The Mutual Influence of Culture and Music: A Study of Mijikenda Kaya Songs and Society in Kenya

Abstract

This paper explores how culture is interrelated to music using the Mijikenda kaya songs in Kenya case. The spiritual beliefs, moral values, and social organization of the Mijikenda are represented by the Kaya songs used in the religious ceremonies conducted in the sacred forests and when they hold communal meetings. This paper is an examination of the preservation of cultural identity by the songs, the transfer of indigenous knowledge and social solidarity, and the impact of cultural transformation of urbanization, modernization, and globalization on the performative and interpretative aspects of the songs. Based on ethnomusicological and sociocultural approaches and using oral histories, descriptions of ritual practices, and contemporary reinterpretations, the paper shows how the kaya songs influence and are influenced by the Mijikenda culture. The findings emphasize the value of preserving indigenous musical tradition as an identity and continuity factor as well as a source of social peace in modern Kenyan society.