KWANI? Features of Open-mic Poetry Performances in Kenya

This paper examines the feature of open-mic poetry performance, a sub-genre spoken word in Kenya. Since 2003, Performance has gained greater recognition Kenya, illustrating impact captivating verbal choices at play crafted, theatrical, and nonlinear dialogues between poets their audiences. uses selected poems to describe how this engages various inflections (re)presenting our everyday societal issues. Anchored on an interactionist stance, study proceeds from understanding that art should be viewed not as disembodied product but collection dynamic social interactional processes. While using textual analysis, unravels used It further interrogates deploy performance strategies make performances lively deliver intended messages. The argues emergence Kenya prompted construct own identities artists. In doing so, these strive define uniquely Kenyan enables them preserve while capitalizing benefits emerging brings concerns.