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Gender Presentation Among the Abakhayo in Ongidi's Songs

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Gender Presentation Among the Abakhayo in Ongidi's Songs GENDER PRESENTATION AMONG THE ABAKHAYO IN ONGIDI’S SONGS BERNARD FRANCOIS ANYANGO A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF ARTS IN LITERATURE, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI 2014 DECLARATION This project is my original work and has not been presented for examination in another University Sign----------------------------------- Date------------------ Bernard Francois Anyango This project has been submitted with our approval as University supervisors: First supervisor: Dr. Joseph Muleka Sign------------------------- Date------------------ Second supervisor: Prof. Chris Wanjala Sign-------------------------- Date------------------ ii DEDICATION To my parents the late Justus and Philis Anyango You taught us the value of hard work. To my wife Mildred Your love patience and encouragement inspired me. To our daughters Claudia, Faith, Cindy and Aline Your faith in me brought us joy in hard times. And to my friends Your counsel could not have come at a better time. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to thank the Department of Literature of the University of Nairobi for allowing me take the course in the department. To Professor Wanjala and Doctor Muleka without whose advice this project could have remained a dream I can only pay you back by remaining true to the spirit of literary criticism. Special mention goes to the professors, Wanjiku Kabira, Ciuraji Chesaina and Hellen Mwanzi, your contact hours were not in vain. You always gave us a reason to stretch an argument beyond its assumed threashold. To Doctors Siundu and Odhiambo, your presence was always a reminder that it was possible to get to the next stage. Iam particularly indempted to Dr Siundu for the encouragement both intellectually and morally without which this academic landscape could have been a lot harder to surmount. To my fellow students it was an honour sharing with you these very eye opening sessions of my life. Your support and faith in my capabilities was the reason why we had to scale the obstacles to get here. May you inspire even more people to join this family of literary critics. This project could not have seen the light of the day were it not for the co-operation of our very able artist Vincent Ongidi and his loyal fans Barasa, Mildred, Sylivia, Messo, Odero, Lilian, Auki, Masiga, Fredrick Nyongesa the patience you exercised in responding to the questionnaire can only assume a life of its own through this work. Most importantly is my family, my mother for the encouragement, my uncle Mr Opondo Charles for giving me a second chance without which this could have been a chapter in a work of fiction. To my wife Mildred, caressing my intellectual ego motivated me so much. And to my pretty daughters for the prodding questions that informed this quest. And finally to the man in me who remained stubbornly persistent to the possibilities presented by a dream whose time has come. iv ABSTRACT The study, gender presentation among the abakhayo in ongidi‘s songs set out to interrogate the cause and effect of the songs sung by the artist Vincent Ongidi among the Bakhayos of Busia County. The impetus to study was borne out of the realization that ordinary language as spoken could be harnessed by music to bring about harmony among the genders. The study had as its objectives the analysis of the artist‘s portrayal of men and women in his artistic works, the language and style that enabled him to effectively do this and how this, significantly influence the way the two genders perceive each other. The study worked on the hypotheses that Ongidi portrays men and women as equal in social status. His stylistic choices and language use was what made his songs appeal equally to both genders and that the presentation, style and language use has had an impact on how women and men view each other. To help rationalize the area of engagement the study made use of the sociological literary theory, ethnopoetic and the feminist literary theory. The selection of the theories based on the understanding that literature has a social function and is not created in vain. The study also handles the issue of women hence the feminist consideration as a theoretical framework. Given that the texts under study are oral productions ethnopoetics as a theory was indiscipensible. The study was limited to the portrayal of women and men among the Abakhayo with interest on the style and language that make this portrayal have the effect on how the genders relate to each other. In the study, I listened to Ongidi‘s selected songs, attended his live performances and conducted interviews with him and his supporters using written quessionaires. The study established that Ongidi‘s songs are not only received favourably across the genders but even considered the standard texts of the Luhya community. The language and style adopted makes it possible for both genders to like the music and alter the way they perceive each other. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION.......................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION............................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .......................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT. ................................................................................................................. v CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................... 1 THEORETICAL ISSUES UNDERPINING THE STUDY ..................................... 1 1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.3Hypotheses .......................................................................................................................... 5 1.4Research Justification ........................................................................................................ 5 1.5Scope and Limitation......................................................................................................... 7 1.6 Definition of terms ................................................................................................. 7 1.7 Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 8 1.8 Theoretical Framework .................................................................................................. 12 1.9 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 18 1.9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 18 1.9.2 Types of Data collected ............................................................................... 18 1.9.3 Sources of Data and Their Sampling ........................................................... 18 1.10 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................... 21 PORTRAYAL OF MEN AND WOMEN IN ONGIDI’S SONGS ........................... 21 2.1 Portrayal of men and woman as daughters and sons.................................................. 23 2.2 Portrayal of Men and Women as Fathers and Mothers ............................................. 25 2.3 Portrayal of men and women as lovers ...................................................................... 31 2.4 Portrayal of men and women as professionals ............................................................ 40 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................... 44 STYLISTIC CHOICES AND LANGUAGE ADOPTED BY ONGIDI IN HIS MUSIC ............................................................................................................................... 44 3.0 Introduction: .................................................................................................................... 44 3.1 Adoption of ambiguity as a mode of communication ................................................ 44 vi 3.2Use of overstatement as a reconciliatory tool .............................................................. 47 3.3Use of symbolism to demystify gender superiority..................................................... 50 3.4Use of imagery to foreground gender equity ............................................................... 52 3.5 Use of dialogue to further gender harmony................................................................. 53 3.6 Use of oxymoron to capture gender harmony ............................................................. 54 3.7 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................... 56 ONGIDI’S SONGS AS AGENTS FOR SHAPING SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP 56 4.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................
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