It tells the story of Justin Quayle, a man who seeks to find the motivating forces behind his wife's murder.The film stars Ralph Fiennes,...
directed by Fernando Meirelles
Fernando Meirelles
Fernando Ferreira Meirelles is a Brazilian film director, producer and screenwriter.He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director in 2004 for his work in the Brazilian film City of God, released in 2002 in Brazil and in 2003 in the U.S. by Miramax Films...
and starring Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
and Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
. Other films shot in Kenya in the recent past include the Academy Award winning Nowhere in Africa
Nowhere in Africa
Nowhere in Africa is a 2001 German film directed by Caroline Link and based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by Stefanie Zweig. It tells the story of a Jewish family that emigrates to Kenya during World War II to escape the Nazis and run a farm...
and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is a 2003 action film directed by Jan de Bont, and starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. It is a sequel to the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider...
. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle won great acclaim in the 1980s and was one of the first foreign movies to be shot entirely on location in Kenya. Other highly acclaimed films set (and shot) in Kenya include Karen Blixen
Karen Blixen
Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke , , née Karen Christenze Dinesen, was a Danish author also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen. She also wrote under the pen names Osceola and Pierre Andrézel...
's Out of Africa, starring Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
and Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
and directed by Sidney Pollack, and Born Free
Born Free
Born Free is a 1966 British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood, and released her into the wilds of Kenya. The movie was produced by Open Road Films Ltd. and Columbia...
, an adaptation of the autobiography of Joy Adamson
Joy Adamson
Joy Adamson was a naturalist, artist, and author best known for her book, Born Free, which describes her experiences raising a lion cub named Elsa...
. In 1999, part of the movie To Walk With Lions
To Walk With Lions
To Walk with Lions is a 1999 film starring Richard Harris as George Adamson and John Michie as Tony Fitzjohn.Adamson spends the latter part of his life protecting the lions and other wildlife in the Kora National Reserve, Kenya...
, which featured actor Richard Harris
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
, was shot on location in the country. Notable film actors from Kenya include Paul Onsongo, David Mulwa, the late Sidede Onyulo
Sidede Onyulo
Sidede Onyulo was a Kenyan actor, most famous for his role as Owour in Oscar winning movie Nowhere in Africa.-Early life:Sidede Onyulo was born Peter Sidede Onyulo in Kajulu , attended school at Muthaiga Primary and at Nairobi School before enrolling at the University of Nairobi where he...
, John Sibi Okumu
John Sibi Okumu
John Sibi-Okumu [www.johnsibiokumu.com] is a Kenyan actor and journalist best known internationally for his role in The Constant Gardener.Sibi-Okumu started acting in 1968 while a student at Lenana School, proceeding to act in various theatre productions...
and Njeri Osaak.
Die Weiße Massai (The White Masai
The White Masai
The White Masai , directed by Hermine Huntgeburth, is a 2005 movie about Swiss woman Carola falling in love in Kenya with Maasai Lemalian . The film is based upon an autobiographical novel by Swiss writer Corinne Hofmann....
), a German movie about a Swiss Woman who fell in love with a Samburu warrior (Maasai); won an Award of the best Foreign language Movie (2006). Rise and Fall of Idi Amin
Rise and Fall of Idi Amin
Rise and Fall of Idi Amin, also known as Amin: The Rise and Fall, is a 1981 biographical film directed by Sharad Patel and starring Joseph Olita as Idi Amin....
, based on the Ugandan dictator, was shot in Kenya and is considered one of the most successful movies produced and directed by a Kenyan (Sharad Patel). Indigenous Kenyan filmmakers include Ingolo Wa Keya, Albert Wandago and Judy Kibinge.
Nowhere in Africa
Nowhere in Africa
Nowhere in Africa is a 2001 German film directed by Caroline Link and based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by Stefanie Zweig. It tells the story of a Jewish family that emigrates to Kenya during World War II to escape the Nazis and run a farm...
(Nirgendwo in Afrika - 2001), an award-winning German production, tells a story about German Jewish refugees living in Kenya during Second World War. Most of the movie is set in Kenya and numerous scenes show actors, either Kenyans or main German actors, speaking Swahili.
Some of the latest notable productions include the footage screened to the music of U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
and other acts at the Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concerts in Europe and the US in July 2005, Africa Mon Amor, shot over a period of three months in Samburu, Shaba and Lamu with a renowned German actress, Iris Berben
Iris Berben
Iris Berben is a German actress. She grew up in Hamburg, where her parents ran a restaurant....
, in 2006.
The Kenya Film Commission
Kenya Film Commission
The Kenya Film Commission was established by the Kenyan government in 2005. However only coming into full function in mid-2006.The Kenya Film Commission was formed with the aim of promoting the Kenyan film industry locally as well as internationally....
(KFC) was established by the Kenyan government in 2005, but only became fully operational in mid-2006.
Television
Acting for television has proved popular with the Kenyan audience. This genreGenre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
has been around from the 1960s when actors like Mzee Pembe graced the Kenyan television screen. Others, like Benson Wanjau (Ojwang' Hatari) and Mary Khavere (Mama Kayai), followed later with their comedies presented exclusively in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
, reaching millions of households courtesy of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation is the state-run media organization of Kenya. It broadcasts in both English and Swahili, as well as in most local languages of Kenya. The corporation started its life in 1928 when Kenya was a British colony. In 1964, when Kenya became an independent country, the...
television station. Serious Television drama was witnessed for the first time in the early 1990s with the entry of popular actors like Packson Ngugi
Packson Ngugi
Packson Ngugi is a Kenyan actor. He has played roles in plays and movies, and appeared in Kenyan TV commercials. He hosted a TV show, Omo Pick A Box, in the late 1990s.He played a mortuary attendant in the movie The Constant Gardener....
, BMJ
BMJ
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
Muriithi alias Ben Mutua Jonathan Muriithi
Ben Mutua Jonathan Muriithi
BMJ Muriithi is a Kenyan writer, Radio Presenter, stringer and actor based in the United States. He is currently the Regional Western Hemisphere International Correspondent for the Swahili Service of Voice of America, a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S...
and Betty Achieng', alongside other thespians who featured in a variety of TV shows following the liberalization
Liberalization
In general, liberalization refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions, usually in areas of social or economic policy. In some contexts this process or concept is often, but not always, referred to as deregulation...
of the airwaves by the Kenyan government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. However, Tushauriane, a Swahili television series featuring Kenyan fine actors like Dennis Kashero and Tony Msalame had premiered in the late 1980s becoming arguably one of the most popular productions to ever hit the Kenyan TV screens. A new genre in the form of stand-up comedy followed when the late actor Joni Nderitu entered the scene. The new style was later to be perfected by the group, 'Redykyulass', a trio of young Kenyans - Walter Mong'are, Tony Njuguna and John Kiare (KJ) - who specialised in political satire. They lampooned not only the establishment but also Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
, the Kenyan President at the time. The lampooning of the Kenyan head of state was unprecedented and could have easily led to their prosecution, or even detention without trial, had it been done in the 1980s, when mimicking the head of state and exhibiting any form of political dissent was considered treason. Other Stations known to promote theater in Kenya include Nation TV, Kenya Television Network (KTN) an Citizen TV, all based in the nation's capital, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. K24, the newest TV station to enter the scene, started its test run in Nairobi in December 2007. It captured the interest of many mainly because of the introduction of Jeff Koinange
Jeff Koinange
Jeff Koinange is a Kenyan journalist and chief reporter at TV station K24. He previously served as the Africa correspondent for CNN and CNN International from 2001 to 2007.-Background:...
, one of the most popular Kenyan journalists who has worked for major international mediahouses like CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, as its chief News anchor.
A Satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-based 24-hour pan-African TV channel, A24
A24 news channel
A24 is an independent pan-African 24-hour news and information channel, an 'African voice for Africa'. It started broadcasting from Nairobi, Kenya on 19 September 2008 by satellite and cable television, radio and the internet.-Overview:...
, was scheduled to start broadcasting from Nairobi in 2008. This will be in honor and memory of world-renowned and award winning Kenyan Photojournalist, Mohamed Amin
Mohamed Amin
Mohamed "Mo" Amin was a Kenyan photojournalist noted for his pictures and videotapes of the Ethiopian famine....
.
Theatre
Kenya holds one of the biggest annual drama events, the Kenya schools and colleges drama festival, in the south of SaharaSahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
. The Kenya National Theatre
Kenya National Theatre
Kenya National Theatre is part of the Kenya Cultural Centre, a Semi Autonomous Government Agency under the Ministry of State for National Heritage and Culture in Kenya. It is mandated to offer space for the rehearsal and staging of productions to both local and international repertoire...
is based in Nairobi opposite the Norfolk Hotel. Notable theatre performing groups include Eliud Abuto's Festival of Creative Arts that stages regular stage performances at both the Kenya National Theatre and Alliance Francaise, Phoenix Players
Phoenix Players
Phoenix Players is the largest and oldest repertory theatre company in East and Central Africa. Situated in Nairobi, Kenya it was registered in 1983 as a non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Phoenix Players mount, on average, a new play every three weeks throughout the year...
based at the Professional Centre, Heartsrings Ensemble and Mombasa Little Theatre Club based in Mombasa. Notable names on the Kenyan theatre scene include the late actresses Stella Awinja Muka and Anne Wanjugu. Renowned director Tirus Gathwe cut a niche for himself and is perhaps the most well known theatre directors in Kenya today.In the late 1990s through the early 2000s, the late Wahome Mutahi followed in the footsteps of the legendary Ngugi Wa Thiong'o
Ngugi wa Thiong'o
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is a Kenyan author, formerly working in English and now working in Gĩkũyũ. His work includes novels, plays, short stories, and essays, ranging from literary and social criticism to children's literature...
when he, through Igiza Productions, teamed up with Tirus Gathwe and embarked on a project dubbed "taking Theatre to the people" which saw them stage numerous productions, mainly political Satires, at nightspots throughout the country. Other notable directors include Festival of Creative Arts's Carole Odongo and Mbeki Mwalimu, as well as Mumbi Kaigwa who are currently the only female directors in Kenya. George Mungai of Phoenix, Keith Pearson, Sammy Mwangi, John Sibi-Okumu and Victor Ber are directors worth noting
See also
- List of ethnic groups of Kenya
- Music of KenyaMusic of KenyaOut of all the African countries, Kenya has perhaps one of the most diverse assortment of popular music forms, in addition to multiple types of folk music based on the variety over 40 regional languages....
- Literature of KenyaLiterature of KenyaKenyan literature describes literature which comes from the African country of Kenya. Kenya has a long oral and written literary tradition, primarily in English and Swahili, the two official languages of the country....
- Sport in KenyaSport in KenyaSports in Kenya are paralleled with Kenyan culture and as old as the archeological trivia of the trace of the origin of mankind. Various indigenous traditional sports have prevailed in Kenya as elements of culture and a way of life since the history of mankind...