Applied Theatre as A Social and Economic agency In Deconstructing Gender Myths

Abstract

Patriarchal structures (social, political, and economic) in the community are entrenched and sustained by, among other things, the oral literature. Oral literature, like a mirror, reflects both the values that the community espouses as well as the hegemonic ideology of the time. In patriarchal communities, myths and other forms of narratives seek to establish and maintain hegemonic masculinity and sustain economic dominance of male over female. To change this state of affairs artists, through their works, seek for advocacy-oriented performance to create and initiate agency for social and economic change. Through applied theatre, the arts endeavour to give a reflective and deconstructive view of what is otherwise seen as normal. This paper aims to demonstrate how some of the very well-known Kenyan oral narrative myths and legends were used to present a counter narrative, challenging the gender (social and economic) hierarchies and dimensions in different communities through applied theatre. It will reflect on three common narratives in Kenya namely: the Lwanda Magere story from Luo culture, the Wangu wa Makeri legend from the Kikuyu community and a Maasai myth on women and cattle ownership, in so far as they portray the place of a woman in social and economic activities in those communities. The Lwanda Magere narrative is a mythical legend which by nature falls outside the memorable historical time but falls within a genre that allows the narrator to aesthetically embellish it and control its vision. Wangu wa Makeri is a historical legend which, however, has been embedded with mythical elements to make it appear sacred in the eyes of the Kikuyu community. While the Maasai myth of Why Women Do Not Own Cattle share attributes of both aetiological (why stories) elements and myth.