Abstract:
Communication is part and parcel of human experience achieved through songs, poetry, writings, signs etc. Etymologically, it is a compound word derived from the Latin com-uni-care which literally means “to confer or discourse”. In this context it refers to the desire or intention of the communicator to make his/her feelings, thoughts and ideas known to his/her target group. It takes the form of invoking feelings of joy, sadness, love and hope by the speaker to his audience. Among the coastal people of Kenya, one way in which such communication is achieved is by the use of the „Kanga‟ as a platform upon which communicative messages are in - scripted. A kanga is a rectangular cloth measuring 150 by 110 cm. It contains sayings which communicate social, cultural, religious, political and even messages that are sentimental in nature. The Kangas are normally bought and worn in pairs – called „gora‟. This research aims at explaining the functions of the Kanga among the coastal people of Kenya by examining this cloth as a special readable text. The research is guided by two theories: The semiotics theory by Ferdinand de Saussure (1857 -1913) Charles Pierce (1839 – 1914) and Roland Barthes (1915 - 1980) which is rooted in the fact that every sign is embedded with a signifier and a signified. It also states that every sign has a meaning. The effectiveness of the Kanga as a means of communication is therefore judged by critically observing all the components of this cloth. The second theory is the pragmatics theory. This is the study of language which focuses attention on the users and the context of language use rather than on reference, truth or grammar. The following methods were used to collect data: participatory observation, interviewing, library research and consultation. Our respondents were chosen through random sampling. Chapter one introduces the thesis while chapter two deals with the history and functions of Kanga. Communication through the Kanga is explained in chapter three. Chapter four analyses the relationship between context and communication by Kanga as chapter five concludes the study by giving recommendations based on the findings.
