ABSTRACT
In many countries, folk music and dances, which are part of traditional performing arts, are important extensions of what defines a people’s cultural identity, uniqueness and communal/national solidarity. This chapter interrogates the role of academy performing arts in continued reaffirmation of Kenyan Indigenous knowledge and practices. It discusses the complex role of two of the performing arts – music and dance – in articulating and reaffirming the relevance and application of age-old Indigenous knowledge. The chapter describes that music and dance contribute immensely in validating Indigenous knowledge, which forms the basic tenets of our social foundations and well-being. It interrogates the place and role of folk music and culture at Kenyatta University and how the department has continued to engage the university in advocating for inclusion of traditional folk music in official music education/performance, history and composition curricula. The chapter subscribes to Dillon’s perspective as expressed in his session paper entitled “Music, Meaning and Transformation.”.
