The Voices of Young People in Heritage Conservation Project was initiated to revitalize and establish a network of peace clubs in selected primary and secondary schools in Kenya where the Community Peace Museums Heritage Foundation (CPMHF) has established Peace Clubs.
The network of young people has a chance to voice expressions of Utu in their indigenous languages and the arts. In this way, they become actively involved in protection of Indigenous peace cultural heritage. The young people are also encouraged to engage in debate conversations that are at some point radio based. They also engage in creative storytelling, poetry and drama to stage heritage-based arts (like dances and songs) learned from the cultural experts in their communities in the village square. They also research on community memories and art forms in different aspects of cultural diversity and create competitive performances which include young people’s traditional peace games, toys, stone and wood carvings, painting and creating material culture such as pots, walking sticks and stools. Competitive performances can also cover Indigenous language games crafted around proverbs, parables, riddles and metaphors.
By strengthening it, the network will grow and create a vibrant crisscrossing paths of heritage knowledge production by the youth in the Peace Clubs. Through the body centered arts, as it has been traditionally in the past, tomorrow’s decision makers will retain heritage conservation making their voices heard. Below is an audio clip for a Radio Production that gives you an idea of the overall activities of Young Voices Project and includes young people’s voices captured during the radio-based debates and conversations.
