The Implication of Gender on Artism: a Review

Abstract

Purpose:  The AgÄ©kÅ©yÅ© people of Kenya are one of the largest people groups in Kenya. However, systematic repression of GÄ©kÅ©yÅ© culture led to many traditional elements being forgotten, put aside, if not lost completely. The overall objective of this study was to assess the thematic concerns addressed by Gikuyu secular popular artists on feminist and gender concern.

Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.

Findings: This study concluded that contemporary popular Gikuyu secular artists appropriate the language used in Gikuyu folklore to build their ideas on issues affecting women and men in society. So the linguistic styles of various epochs of literary traditions have proved to be valuable. The contextual analysis of various song-texts earmarked in this study indicates that literature is not only important as a form of entertainment but it is used for purging unpleasant feelings that come from starred relationship between men and women in love relationship, thus prompting of use of images that affect both genders..

Unique Contribution to Theory and Practice: This study limited itself to three artists and a sample of eighteen songs in exploration of images of women emanating from gender relations espoused in members of the Gikuyu community of Kenya. There are other premiere and also upcoming artists who sing in Gikuyu language. The researcher recommends research on other artists and their song-texts to help shed more light on other aspects of images of women centering on feminism and gender issues in the contemporary society.

Keywords: Thematic Concerns, Gikuyu, Secular Popular, Artists, Feminist and Gender Concern.