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?