Gender Identity Representation in the Circumcision Songs of the Tiriki Community in Western Kenya

Abstract:

This article investigated the image of gender identity in the circumcision songs of the Tiriki community living in Western Kenya. The objective of this study was: to determine the cultural context of the Tiriki community in the selected songs. The study seeks to bridge the academic gap that shows that gender identity in circumcision songs within the Tiriki community has not been fully researched. Gender identity is a topic that is very broad for research, but for this study, the researcher focused on highlighting the issue of gender image that appears in selected circumcision songs of the Tiriki community. The researcher purposefully focused on eight circumcision songs among the Tiriki community of Vihiga County, Hamisi sub-county, to investigate and classify how these songs represent gender identity. The research was guided by the theory of gender and performance by Judith Butler (2004) and the theory of communication, tradition and language ideology of Roy Rappaport (1999). The research was field based, though it benefitted a lot from internet library to get relevant data concerning this research topic. The researcher selected ten circumcised boys, ten elderly men, ten elderly women, five circumcisers, and five community-based groups as respondents of the research. Data collection was of context analysis by analyzing the songs and various works on the issue of gender identity. Targeted group was circumcised boys, selected elders and Tiriki old women. Data collection was of context analysis by analyzing the songs and various works on the issue of gender identity. Data was collected using a questionnaire and recorded in both hard and soft copies. Data was analyzed descriptively and results presented in written documents. Eight selected circumcision songs were examined and analyzed on how they bring the image of gender identity in the Tiriki community. The research provided an important source of reference to scholars on this topic of gender identity, and will brought a different view of gender identity through the Tiriki circumcision songs. The research is a bridge to future researchers on this topic of gender identity.