The Keiyo of Kenya During the Earlier Colonial Period, 1902-1939
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
THE ICE I YO OE KENYA DURING THE E ARE Y COLONIAL IP E RI OD , 1902 — 1939 ,f BY I SAAC TARUS THIi fHESI* BEEN ACCEPTEDPOL THE DEC!:* )B JX i.fr. A (.'<•• AAT BE I I, >i ED IN TUI- UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. MASTER OE ARTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI AERIE. * 19 9 4 ii DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. ISAAC TARUS This thesis has been submitted for examination with my knowledge as University supervisor. Ca u l s - V—• DR. DAVID SPERLING iii DEDICATION Dedication of this work is to my parents Philemon Chebiego and Evelyn Tabarno Kobilo. f -i iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to the many individuals who helped make this work a reality. My supervisor Dr. David Sperling patiently read through my drafts from the time of proposal to the completion of thesis. His understanding and encouragement were most invaluable. My informants whose names are appended at the end of this thesis generously gave all the information required. Special thanks must also go to the officials of Kenya National Archives, Jomo Kenyatta Memorial Library and the British Institute in East Africa for availing the necessary materials. Financial support for this thesis came from the University of Nairobi which I am very grateful. I am also greatly indebted to the members of staff of the Department of History who have always had a word of encouragement for me. In addition, I must express my deep gratitude to my brothers and sisters and to my wife Betty for their unfailing source of encouragement and help. Finally thanks to Ms. Lucy Nvokabi for the neat typing of this thesis. V ABSTRACT This study deals primarily with the manifestation, the magnitude and impact of early colonial onslaught on Keiyo society between 1902 and 1939. The entrenchment of colonialism affected the Keiyo in a very profound manner. In 1902 the area of the Keiyo was brought under the administration of the East Africa Protectorate. And by 1905 a Keiyo reserve had been created with the purpose of halting Keiyo territorial expansion into the Uasin Gishu plateau thus stalling the free movement of people and livestock. By impinging on Keiyo social and economic institutions the colonial administration subjected the Keiyo to specific demands. These included the alienation of land, taxation, migrant labour and the appointment of chiefs. The Keiyo responded by active participation in trade, business and cash crop farming. In addition, through their own initiative, the African government school Tambach was established. The colonial presence acted as an important element in the consolidation of the once divergent Keiyo clans. The Keiyo though severely constrained were not disheartened by colonial land alienation. Deprived of vital grazing land, they resourcefully exploited other survival opportunities in squatterdom, out-migration and the adaptation of new farming methods, such as the use of the plough and the linear planting of seeds rather than random broadcasting. vi Aspects of change and continuity permeated Keiyo indigenous institutions. During the period before 1939 the Keiyo were able to maintain a considerable degree of social and economic autonomy, adapting to external pressures without antagonising the colonial government. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE .................................................... i DECLARATION.............................................. ii D E D I C A T I O N ............................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................... iv ABSTRACT ................................................ v TABLE OF C O N T E N T S ..................................... vii LIST OF T A B L E S .......................................... x ABBREVIATIONS ............................................ xi MAPS .................................................. xii CHAPTER O N E ............................................ 1 Introduction ............................................ 1 The Human and Physical Setting ........................ 2 Statement of the Problem ............................... 7 Justification of the Research ......................... 8 Research Objectives ..................................... 9 Literature Review ....................................... 10 Theoretical Framework ................................... 18 Working Hypotheses ..................................... 25 Methods of Research ..................................... 25 Scope and Organisation of the Study . 29 N o t e s .................................................... 31 CHAPTER T W O ............................................ 35 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND UP TO 1902 35 Introduction 35 viii Historiographical Problems of Pre-colonial Keiyo . 35 The Emergence of Keiyo Society ........................ 43 The Economy .............................................. 53 Pre-Colonial Keiyo Land Use and C u s t o m ............... 57 Social and Political Organisation ...................... 59 C o n c l u s i o n .............................................. 66 N o t e s ..................................................... 68 CHAPTER THREE .......................................... 73 THE FOUNDATIONS OF COLONIALISM: LAND FACTOR UP TO 1939 ................................................ 73 Introduction ............................................ 73 Colonial Land Policy 1895 to 1923 ...................... 74 Keiyo Land Loss and Reaction 1923 to 1939 ............. 77 The Carter Land Commission and Keiyo Grievances .... 96 The Consequences of Land Alienation .................. 99 C o n c l u s i o n ............................................ 107 N o t e s .................................................. 109 CHAPTER F O U R .......................................... 115 THE KEIYO AND WAGE LABOUR, 1902-1939 115 Keiyo Pioneer Labour up to 1920 ...................... 115 Keiyo Squatters ....................................... 122 Keiyo Squatters, Circumstances and Relations with S e t t l e r s .......................................... 124 Squatters and the great depression ................. 130 The Myth and Reality of Taxation in Keiyo Migrant L a b o u r ............................................ 136 The 'Kipande' in Migrant Wage-labour ............... 147 ix The Labour Recruiters and Chiefs ................... 150 Conditions of Migrant Wage-labour ................... 155 C o n c l u s i o n ........................................... 161 N o t e s ................................................. 164 CHAPTER F I V E ......................................... 170 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHANGE 1902-1939 ..................... 170 Introduction ......................................... 170 Trade, Markets and Keiyo Entrepreneurs ............. 173 Agricultural Change .................................. 190 Keiyo demand for Education: Constraints and Opportunities up to 1939 ....................... 198 Pre-Colonial Keiyo Education .......................... 201 The Case of Tambach School, 1927-1939 ................. 203 C o n c l u s i o n ............................................. 216 N o t e s .................................................... 218 CHAPTER S I X ............................................. 224 CONCLUSION ............................................. 224 GLOSSARY ............................................... 230 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................... 233 APPENDIX 251 X LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 Forest Reserved, Demarcated or Earmarked for Demarcation: ................................ 92 TABLE 2 Statement of Land available in district for grazing and agriculture (estimated): Elgeyo r e s e r v e ....................................... 9 3 TABLE 3 Land available for Keiyo grazing and agriculture per location .................... 94 TABLE 4 List of Kerio Chiefs 1910-11 ......... 119 TABLE 5 Keiyo Family Squatters per Location 1939 . 134 TABLE 6 Keiyo Tax Figures for the Period 1912-1919 138 TABLE 7 Tax figure for the year 1919-1920 ......... 140 TABLE 8 Keiyo Cattle Census - 1 9 2 1 ............ 142 TABLE 9 Tax Figures paid by the Keiyo 1930-1937 . 146 TABLE 10 Showing Non-Keiyo Population at Tambach in 1927 182 TABLE 11 Government African School, Tambach - former Headmasters ................................ 212 xi ABBREVIATIONS A . I . M. African Inland Mission Bar Baringo D.C. District Commissioner E . L. 6. M. Elgeyo Marakwet I . B. E . A. Imperial British East Africa K.N.A. Kenya National Archives L . B . E . A. Leader of British East Africa L.N.C. Local Native Council N . I. T . D . Native Industrial Training Depot 0. I. Oral Interview RS Rupees R.V.P. Rift Valley Province P.W.D. Public Works Department Tamb. Tambach U.G. Uasin Gishu £ Pounds Location of Elgeyo Marakwet District in Kenya MAP 1 DISTRICT ATLAS— ELGEYO MARAKWET 1985 MAP SHOWING VARIOUS KEIYO LOCATIONSf1927) 1 CHAPTER ONE Introduction Few in-depth studies have been done on the impact of colonial rule on Keiyo society. This study aims at filling the gaps by analysing the manifestation, the magnitude and direction of colonial influence. It examines in detail the relations between the Keiyo, the settlers and the colonial administration, up to 1939 with special emphasis on aspects of change and continuity. This chapter is concerned with the physical and human setting of the study and an appreciation of the conceptual and structural framework of the whole thesis. The name Keiyo has been used to describe the collection of Central Kalenjin communities inhabiting parts of the eastern Uasin Gishu plateau, the Elgeyo Escarpment and