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LotusBlossomsWorldBazaar2016

Makobi

Teacher’sResourceGuide

LotusEducationandArtsFoundation


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TableofContents:

KenyanArts&Culture………………………………………………………………………………………………3

Geography………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4

MeettheArtists..……………………………………………………………………………………………………….5

TeachingQuestionsandActivities……………………………………………………………………………..7

HelpfulLinks………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7

Appendix…………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………..9

NationalFlagofKenya

CoverPhotobyChelseaSanders,BluelineMediaProductions


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KenyanArts&CultureKenya'smodernculturewasbornoutofamyriadofsourcesandinfluences,bothmodernandtraditional.DespitethemanyandvariedinfluencesthathaveshapedKenyansociety,thecultureinKenyahasbecometrulyandpurelyKenyan.IfthereisanyonethingaboutKenyathatgivesanyindicationofthisuniquecharactertoday,itisthemeldingoftraditionalsocietiesandculturewithmodernnormsandvalues.

MusicTraditionally,Kenyanmusicoriginatesfromseveralsources.Nearlyeverytribehasitsownmusicalculture.Theuseofdrumsbecamewidespreadandcentraltoelaboratetraditionaldances.ThewordNgoma(drum)isstillusedtodescribemostformsoftraditionalmusicanddance.

The1960’ssawthearrivaloftheelectricguitarandthebirthofmodernKenyanpopularmusic.Thereweretwodefiniteinfluences:FromtheSouth,SouthAfricanJazzandZimbabwean‘highlife’guitarwork,andfromtheWest,therumbarhythmofCongolesepop.

The90’sandthe21stCenturyhaveseenagreatdealmoreWesterninfluence,andtheadoptionofreggae,rap,rhythmandbluesandswingintoKenyanmusic.Additionally,anewwaveofjazz,musicaltheaterandoperasemerged.MakobisangtheroleoftheelderduringthefirstKenyanOpera,“OndiekitheFisherman.”

FormoreinformationregardingKenyanMusic,pleasereferenceAppendixA.

Makobi&MayabiloPerforming

PhotobyChelseaSanders,BluelineMediaProductions

FollowthislinktoTaifaMziki(co-foundedbyMakobi)

Performinga'KikuyuFolkSong'https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=eoMpCvfJm8E


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CuisineKenya'scuisinereflectsthediversityofitsvariedculturalinfluences.However,eatingoutisnotaregularoccurrence.OnlytheCoasthasdevelopedadistinctiveregionalculinarystyle,thankstoitslongassociationwithIndianOceantrade.

Traditionalfoodtendstobesimpleandstarchywithanemphasisonpracticaleating.Ugali,amaizemealcake,isthemainstaple,alongwithpotatoesorrice.Chicken,beef,goatorvegetablestew,spinach,beansorfishusuallyaccompaniesugali.Anyamachoma(mutton,goatorbeef,roastedoverglowingcharcoal)feastisatypicalKenyanexperience.

Coastcuisineisoffersanicevariety.Seafood(sea-perch,parrot-fish,redsnapper,kingfish,giantcrayfish,jumboprawns,crabs,oystersandsailfish)iscookedwithlime,coconut,peppers,andamyriadofexoticspices.Freshfruit-inparticularmangoes,pineapples,pawpawsandcitrus-growwellinthecoastalclimate.

KenyancuisinehasastrongIndianinfluence,datingbacktothe19thCenturywhenIndianlaborwasusedtoconstructtheMombasa-Kisumurailwayandmostinternationaltastesarecateredfor.Chapati,astyleofflatbread,andSamosas,adeepfriedmeatorvegetablepastry,areexamplesofIndianinfluencedcuisinethatwasadoptedbyKenyans.

Geography

FASTFACTSOFFICIALNAME:RepublicofKenyaFORMOFGOVERNMENT:RepublicCAPITAL:NairobiPOPULATION:45,010,056OFFICIALLANGUAGES:Swahili,EnglishMONEY:KenyanshillingAREA:224,081squaremiles MAJORMOUNTAINRANGES:AberdareRange,MauEscarpmentMAJORRIVERS:Athi/Galana,Tana

Ugali-stapleofKenyancuisine

MapofKenya’s47Counties

PhotobyChicamod


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KenyaislocatedinEastAfrica.ItsterrainrisesfromalowcoastalplainontheIndianOceantomountainsandplateausatitscenter.MostKenyansliveinthehighlands,whereNairobi,thecapital,sitsatanaltitudeof5,500feet.

WestofNairobithelanddescendstotheGreatRiftValley.WithinthisvalleyinthedesertsofnorthernKenyaarethejade-greenwatersoffamousLakeTurkana.

Kenyasharesborderswithfiveothercountries.TheperimeterofKenya’sinternationallandbordersincludesSudan,Ethiopia,Somalia,Tanzania,andUganda.Kenya'seasternandnorthernneighborsareSomaliaandEthiopia.TothenorthwestliestheSudan.ManyinhabitantsoftheSudan'sborderregionareinfactethnicallyrelatedtoKenya`speoples.TothewestliesUgandaandtothesouth,Tanzania,bothnationsthatsharewithKenyaahistoryofBritishcolonialrule.

FormoreinformationregardingKenyanGeography,pleasereferenceAppendixB.

MeettheArtists:BothfromKenya,MakobiandMayabilometatKenyattaUniversityStudentsChoirwheretheyweresoloists.TheyhaveperformedinanumberoffundraisingeventsforcharityinBloomingtonamongstthem,“TheTasteofEastAfrica”and“GivingBacktoAfrica”.Thetwohavealsoappearedin“UniquelyEastAfrican:Singing,drumming,andXylophonemusicfromUgandaandKenya”performanceandin“EdibleLotus.”OnMarch4th,theyarescheduledtoperformduringtheopeningofahistoricartexhibitionatIUArtMuseum“ArtsofKenya:BeautyinTraditionalForms.”TheyarebothstudyingvoiceperformanceattheJacobsSchoolofMusicwithProfessorMariettaSimpson.

PhotobyChe

lseaSand

ers,BluelineMed

iaProdu

ctions


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MakobiMakobihasperformedwiththeKenyanBoysChoirformanyyears,andsangwiththematPresidentObama’sfirstinauguration.Herecordedasasoloistinthreeofthechoir’salbumsonewithUniversalMusicGroup,singingoneofthemostpopularSwahililovesongsMalaikaandanarrangementofKyraSillo.Heistheco-founderandformerdirectorofTaifaMziki(whichtranslatesasMusicNation),anallmalevocalensemblewhoserepertoireincludesarrangementsoftraditionalKenyanmusic.Makobihastouredwiththetwogroupstodifferentpartsoftheworldincluding,theUnitedKingdom,France,ChinaandtheUStogreatacclaim.Makobipreformsinavarietyofgenres.HisrecentcreditsincludeSecondPriestin“TheMagicFlute”withIUOperaandGilbertin“Hairspray”withCardinalStageCompany.

MayabiloKisililiWaMayabiloisatenorwhohasperformedwithmanysinginggroupsinKenya.ThisincludedsoloperformanceswithTaifaMziki.AsamemberofTaifaMziki,thegrouptouredtheUSAandperformedinvariouslocationsatuniversitiesandconcerthalls.HewasalsoleadvocalistintheKenyattaUniversityStudentsChoir.Currently,KisililiisastudentofvoiceatIUJacobsSchoolofMusic.

InstrumentsMusicinKenyaisconstantlyundergoingmodificationsthroughrearrangementsofmusicalforms.ThisfusionwithothergenresandtheuseofvariousinstrumentsandinfluencesfromotherpartsofKenyacreatesauniquesoundtoKenyanmusic.TwoinstrumentsthatcontributetothisuniquesoundaretheBulandKigamba.

Bul(bo-ol)ThebuldrumsarefromtheLuocommunity.TheyaremadefromcowhideandareoriginallyplayedinasetcalledOhangla.TheyaretypicallyplayedinasetoffourtoeightbuldrumsandalongcylindricaldrumalsoknownasOhanglaorKalapapla.Itismadefrommonitorlizardskin,whichisusuallytheleaddrumplayedwithanumberofbuldrums.ThebuldrumsarenowusedinplayingvarioustypesofmusicinKenya.

Kigamba(kI-gam-ba)Kigamba(plural:Ciigamba)originatesfromtheAgikuyucommunityandisusedtoaccompanysongsanddances.Itismadefromcastiron,dryseedsorironballsandanelasticbandthatwastraditionallyaskinstrap.TheKigambaassistsinkeepingthebeatofthesong,playingtherhythmofthesong.MostplayersuseonetosixCiigambadependingontheperformanceandthesizeoftheCiigamba.


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TeachingQuestionsandActivities

1)ColoranddiscussthesignificancebehindtheKenyanFlag(Attached).TheKenyanflagbecameofficialwhenKenyagainedindependencefromBritainonthe12thofDecember1963.ItwasbasedontheflagoftheKenyaAfricanNationalUnion.Blackisforthepeople,redforhumanityandthestruggleforfreedom,greenforthefertileland,andwhiteforunityandpeace.TheshieldandspearsaretraditionalweaponsoftheMasaipeople.(Blankmapisincludedatendofpacket)

2)LearntospeakSwahili.FollowthelinktoaninteractivedisplaytolearnshortphrasesandwordsinSwahili,thenationallanguageofKenya.http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/kenya/native-lingo

3)AdayinthelifeofaKenyanchild.Followalongasayoungboyprovidesadetailedaccountofhisdayashepreparesandgoestoschool.

http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/kenya/day-in-life

4)ExplorethegeographyandsightsacrossKenya’sdiverselandthroughthislink.ItprovidesasnapshotofvariouslocationsacrossKenyaincludingthemetropolisofNairobiandwildlifeintheTsavoNationalPark

http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/kenya/sightseeing

HelpfulLinks

1)Providesadditionalresources,worksheetsandinformationyoumayfindusefulfortheclassroom:http://www.3dgeography.co.uk/#!kenya-language/c1e0k

2)Afollow-upresourceaidforthegeographyofthecountry:http://easyscienceforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Kenya-Worksheet-Free-Printable-Geography-Word-Finder-Activity-Sheet-for-Kids.pdf

3)AlookintothetownofNyeriastheyhighlightfeaturesofthecityandthepeoplethatmakeupthecommunity:

http://kidworldcitizen.org/2014/04/10/kids-share-corner-world-learn-kenya/


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National flag of Kenya

Follow directions provided in “Teaching Questions and Activities”


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AppendixA:AdditionalMusicalInformationMaasonghasalwaysplayedalargeroleinceremoniallife,andcontinuesto.Oneofthebest-knownMaasaiceremonialsongsistheEngilakinoto,sungafteravictoriouslionhunt.Structuredaroundadeeprhythmicchantitisaccompaniedbyaspectaculardanceinwhichwarriorsdisplaytheirstrengthandprowessbyleapingdirectlyandverticallyintotheair.Avarietyofdrumswereusedthroughoutthecountry.TheLuhyaofWesternKenyadevelopedaverydistinctivedancestylecalledSikutiafterthelocalnameforadrum.Thisextremelyenergeticdanceisusuallyperformedbypairedmaleandfemaledancers,andaccompaniedbyseveraldrums,bells,longhornsandwhistles.

Otherinstrumentsarealsofrequentlyplayed,includingreedflutesandbasicstringedinstruments.OneofthefinerofthesewastheNyatiti,similartothemedievallyre.TheNyatitiiscommonlyplayedthroughoutKenya’sWest.Ithasagentle,relaxingsound,andisusuallyplayedsolowithasinglesinger,andsometimesaccompaniedbylightpercussionorbells.

Throughoutthe1970’sand80’sNairobibecameapopularcrossroadsforAfricanmusicians,andmanyZaireanrumbabandseithermadeKenyatheirhomeorafrequentstopoverconcertvenue.TheirinfluenceonKenyanmusicwasconsiderable,andmuchofpopularKenyanmusicderivesitscentralrhythmsandguitarlinesfromCongolesepop.EventodayLingalaandCongolesemusicisextremelypopularthroughoutKenya.Therewassomeinfluencefromthecoast,usingmoreSwahiliandAsianbasedstyles,resultinginashortlivedwaveofKenyanpop,spearheadedbyThemMushroomsfromMombasa.

AppendixB:Kenya’sGeographicLayoutThecountrywasformerlydividedintosevenmajorgeographicregions.Primarilydividedbygeographicconfigurations,theregionswhereasfollows;theCoastalRegion,SouthernCoastalHinterland,EasternPlateauRegion,Highlands,NorthernPlain-lands,RiftValleyRegionandtheWesternPlateauRegion.Presently,theKenyaConstitutiondefinesthecountryintoforty-sevensmallercountiesthatareheadedbygovernors.Thisdivisionofnationalandlocalgovernmentensuresreasonableaccesstoitsservicesinallpartsofthecountry.Thetwolevels,nationalandlocal,conducttheiraffairsmutuallyonthebasisofconsultationandcooperationbetweenofficials.


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Materials Prepared by Lotus Education Arts Foundation, January 2016

Written - Sean Benolken, Lotus Graduate Assistant

Contributor - Sylvester Makobi & Kisilili Wa Mayabilo

Photo Credit – Blueline Media Productions

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For more information regarding Lotus,

Please contact Loraine Martin, Outreach Director

P.O. Box 1667 | Bloomington, IN 47402 Phone: (812) 336-6599 | Fax: (812) 336-3959 | [email protected]

lotus blossoms world bazaar 2016 makobi blossoms world bazaar 2016 makobi ... toured with the two...

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