The Contemporary Kisii Household Gender Roles, Identity and Social Value in Everyday Life

1. The Contemporary Kisii HouseholdGender Roles, Identity and Social Value in Everyday Life

2. Introduction In Kisii households an ongoing competition for and control over scarce resources • Struggles between men and women over new roles and obligations • This chapter • Explores new social roles and value systems that have emerged for men and women • Examines new values and male and female identity and gender relations

3. Men’s Roles • Tea Picking • Night watchmen • Seasonal Contract Workers • Government Employees • Artisans • Matatu Drivers • Construction of Homes • Farmers? • Land ownership = farmer • Men sometimes clear land • Women 54%, Men 38%, Children 8%

4. Male migration has mostly ended But they don’t view themselves as farmers Men can sell land and profits Some women buy land, but it’s a sign of separation

5. Women’s Roles • More to do since colonial era • Farming • Smaller plots and same tools • Subsistance and cash • Hybrid maize harvested twice a year. • Water and fuelwood • Process and cook food • Transport, trade and sell at local markets • Buy basic necessities • Sugar, salt, soap, etc.

6. New Maize: 2 crops in a year Continuous cycle of land preparation, planting and harvesting

7. Resource Management and Control • Men own land and cattle • Men have right to sell land • Irresponsible • Self vs. Household gain

8. Women have potential power • Control over production, reproduction, and consumption • Men's absence give women some control over • Land use, crop income, marketing • Coping strategies • Middleman and Changaa • Withdraw direct and reproductive labor

9. Gendered Contributions to Household • Both sexes agree husbands should provide wives and children with: • Clothing, health expenses, • Agricultural implements and cattle • School fees, uniforms, books, • Women should provide • Food for the family

10. Spousal Negotiations • Men heads of households and decision makers • Women’s main reasons for quarreling include: • Economic neglect, laziness, lack of interest in children’s education • Men’s main worries • Poisoning by kababa—#2 reason why women go to jail • Neither spouse trusts the other

11. Other Household Issues • Alcohol consumption • Men only, socially required, discuss problems • Violence Against Women • Corrective behavior, socially accepted, increasing, 3 reasons for beatings • Psychological disorders • Men- inadequate, incompetent, insecure, inferior, persecuted, pressured • Women- stressed about making ends meet.

12. Conclusions • Men’s domain and social roles reduced • Women’s domain and independence increased • Precolonial: man’s role not directly linked to economic responsibility • Colonial period: provider ideology emerged, with new obligations and responsibilities for men • These new obligations were not assigned social value

13. Substantial change in need for family support challenged the ideology of separate spheres • Most men not able or prepared for these responsibilities and obligations • Men’s command over resources seriously diminished. Affects their political power, social relationships, etc. • Wives question need for deference and respect • Men’s control over women also questioned