Resisting politics of male control and gender-based violence in the Borana girls’ song

Abstract

This paper interrogates the songs of girls that contest this marginalised position by questioning the authorities of parents, brothers, husbands and mothers-in-law. It documents, analyses and teases out the meaning of these oral songs within a theoretical framework of feminist orientation. The girls’ song was collected from Sololo Division, Moyale District. The Borana songs by girls were collected in situ. The paper also drew the library research for purposes of theoretical grounding, literature review and profundity in data analysis and interpretation. A focused group discussion was also held with some informants who demonstrated their knowledge of these songs and the culture of the Borana community in general. Finally, the collected data were analysed for their contents. These were texts of the songs, field notes for the critical responses from the audience in the form of condemnation or commendation, and cultural contexts of the performances. Singers who invoke alternative viewpoints contest the very instruments of power such as culture, tradition, religion, age and gender used by patriarchy to legitimise its practice of marginalisation of and control over girls. As a result, a fresh dimension of social transformation emerges. The paper argues that the girls have a collective desire to be part of the Borana community without being subjected to gender-based discrimination. It concludes that the songs are used as sites of contestation that invoice the rejection of these discriminations and reaffirm their belongingness to mainstream society.