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Historical Background

Explore the historical background of Kisii society from pre-colonial times to post-independence, covering their settlement, division of labor, rules of marriage, early colonial history, agricultural changes, impact of taxation, and the effects of industrialization. Witness the shift in gender roles and societal dynamics amidst external influences.

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Historical Background

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  1. Historical Background

  2. Pre-Colonial History • Source: oral history, from older people • Kisii settled around 200 years ago • Question: who inhabited the area before? • Gusii came from area N. of Mt. Elgon • Moved from pastoral to agricultural climate • Raided by Masai, Kipsigi, Juluo • 1892 – Gusii united to repel Kipsigi attack • Question: beginnings of a state?

  3. Who was in charge? • Economic decisions: old men • Legal decisions: old men • Religious rituals: old men

  4. Division of Labor • Men: Cattle herding, cattle raids and warfare, hunting. • Women: Growing crops, cooking and brewing, gathering firewood and water • Men build hut frames, women plaster • Iron extraction: Men cut trees, dig pits • Women carry, dry, and sort soil • Also activity segregation by age group

  5. 3 Rules of Marriage • Interclan • Method of establishing/maintaining peace • Patrilocal/Patrilineal • Relocation of wife to husband’s clan • Children belong to husband’s clan • Bridewealth • Payments in the range of 20-30 cows • No choice/declination for women

  6. Women and Children • More wives = more land can be farmed • Up to 20 wives in some cases • More sons = more supporters in case of legal or military conflict, more male descendants to worship you • More daughters = more bride payments • Man with only one wife is shunned • Infertility is a tragedy, wives compete for husband’s attention • Widows continue to have children

  7. Early Colonial History • 1894 Gusiiland made a “Native Reserve” • 1914 put under full British Rule • Gusii couldn’t fight British firepower • Religious/cultural “Mumboism” repressed

  8. Cattle Camps • Young men trained in combat, and to work together in groups • Often raided other camps/villages • Abolished by the British between 1912 and 1927 • Raids caused instability • Seen as possible nucleus of rebel army

  9. Loss of cattle • Cause: abolition of cattle camps • Cause: land taken over by cash crops • Effect: fewer skins available for clothing, must use cash to buy modern clothes • Effect: fewer cattle available for bride price • Installment plans • Elopement • Less polygamy

  10. Taxation • Imposition of hut and poll taxes • Introduction of chiefs/headmen • No local white settlement (source of cash) • Forced men to migrate • Plantation work, railroad construction, construction of Nairobi, light industry • Taxes and resource exploitation increased as a result of WWI, depression, WW2 • Brits wanted low wage workers in Nairobi, who would retire back to their homelands

  11. Agricultural Changes • Plows and grinding mills introduced in the 1930s and 40s • This should have given women free time • Women expected to produce cash crops • Villages populated by women, children, and old men • Women took over traditional male task of milking cows

  12. Men lose respect • Western court system replaces their former legal role • Christianity replaces their former religious role • Military replaces them as “protector” of the cattle, village • They are now an economic “provider” • Change from warrior-hero to minimum wage worker

  13. Post WW2 • Population (labor supply) increasing • Possibly due to western medicine? • Industrialization reducing labor demand • = … • Unemployment • Mau Mau rebellion in 1952 • Independence in 1963 • Reverse male migration, back to Kisii

  14. Alcoholism • Pre-colonial source of alcohol • Beer brewed by your wives • Modern source of alcohol • Female-headed households, brewing beer as an occupation • Modern drinking establishments, convenience stores? • Question: could this be a major contributor to alcoholism?

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