WHY MUSIC? Demystifying the Narrative around Music & Arts ~ DoweMusic & Arts

Friday 5 October 2018

WHY MUSIC? Demystifying the Narrative around Music & Arts

Pacifique and Douglas guitar duet

Douglas, delivering his speech

Proactively engaging with the members of Swahili Students Association of Kenyatta University was empowering as they expressed their fierce passions and noble aspirations. A section of YALI Cohort 28 participants had an impactful evening with these aspiring young leaders to motivate them. The interactive Swahili Forum undoubtedly became a fruitful avenue of positively impacting and extensive knowledge sharing along with it naturally entertaining.

In a society where music is typically seen a mere hobby or at most a lesser career, Douglas Ogutu, the Founder of Dowe Music and Arts incorporates a whole innovative approach. Quitting his full-time job to venture in music and nurturing young talents has been a revelation to him. Zeal and determination are his assets, and that’s just a story for another day.

During his articulate speech to the Swahili enthusiasts, Douglas emphasized more of looking deeper into one’s abilities and talents. The soul thing that one has always wanted to do, the inner calling that one will always come to terms with.

"Think of that passionate thing you love to do, that activity that you love the most, discover your purpose and act on it in the best way you can to even impact other people," he urged earnestly. He was even more articulate on the importance of using talents and passions to impact the community and people around you.

As much as music is something that cannot be segregated from our lives, the normality of it being a mediocre venture is still in the atmosphere. Combating the negative perception was therefore evident from the young crowd of the Students fraternity.

Having a talk with some of the cohort 28 YALI participants, their ideals about music are so positive. Seeing young African changemakers display the zeal to learn more about music and even get curious and interested to perform on numerous musical instruments is fascinating!

Barbra, a participant from Uganda resonates with music as a way of inspiring her thought process and mind relaxation.
“I don't think I can work without music in the background. It relaxes my mind," She comments.

Speaking to a few participants, music is a huge source of motivation to them. It brings life, joy and fun. As much as it is a source of entertainment for some it is a stress reliever, mind relaxing pill, speaks to their situations and so forth. Wacuka (Team Leader, Jenga Vijana Initiative) for example, prefers to listen to jazz and soul music on tired evenings to simmer the otherwise heated atmosphere of daily chores.

Theophile, a young man from Rwanda pulls his headphones after a long day of Design Thinking and Entrepreneural challenges. He says, “I wonder what drug makes up music, in fact, I think, music is in itself a drug.” Probing him further reveals how music helps him balance his whole being from the physical, spiritual as well as emotional life. A substantial percentage of the Yali participants enjoy the incorporation of music into the learning lessons. For most of them, it is sort of an energizer that makes different sessions fun and enjoyable. It brings relaxation, they say; that of self-reflection especially when coming up with ideas in mind blowing activities.
In this season at the East Africa Regional Center, Dowe Music becomes an umbrella of inspiration in YALI by bringing in different participants to engage in musical activities. Most evenings are spiced up as the students get entertained to various tunes such as the sweet swahili romance melody ‘Malaika’ by Fadhili Williams.

The session which was majorly about how the lovers of Swahili language can be proactive leaders brought in a major twist that blended with the music, discussions and information sharing. Thanks to the two major speakers William Malega-Tanzania and Douglas who brought the message home in the best articulate manner possible. For visitors from other countries, the session was more about learning a term or two in Swahili.

Cohort 28 played the part of encouraging these youthful students to even reach more noble heights. In whatever field they stand in, they learnt, building up on it is the most significant thing. Language represents art, so is music and any other form of creative talent. Discovering that a number of these students had these abilities was an avenue to let them realize their potential.

Spreading the message of change and fighting the status quo was carried forward hoping to reach more youths. Douglas Ogutu is a valid living definition of Music as a professional career investment and a hope to other young people who would want to achieve their dreams. My takeaway home note is,

“You can create a sustainable career in almost anything you do, depending on your approach and perspective.”

Dear reader, I hope you will not be the next individual killing another person's dream just because they prefer music to engineering or dancing to architecture. Remember there is so much to explore. Let it!