Restaging Oral Narrative in Civic Education

Abstract

Oral literature as an agent of culture and reflection of the same is inherently dynamic. It has overtime served different generations existing under various socio-economic conditions. Drawing from different historical contexts and adapting to varied demands, it continually renews itself. By its very nature of verbal variability, it allows itself to incorporate new experiences and contexts. This flexibility also alludes to its ability to fit into various performance spaces owing to the fact that traditional performance spaces do not require elaborate design elements. The oral narrative as one of the major genres of literature has sought to find space in the ever-changing performance and socio-economic environment. In all the performances, historically, the oral narrative has generated meaning that is contextually relevant but also like good literature remains meaningful over generations. Participatory theatre which emphasizes on performance modes that are community-grounded and therefore accessible and acceptable to the audience, has borrowed from oral literature. It has employed oral narratives that are well known in communities to teach unfamiliar concepts existing in modern societies. This chapter examines how oral narratives are used in civic education as an awareness tool to teach the community about democracy and citizen participation in constitution-making. It will explore the inherent meaning of the narrative’s contextual and emerging meanings during the performance of the said narratives. The chapter draws from research and experience that the writer participated in through the Kenya Oral Literature Association (KOLA), Collaborations Centre for Gender and Development (CCGD) and People Popular Theatre (PPT) over a period of ten years of civic education in Kenya.