THE CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS IN PEACE BUILDING INITIATIVES IN KENYA

MISANGO ARTS ENSEMBLE

THE CONCEPT
THE CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS IN PEACE BUILDING INITIATIVES IN KENYA.

By: AKECH OBAT – MASIRA
DIRECTOR
MISANGO ARTS ENSEMBLE
KISUMU, KENYA

Arts have, since time immemorial, been related to the sister, inability of society in its various manifestations. Education, access to it and its practice are all vital components of any working society. Education is the vehicle that allows for the development of society and its enhancement in various ways. Art is a very critical facilitator of education.

In the recent past Kenya has experienced pains of vesicant conflicts, emanating from the disputed Presidential elections.

In the process, we have witnessed wanton destruction of lives, property, looting and abuse of human rights, some Kenyans, have been internally displaced in their own country for politics purposes, they do not understand. Families violently separated and now living in deplorable conditions in different camps.

Drama, a performed type of art, is one of the genres of literature which cannot be under estimated in its inculcation of positive valves to the society. A part from only supplementing education, drama, in various ways, also does many things, drama gives performer a sense of elf identity as it imbues stage presence to the actor which can translate to a confident sense of identity within community.

Drama as a form of arts can play a central in peace building initiative/peace education through the development of dramatic pieces and products, children feel encouraged and recognized when they are given roles to play in the society. This make children feel wanted whichever type of background or condition they are in. This sort of empowerment is significant especially to children who have been violently displaced on account of politics and ethnic background in Kenya. These children have been traumatized and violated separated from their parents, other are stigmatized because of their ethnic backgrounds. As such they have been isolated from mainstream society which has condemned them to live a marginalized existence, only relying on relief food.

In schools in some areas, for instance, the displaced children or children from such backgrounds have been removed from schools thus denying them access to formal schooling. In camps that they live in lack the basic schooling facilities to enhance education. Drama therefore can be a tool of empowerment of such children.

“Education is part of culture, it reflects a society approach of preparing the younger generation for future task in a creative and useful way in order to live in harmony in the society” states Udo Bude.

How can such children live in harmony in the society if they have witnessed the wanton destruction of property and lives? The rapes and families torn apart because of politics? Women and children bearing the burnt of reigning conflicts. They have witnessed trauma of being violently uprooted from comfortable and familiar environment. Now they live in deplorable conditions, depending on relief food and materials, their mothers and sisters being sexually compromised before their very eyes.

How could such children live with these atrocities in the future, when they are adults? How such children could have the pains of conflicts?

Its against this background that the Misango Arts Ensembles (Kenya) and Globe tree (Sweden) seeks to develop a collaborative programme on peace building education in Kenya.
The project will utilize the various art forms to promote rationalistic approaches to national healing and social transformation.

Secondly, to build a network of artistes and children as peace builders and thirdly, to develop strategies on how art could be used to transform the ideologies of violence and lastly, to promote peaceful co-existence in Kenya.

The project will use the dramatic arts that deliberately and consciously set out to empower not only Kenyans but also the internally displaced people especially the children and the women.
It will also explore various artistic forms that could go along way in national healing, engage Kenyans in genuine dialogue and in social transformation.

“Drama, like all other arts forms, is ideological, conveys values, which either question or support those prevailing in the society, more than that, drama is not only a product of society, but created to influence that very same society” asserts C.J Odhiambo.

Its true that culture is a collective memory of the ways people have tried to solve common problems and education, therefore, contributes towards preparing the next generation for the said task ahead”

How then does art complement culture and education? In peace building in Kenya?

The artistes could utilize the powers of arts to solidly address the challenges of violence through the development of resources for peace building, performance, peace education and documentation.

Secondly, facilitate a holistic peaceful transformation to relieve Kenyans of the pains of violent conflicts, the sufferings, destructions of lives and property, the rape, looting, abuse of human rights.

“The musical arts are integral to life of traditional African comities, giving worth to individuals and reinforcing their identity within community and provide powerful means of healing, education, communication and expression. They have a profound bearing on all aspects to life from spiritual to all mundane”: states Krystyna Smith.

Art has been designed specifically to provide space, raise aspirations, build confidence and empower the people violently displaced.

Drama has the potential to convey many hidden truths to unsuspecting and susceptible audience. The purpose of our art will be to inspire Kenyans to investigate the root causes of the violent conflicts and the pains experienced by the internally displaced Kenyans especially women and children.

Lastly, it will also provide for a platform for meaningful debate on peaceful transformative dialogue.

In the camps the living conditions are pathetic and deplorable, strangers living together without privacy, creating space for sex predators to lure unsuspecting women and girls. Cases have been reported of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. in camps.

THE STRATEGY.
The creative expression in peace building initiatives in Kenya, seek to utilize a communication strategy known as Entertainment – Education (EDUTAINMENT) or E.E. What then is E.E? This is a strategy for social change which contributes to a better understanding of the problems.
It enables the audience to understand the underlying conditions to the root cause of the problem. This consists of three key issues.

1. Problems identification – what is the problem in situation?.
2. Problem analysis – why does the problem exist?
3. Problem solution – How could we tackle the problem?

In short the E.E is a process of purposively designing and implementing a media message both to entertain and educate, in order to increase audience members knowledge about educational and development issues and therefore create a favorable attitude and change overt behaviour stated by Singhal and Rogers.

The E.E is a continuation of three sequential stages of behaviour change known as knowledge, attitude and practice/behaviour.

VIOLENCE BREEDS VIOLENCE
What have we as Kenyans bequeath to our children after during the post election violence? When we have planted ethnic hatred and violence, use of life bullets by police to disperse rioters and then the civil violence - the looting, thuggery, destruction of property and lives of innocent people. This is done with impurity. How does art address the post election ideologies of violence?

The basic role of art is to promote the understanding of the importance of peaceful co-existence and reconciliation.

This will be done through various form of arts i.e.
How does art address the post election ideologies of violence?
The basic role of arts is to promote the understanding of the importance of peaceful co-existence and reconciliation. This will be done through various form of art i.e stage, video, film, TV, peace education.
The dramatic arts will focus on the historical perspective of post election violence issues to be addressed are:
· Historical injustices
· Inequities (inequities distribution of resources)
· Land issue
· Ethnicity hatred

The E.E. as a social strategy as an ultimate purpose to contribute to direct social change as a process by which alteration occurs in structure and functional or social system. The E.E strategies contributes to social change either by affecting individual audience members or on a group or system level, as agenda or advocate whereby the strategy transcends individuals and influences more broadly on a social level.

Its vital that Kenyans share the deep pains experienced by the displaced Kenyans. Art will create space for us to re examine and evaluate our recent violent actions against fellow innocent Kenyans.

It will highlight violence and its manifestations. How it impacted on us as Kenyans.
Lastly, art will create hope and therefore promote national healing. Art has the greatest potential because its interesting, pleasurable, memorable, vivid and easy to understand..

FOCUS
The development of
· Multi – media strategy
· Peace initiative I.E.C materials
· Peace education – Training
· Advocacy
· Performances
· Documentation/Docu – drama
· Relief distributions
· Exchange peace building


AKECH OBAT – MASIRA
P.O.BOX 6111 KISUMU, KENYA
TEL:254:726164954