There is no better illustration of the gender barriers that have persisted within the cultural sector in Kenya than the age-old traditions surrounding the playing of indigenous musical instruments. Among the Luo people of Western Kenya, the nyatiti, an eight-stringed instrument, was, until a few years ago, exclusively played by men, and it was considered taboo for women to touch the instrument.
Attitudes have gradually changed, to the extent that a Japanese woman named Eriko Mukoyama (Anyango), who spent a year as an apprentice of a nyatiti maestro in a village in Siaya, western Kenya, now tours the world playing the instrument. The Abagusii community has a similar lyre called Ebokano, which remains the exclusive domain of men. Through generations, it has been used to compose songs that celebrate men’s strength and wisdom while denigrating lazy and immoral women.
Gender disparities in the cultural field are deeply ingrained in traditional beliefs and practices. Women have struggled to break through male-dominated creative sectors, seeking access, participation, and contribution to cultural life. Despite progress in bridging inequalities, particularly in performing arts, cinema, literature, and music, gender stereotypes, sexist representations, and biases persist, hindering equal opportunities for men and women.
The cultural sector in Kenya is not immune to the patriarchal system evident in other social, political, and economic fields. Women continue to face marginalization in cultural and creative industries such as film, music, theatre, publishing, and performing and visual arts, driven by stigma, stereotypes, and male-dominated networks. In the contemporary cultural sector, patriarchy manifests in nuanced ways, including the treatment of female artists by their male counterparts and the normalization of denigrating comments against women artists.
Significant gaps exist in decision-making positions in both public and private cultural institutions, with fewer women holding influential roles as cultural critics, editors, agents, promoters, publishers, curators, festival directors, and producers.
Music, arguably the most influential cultural industry in Kenya, plays a crucial role in establishing an equal society through access to professional training and platforms for artistic expression. A generation of women cultural practitioners has emerged, breaking societal norms, establishing innovative artistic projects, and building platforms for inclusive gender representation in the cultural sector.
Wandiri Karimi, appointed Director of Kenya Conservatoire of Music in 2016, observed a steady increase in the number of girls registering for music classes. In the following year, Wandiri, a guitarist and lawyer specializing in Intellectual Property, founded the African Women’s Orchestra—a collective of over 100 women musicians collaborating annually with female choral groups, vocalists, and percussionists. These musicians are creating a network and supporting careers in music, spanning contemporary to classical formats.
Trumpeter Christine Kamau, founder of Women in Music, draws on the experiences and challenges facing female artists across Kenya. This initiative aims to provide access to global platforms for promoting their work and offering role models to the younger generation, breaking down stereotypes hindering their development in the music industry.
Kasiva Mutua, one of the few female percussionists in Kenya, me