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This book highlights music and dance traditions of the Dawida people of the coastal region of Kenya. Supporting his arguments with pictorial evidence, the author presents an in-depth analysis of field research data on the musics and dances of the Dawida. On the basis of extensive review of related literature on Music traditions of Africa, Professor Nyakiti presents in detail the structure and performance of musics and dances of the Dawida a community that inhabits Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province, Kenya. Apart from explaining and discussing theories that underlie the creation, practice and performance of their music, the author discusses the influence of Climate, Vegetation and Occupation on Music of the people of the region. This book is very significant because it exemplifies, reliably and objectively, the methodology of research and documentation of musics and dance traditions of Africa in modern times. The book is highly recommended to music students, scholars and researchers in secondary schools, colleges and universities in Kenya, Africa and elsewhere in the world.

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Charles Nyakiti Orawo is a Professor of African Music and Ethnomusicology in the Department of Music and Dance, Kenyatta University, Nairobi (Kenya). He holds M.A. and Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from The Queen´s University of Belfast. He is an Ethnomusicologist supported with extensive field research experiences in Music traditions of Africa.

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