Nairobi Music Festivals

This week, pupils from Akiba primary school are participating in Music Festivals at the Nairobi County level. The Nairobi schools Music Festival is the biggest event in in the Kenya National Festival, attracting over 30,000 participants each year. The event features poems, choral verses, singing games, and folk dances presented by students either as individuals or in groups.

Pupils from Akiba School have been very successful over the past several years. “We hope the team we have will go all the way to the national just like previous years”, Teacher Stephen confessed.

This year’s team qualified after passing a zonal competition between local schools. If successful, the Akiba students will go on to compete at the regional and national levels. Some of the main pieces they will present are “shairi” or Swahili poems.

Swahili poetry has a long and rich history in East Africa and celebrates Swahili life and culture. The poetry is divided into two main types: shairi guni which is free verse and shairi la arudhi which follows traditional rules related to meter and use of rhyming syllables.

“The competitions not only expose our students but also help them to identify their God-Given talents.”Teacher Stephen, Assistant Manager

The poems and songs presented in the Music Festivals tend to focus on contemporary cultural issues while at the same time honoring traditional African ways of life. One of the main categories for this year’s choral verses is “saying no to violence against children.”

The music at the festivals is generally oral, although it may include rhythmic clapping or drumming. Choral verses are one of the most popular forms of expression. These are poetic songs delivered without any musical accompaniment. They often involve dramatic dialogue or chant and have a strong sense of rhythm. The verses may be composed in English or Swahili.

Each year, the students work together with their teachers to write, practice, and perform their poems and songs. The “competitions not only expose our students but also help them to identify their God-Given talents”, Teacher Stephen shared.

For some students the opportunity to present at the regional music festivals leads them to travel outside of Nairobi for the first time in their lives.