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Gender Festival: Beyond lamentation we celebrate
| by Anonymous | Friday, June 5th Tags: |  |
“Beyond lamentation”...those were the first words as title to Betty Murungi’s presentation in the context of healing, peace building and unity on the first day of the Gender Festival, the first ever for Kenya. Those words stayed with me as I recalled some of the discussions around the gender festival planning back in early 2008 when the idea of the gender festival was presented as borrowing a leaf from our Tanzania sisters. That was a time when the post elections violence (PEV) was still very raw spot for Kenya and hence there was the question of, do we have the energy for a festival? What is there to celebrate? However, in the long run we were all in agreement, things may look grim but there is still a lot to celebrate. In fact, it was felt that after the PEV, all the reason for a festival, for a celebration. Throughout the 3 days event, these words kept lingering in my mind.
The Kenya Gender Festival 2009 was organised by a coalition of women and feminist organisations including YWLI over a period of more that one year. By the end of the 3-day event that ended today, I couldn’t help but say it was all worth it. The broad theme for the Festival was ‘Celebrating diversity and promoting equality’ quite relevant to our Kenyan situation where there are diversities of different forms but which should be to unite not separate us. Throughout the festival, the diversity was quite evident yet the synergy was evident. There were young, and quite elderly women and men, students and professionals, some gave talks as others exhibited either material items or talent in songs, dances, skits etc.
The sub themes for the 3 days were
1. Healing, peace building and unity.
2. Movement building in diverse society
3. Men for gender equality
I experienced, (for the festival was just that, experiencing) both lamentation and celebration. There was lamentation in the various discussions and experiences that were shared by different women and men at various points; but in all cases there was light after lamenting, the joy and celebration for having survived to tell the story. I particularly enjoyed the diversity in which different organisations presented their sessions and exhibitions. Some were discussions, others were participatory drama, some were debates while others were papers for sure we are rich in ideas and diversity!! The presence of men, despite being outnumbered was quite a plus in a Kenyan context where gender is equated to women’s issues and seen as a domain for women. It was particularly impressive to listen to male speakers, actors and presenters in different forums, and listen to the same messages of men in support of gender equality.
One of the other high points for me was the presence of so many young women at the festival both as participants and also taking up different roles. The YWLI young women’s village was a great attraction for the young and young at heart and I was impressed by the energetic discussions that were sparked by participatory theatre. The singing and dancing from the young women is still lingering in my mind as I sing ‘I’m a woman and I will never ever fail…’ which became like an anthem. My joy is that seeing young women so much at the heart of the women’s movement gives more cause to celebrate, that the cause will never die.
The experience of the Gender Festival made me realise, that I don’t want the women’s movement, the crusaders of gender equality to speak with one voice, but to speak in different voices in one spirit, with the same message!!!
It is not easy to laugh and cry at the same time, to count losses and gains at the same time, to look out in the very dark night and see the bright stars, but that was what the Gender Festival was for me! Yes, beyond lamentations, we celebrate. We have come far and Aluta Continua!
