Film to highlight indigenous customs

By Eric Sindabi

Egerton University is sponsoring a documentary film project by communication and media students based at Nakuru Town Campus that will highlight the indigenous cultures of Kenya . The director of the film and also Audio/ Visual Production instructor at the University Mr.Manoah Mukhwana said that the film will in particular focus on the plight of the girl -child in Kenya as depicted among traditional customs of various tribes in the country.

He said that the aim of the project was to provide practical journalistic experience in Audio/Visual Production for the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media students of Egerton University .

The class has so far visited various parts of the country, interviewing and recording audio/visual information from selected indigenous groups. These include all the sub-tribes of the Mijikenda tribe (Coast province), Meru, Akamba, (Eastern) Bukusu, Isukha (Western) Luo, Gusii, Kuria,Suba (Nyanza), Maasai Kipsigis, Nandi, Turkana Marakwet (Rift Valley) and Gikuyu (Central).

The trips, says Mukwana, earn each student 20% of the course requirements. “Students get practical experience in film production aspects like reporting, photography, interviewing, directing, presentation, script writing, site management and public relations.

They get exposed to journalistic conditions outside the studio”. He said.

The film focuses on key indigenous customs among different Kenyan ethnic groups like; wife inheritance, cleansing, education, initiation, naming, gender roles and beliefs among others.

The project will in general highlight on gender issues in Kenya by focusing on the plight of the girl-child. It will also highlight on the diversity and similarities of Kenyan traditional heritage.

Mean while major changes have been effected in the Bachelor of Arts in media and communication degree course at the University aimed at adding value to the course in order to meet competitive market demands. Egerton is among a few other institutes of higher learning in the country that offers degree courses in journalism. The Self Sponsored training attracts form four leavers and Para-professionals who wish to pursue a career in communication and mass media.

The coordinator of Media and Communication studies at Egerton University Ms Mareri says that the University’s academic policy requires for a review of academic programmes curriculums after every five years.

New courses which have been introduced include; communication and language skills in Kiswahili, Introduction to sociology, Communication and critical thinking, Public speaking, Desk top publishing, Entrepreneurship, Interpretation and translation in communication, Internet technology and communication, Communication in global context, Information technology; communication systems and social change, Leadership and management, and Digital graphics in communication.

On the other hand, some courses like Introduction to computer programming, Data structures, Computer graphics and Introduction to economics have been removal from the syllabus.

The coordinator said that the new changes were based on suggestions from students and past performances evaluation and critical market demands for graduates.