I got the opportunity to present my research project to the National Women’s Studies Association, “Defining and Shaping Girlhoods in Times of National Independence and War.” The research project focused on East African girls of both Kenya and Rwanda and the music of two different eras: Post-Independence for Kenya and Post-Independence, post-war in Rwanda.
I used two songs: Msichana Wa Elimu, from Kenya, and Mukamurenzi, from Rwanda. I started by listening to the two songs and getting their translations. In the previous semester, Spring 2023, I came across some material on the study of black and African Girlhood. These resources informed my understanding of how these concepts are thought of and expressed in academia.
I also did some research on the histories of the two countries, the musicians’ history, and the music scene that would contextualize the songs. I also used pop culture, my own experience, and the experiences of my peers to infer the experience of how ideas expressed through the songs have shaped our girlhood and, ultimately, the transition to womanhood.
~Holiness Kerandi, ‘26