An Analysis of Indigenisation Dynamics of Kenya Army Band Martial Music

Abstract

The weakening of British rule and the eventual emancipation of Kenya from colonial control brought the promise of a free nation able to validate its indigeneity through art, culture, and music. However, the Kenyan army band martial music has not fully realised this potential. Sixty years after independence, the Kenya army band plays British-style music and has slowly adapted to indigenous music. This paper is part of a continuing study at Langata Garrison in Nairobi, the home of the Kenya Army Band. The study employed a qualitative approach and a case study research design to analyse selected martial music scores. The guiding theory for this study is Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory, which aims to deconstruct colonisation elements through decolonial listening. The study reveals that while some progress has been made in incorporating Indigenous music, a more deliberate and broad-based approach is needed to cut the umbilical cord of the colonised from the coloniser.