- Educationist Victor Ochieng’ argues that hymns offer learners valuable lessons in poetry, language, history and character formation.
- He traces how exposure to hymnody shaped his appreciation of literature, faith and creative expression.
- According to Ochieng’, schools can use hymns to nurture values, imagination and intellectual growth among learners.
By Victor Ochieng’
Dear reader, while I was preparing to pen this piece, I decided to take a mental flight back to the sunset of 90s. I remember fondly, when I was a pre-teen in STD 7 and 8 at Anyiko Primary School at Yala, in Gem of Siaya, I had noble teachers who taught us with passion and pizzazz. One of those great teachers was Mwalimu James Oduor from the other side of River Yala, Ulumbi. Mwalimu is now retired from both active and productive service, but not tired. For after he retired from teaching, he “re-tyred”, wore new tyres in church. He is now a pastor at Duond Warruok kod Chang, Voice of Salvation and Healing (VOSH).
Again, while I was still a stripling, learning at Anyiko Primary School on Yala-Butere Road, Mwalimu taught us English Language in STD 7. As a scribe, I describe Mwalimu as noble because he was able to teach us beyond the four walls of the mud-walled rickety classrooms. Being that our school was sponsored by the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Mwalimu introduced us to the classic music hidden in hymns, which we see and sing in the corpus of church poetry — Golden Bells. This is a good idea worth gelling. Why? In this age, some young people dote on music whose only message is obscenity or vulgarity.
In my case, exposure to classic music hidden in hymns, was quite intriguing, even interesting. For earlier, while learning, I was leaning on firm faith of my grizzled granny, Nyar Got Regea. Mine was akin to what Apostle Paul of Tarsus reminds Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:5: Of the unfeigned faith in his grandees — mother Eunice, and grandmother Loise. My grandma was, and still is, a devoted Roman Catholic faithful. So, when I lost my parents at childhood, I stayed with grandpas from childhood to the time I became a young adult. The greatest gift grandma gave me was introducing me to Church while I was still innocent, and not yet an adolescent. There, I was able to meet and interact with sacred scriptures, classic music, prayers and chants in Church at Yala, where we reeled in riveting renditions led by some two tough catechists. Splendid indeed, I did develop deep eidetic and poetic mind.
So, at Anyiko Primary School, Mwalimu introduced us to the classic music hidden in hymns. So, I learnt how to hum hymns such as What a Friend We Have in Jesus, which led to my Christ-consciousness. No wonder, when the Diguna missionaries visited our school when I was 12 years old in STD 7, I decided to accept the aegis of Jesus. I understood the Roman Road to Salvation (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9; 5:1-2). So, through conviction, my conscience was convinced to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Then, I joined Christian Outreach Ministries where I started experiences what is written in 2 Peter 3:18: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Moreover, I listened to hymns while taking note of lovely lines and lyrics. I discovered that some hymns had parts that talked about Heaven and eternal life. I mean, the now and hereafter. Ideally, such awakening and awareness makes us live a life replete and complete with purpose — reason of existence. Again, we think of mortality and vanity rife in this life. As put aptly in Ecclesiastes 12:12, Solomon in the intensity of his sagacity advises us. Quoth he, “… Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of humankind.” And, in the hymn Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me, the last stanza goes like: While I draw this fleeting breath, /When mine eyes shall close in death, /When I soar to worlds unknown, /See Thee on Thy judgement throne, /Rock of Ages, cleft for me, /Let me hide myself in thee.
Consequently, when I joined Nyamninia Secondary School on Kisumu-Busia Road, I also discovered the school was sponsored by ACK. Therefore, we still sang hymns taught by the school chaplain. Then, while newbies in Form One, our teacher of English, Principal Achieng’ Ochieng’, introduced us to plenty of poetry, a preparatory for my literary lust. Largely, my head and heart saw the connection between classic music hidden in hymns and poetry. More so, the lovely lines, licence, stanzas and deep diction.
Therefore, I just learnt. Every song is a poem. But not every poem is a song per se. Hymns carry classic music. Hymns are poems that are orisons, prayers. For in the distant past, St. Augustine of Hippo said, “Singing is praying twice.” This is the reason poetry is my pet subject in English Language and Literature. I developed intense interest in it. No wonder, all the students I taught English at Rev. Musa Gitau Girls School and Good Samaritan School, will still attest: I loved to latch onto poetry. Furthermore, in 2017, together with Jackson Makula, we co-authored Nuts and Bolts of Secondary Poetry, which teachers use as a reference book.
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Finally, while reading and researching about the provenance of the hymn Amazing Grace by John Newton (1725-1807). Before his Saul-to-Paul-like conversion, John Newton was an English slave trader and a faithless seaman. But he later became a man of deep faith, Anglican minister and hymn writer. No wonder, he wrote the classic music hidden in the hymn: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound/That saved a wretch like me. /I once was lost, but now I’m found;/Was blind, but now I see. So, as I conclude, we should make students know the background of hymn writers such as Amazing Grace by John Newton whose past was bad. Or It is Well with My Soul /When Peace Like a River by Horatio Spafford, whose past was sad. For hymns are transformative: they can inform, form and transform students. For students are going through transformation — formation while on transit.
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer rolls out talks and training services in schools. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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