Writing the Arts & Humanities in Africa

Beyond traditional documentation : Dagoretti Area

Lorna Mungai — 2024-12-31

Culture is commonly known as the way of living practiced by people existing in a similar space, making culture dynamic as it changes with people as a result of the external factors within the space. Due to this cultural dynamism, documenting the tacit cultural knowledge becomes hard if not impossible and if done in a manner that doesn’t capture its constantly changing parts as it fossilizes the cultural tacit knowledge. This study aims to display the importance of cultural resilience against fossilization of knowledge which is brought about by the popular concept of “documenting for future generations” in comparison to looking at the alternative forms of knowledge that align with the oral communication used to communicate cultural knowledge while going beyond the traditional documentation forms. Lastly, it examines the contribution that various forms of knowledge have had on continuing the legacy of a community and remembering its previous generations. The study was carried out in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya, where a week long ethnographic engagement was carried out by going around the area. This study concludes that fossilization is brought about by a documenting culture that uses forms of knowledge which make it lifeless and skewed. This is the case when using conventional methods to document cultural knowledge which include the authors’ interpretation among other perspectives thus taking away from the intended message. The various forms of knowledge discussed were the outcome, from the study carried out in Dagoretti, they are highlighted to display how words alone cannot communicate the depths of a communities’ cultural dynamism as a means of preserving tacit knowledge.

Voices in melodies : remembering Mau Mau

Asajile Mwakalinga — 2024-12-31

This paper explores the transformative power of music in amplifying marginalized voices, with a specific focus on the ‘Nyimbo cia Mau Mau’ album and its contemporary musical expressions. By examining the historical and cultural significance of these songs and conducting field visits in the Dagoretti area, the study reveals how music serves as a vital conduit for addressing and preserving the silenced narratives of the Mau Mau uprising. The research involved interviews with respondents aged between 55 and 80 years old, who shared personal stories and reflections on the enduring impact of Mau Mau songs. The analysis extends to contemporary compositions like Eric Wainaina’s “Fungeni Macho” which draws parallels between past injustices and present political realities. The study underscores the multifaceted role of music in uniting communities, empowering the oppressed, and fostering a collective memory of resistance. By bringing to light the powerful legacy of Mau Mau music, this paper highlights its continued relevance in advocating for social justice and commemorating historical struggles.

The Architectural morphology : narratives of the elders of Dagoretti

Joseph Kedogo — 2024-12-31

Architectural morphologies reflect the socio-political, cultural, and economic influences of their time and place. The illustration used is Dagoretti, Kenya, in the 1950s. This period, marked by the end of colonial rule, was traumatic for the people of Dagoretti, who suffered under the hegemony of the colonialists and their local collaborators. The painful experiences of this era remain largely unrecognized, hindering healing and reconciliation. The text raises questions about the nature of "official history" and whether an untold, unofficial history exists among the ordinary people of Dagoretti. It suggests that architectural expressions and human settlements, shaped by these socio-political forces, might provide insight into this counter-history. Through discussions with those who lived through the state of emergency, the paper seeks to understand how these individuals coped, whether they healed, and how their architectural expressions have evolved. It suggests that these counter-narratives might challenge official histories, which often reinforce subjugation and servitude, and could be key to achieving true liberation and positive change.

Public memorials in Dagoretti : the impact of land tenure on social cohesion

Lydia Muthuma — 2024-12-31

No land is bereft of art whether the latter is fashioned consciously or unconsciously. Dagoretti is no exception. This article picks out land markers, wrought by collective experience and therefore considered public artefacts. Furthermore, the artefacts indicate the impact of land tenure on social cohesion within the same district.

Initially, Dagoretti was characterised by the mbari land tenure system with trustees (aramati) holding land for their families. Tenants (athami or ahoi) had limited cultivation and building rights. But colonial interventions and urbanisation disrupted this system, leading to tensions and struggles over land ownership. Road names, mausoleums, schools and satellite townships memorialise significant episodes, even as they indicate compact (or otherwise) social cohesion.

Specific historical events, such as the exile of Waiyaki wa Hinga, followed by the rise of Kinyanjui wa Gathirimu, not only memorialise but also chronicle the navigation of both chiefs in the changing landscape. The discussion includes the subsequent racial segregation policies of the colonial era and their impact on Dagoretti’s socio-economic dynamics. It explores a singular effort to desegregate, by establishing a multi-racial school on the fringes of eastern Dagoretti, amidst officialized apartheid-like segregation.

The infamous 2017 battle for Kawangware, inscribed into the Mau Mau bridge, concludes the paper. Collective lived experience has fashioned land markers and imbued them with specific meaning and value –they await the keen appreciation of informed readers.

The Inside and the outside : identity performance in the context of social research

Waithera Kibuchi — 2024-12-31

Identities are an irrevocable component of social life. They help us better know ourselves and others, enabling communication, mutual understanding, and social cohesion. We assume different identities in our day-to-day lives, performing the ‘self’ depending on whether we are being observed, and who is observing us. This ‘on stage’ and ‘backstage’ behaviour corresponds to public ‘outer’ and private ‘inner’ dimensions of self, with the outer self observing the prescribed social norms and behaviour despite what the inner self may think and feel. When two groups interact, alternative realities come face to face, and multiple ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ selves emerge, with participants performing the roles they believe fit the context. This article examines this identity performance and the ‘inside-outside’ positionality in the context of social research. Reflecting on interactions and activities undertaken during a collaborative North-South research module, I posit that research engagements would do well to implement actions that diminish the perceived power distance between the parties involved.

Dagoretti : claiming land and space in the city

Raquel Jerobon — 2024-12-31

The essay examines Dagoretti's transformation in three key moments: Generational Land Ownership: After the Mau Mau uprising, African families, including Mr. N's, were allocated land in Dagoretti. Over three generations, the family's transition from squatters to legal landholders reflects increasing stability and permanence. The second is Rental Income and Demolitions: Informal rental housing has been crucial in Dagoretti, but these structures often face demolition for not meeting city building codes. Despite this, informal settlements persist, highlighting the struggle for space in Nairobi's growing urban landscape. The last moment is the Shift from Agriculture to Residential Use: As Dagoretti urbanized, land values rose, and pressure to sell increased. The tension between maintaining cultural heritage and adapting to urbanization reflects the area’s ongoing transformation and identity struggle.

Kamzee’s donkey

Gitau Muthuma — 2024-12-31

This fictional piece depicts the life and struggles of a typical Dagoretti resident.

The Murals of Dagoretti : examining visual communication and its significance on social change

Joyce Omwoha — 2024-12-31

The paper discusses how meaning is socially constructed through personal feelings and opinions, particularly in the context of interpreting images. Although image interpretation can be subjective, visuals have a significant influence on human reasoning. The study focuses on murals in the Dagoretti area of Nairobi, analyzing how these public artworks reflect the lived experiences of local residents. It explores murals as a medium for visual communication, their impact on social change, i.e. on shaping the behaviour and attitudes of the community. Field visits to various wards in Dagoretti were conducted, employing qualitative techniques such as content analysis and interviews. The findings affirm that murals play a powerful role in shaping community behaviour, in mobilizing and connecting people. However, the socio-cultural significance of murals, in urban spaces, is less appreciated.

Is art what you can get away with? Copyright Law is useless for Dagoretti-based visual artists

Grace Njeri Gatere — 2024-12-31

This section explores the relationship between copyright law and the visual arts. It looks at the historical development of appropriation and imitation culminating in piracy. It highlights the importance of protecting creative expressions through legal frameworks and their limitations. It uses the lived experiences of the visual artists from Dagoretti to tell their stories and determine if copyright is useful.

Cosmopolitanisms : premise naming in Dagoretti and Nairobi West as a site for exercising identity

Fredrick Mbogo — 2024-12-31

What happens when a space is at once seemingly ancestral but with ties to a brash city like Nairobi? How does its residences define themselves? What can populate some of its signage for business premises? This paper is interested in comparing the naming of business premises in Dagoretti, in an area known as Kawangware Market, and what obtains in Nairobi West’s market area off Lang’ata road. The paper is interested in how names point to different kinds of cosmopolitanism, as well as the problematic idea of gentrification. In what ways has the kind of gentrification in Dagoretti as opposed to Nairobi West’s suggest a marriage of ethnicities, where no one is unafraid of performing their own identity? What can this imply?

Preface

Peter M. Matu — 2024-12-31

There is a poem titled, ‘On the Pulse of the Morning’ that Maya Angelou wrote and performed at Bill Clinton’s first inauguration ceremony in 1993. While the contents of that poem are irrelevant here, that title kept coming back to me as I read this collection of essays. Then it hit me. Is Dagoretti the beating pulse of Nairobi? Is Dagoretti the unpretentious, unassuming but prodigious Nairobi baby? Like a healthy child, Nairobi has grown. Thus, this collection of essays is an ode to the spatial, socioeconomic, and political landscapes of one of its most important cultural hubs - Dagoretti.