Artists Run to Kaya Elders' Blessings to Rideout Poverty

By Julius Mwabonje

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Giriama traditional artists and musicians from the coastal region have turned to Kaya elders’ cleansing and blessings to get rich.

The artists claimed that they have been doing their entertainment business, but benefiting very little economically despite performing at many a stage.

Led by Fatuma Nyamawi and Katana Gona who entertain tourists’ hotels in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties, the artists visited Kaya Fungo sacred forest in Kaloleni Sub-County in Kilifi where they offered sacrifices and were cleansed by elders to get a financial breakthrough in their fields.

Fatuma said that she has never made a financial gains since she started performing in hotels without a breakthrough, thus thinking of being cast a curse on her.

“We’ve come here today to appease our ancestors and pray to them to release the bad omen that has prevented us from succeeding financially from our trade the way other artists from the other tribes do. We see our colleagues from other tribes living well and large financially but for us, we are always poor yet we perform in the same entertainment environment like them,” she said.

Gona who performs Mkonyonyo dance and music said that the elders had assured them of their blessings and that they would henceforth be visiting the Kaya frequently for blessings.

“Most of us perform traditional music and dances in airports, to dignitaries and tourist hotels but we don’t know where money goes and we have resorted to coming to elders so that they can intervene and open our ways,” he said.

Kaya Elders decried the poor living standards of Giriama traditional artists whom some died in poverty yet they performed beyond the coastal region.

“We’ve had their predecessors who died very poor despite having big names in the entertainment industry such as Bini Hare, Konjo Kulia and others. We think they lacked elders’ wisdom that is why these ones have come to seek blessings,” he said.