He was probably one of the most mercurial and charismatic religious leaders in independent Kenya. He was brave and fearless. He was described in nearly every notable Kenyan newspapers as a fiery and vocal cleric who fearlessly, relentlessly, and courageously criticized the government of President Daniel arap Moi for its human rights abuses against Kenyans…. Read more »
Subject: Gender
From the Cooking Pot to the Table
Foods and lifestyles connected to them have increasingly become an important topic of discussion among people all over the world. Whether one is snacking on a light meal on a couch at home, devouring his way through a four-course meal at a trendy restaurant, watching a food critic railing against a hapless, sweating chef trying… Read more »
The Mikayi Senior Wife
One of the most visibly unique features of Kisumu City is a building on the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground that resembles a traditional senior wife’s hut in a Luo homestead. The building is aptly named Od Mikayi–the house of the senior Luo woman, the first wife, in a Luo homestead. Although this essay is not… Read more »
Fishing at Dunga Beach on Lake Victoria
Dunga Beach is a longtime fishing village on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Winam on Lake Victoria, just south of Kisumu City. The small community coalesced more than a century ago as migrants from the surrounding countryside arrived there to fish and trade on the outskirts of Kisumu. Over time, and increasingly in… Read more »
The Many Uses of Kit Mikayi
The African continent, like other continents around the world, has many natural rock formations and other structural wonders with deep significance for the ethnic groups and communities living around them. One of these is Kit Mikayi. Kit Mikayi is a natural geographical site in Kenya with hallowed grounds that attract thousands of religious members who… Read more »
Traditional Homesteads Among the Luo of Kenya
A Luo home or homestead, it is often said, is like a book – a book that tells you about the Luo culture, how the Luo view life, and how they view each other. More than 4 million Luo people live in Kenya, mainly in Nyanza, in the western part of the country Kenya. Several… Read more »
Kisumu Girls High School
A few years before its independence in the 1960s, Kenya saw efforts by various personalities, organizations, and groups to give proper intellectual backing to the education of girls. Of vital importance to this intellectual awakening was the formation of the Ministry of Education to investigate and promote the education of the majority of the citizens… Read more »