Change and Continuity in Riddles and Riddle Performance Among the Kipsigis of Kericho County, Kenya
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CHANGE AND CONTINUITY IN RIDDLES AND RIDDLE PERFORMANCE AMONG THE KIPSIGIS OF KERICHO COUNTY, KENYA ESTHER CHERONO A Thesis Submitted to Graduate School in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Literature of Egerton University EGERTON UNIVERSITY JULY, 2020 ii COPYRIGHT ©2020, Esther Cherono All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: whether mechanical, electronic, photocopying, scanning, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the author or Egerton University on behalf of the author. iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my beloved mother, Pauline C. Misik, my supportive uncle, Amos A. Misik, and my late father, Joel A. Misik who was and still is a source of inspiration in my life. Special dedication goes to my beloved husband, Joseph Namunyu and my children; Jael, Josphine, Jeiel and Jeriel for their continued motivation. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to Almighty God whose grace has seen me through this work. Special gratitude goes to my supervisors: Prof. Fugich Wako and Dr. Dishon Kweya who guided me through the thesis to completion. I am also indebted to Prof. Ilieva, Dr. Bartoo, Dr, Walunywa, and all the lecturers in the department for their support and encouragement. Further, my gratitude goes to Prof. Moses Rotich and his family for providing me with accommodation while I was working from the university. I also sincerely appreciate the informants including the resource persons, teachers, pupils, and the research guides Mathew Rutto and Beatrice Chepng’eno who greatly assisted me during my field work, without whom this work would not have been completed. May your knowledge grow and flourish. Moreover, the prayers and moral support of my spouse Pr. Joseph Namunyu and family, friends and relatives who greatly helped me in one way or another, are truly appreciated. I also acknowledge the support and understanding of my beautiful brilliant daughters: Chebet and Chepkosgey and my lovely twin boys; Jeiel and Jeriel. You gave me ample time, may your paths always open for great success. To all the people who contributed to the completion of this work in one way or another, thank you and God bless you. v ABSTRACT This study focused on contemporary Kipsigis riddles, their performances and ways in which they have adjusted to the socio-cultural circumstances brought to bear on the Kipsigis cultural lives. The objective of this study was to interrogate the ways in which the postcolonial experiences has influenced Kipsigis riddle formation and riddling, and the implication on the processes which produce the meaning. Although the structure and form of riddles has been extensively studied, the question of change and continuity in riddles and riddle performance has not received much attention. This thesis was informed by the concept of cultural circulation and appropriation of fragments from other cultures and genres in the process of cultural production. The study highlighted ways in which modernity has impacted on aspects of the Kipsigis culture and the implications that they have had on the process of riddle production and practice. Using ethnographic methods for data collection, the study sought for ways in which culture, on the one hand, and the performers of cultural genres, on the other hand, adjust to cultural modification as a result of cultural interaction. Thus, the study sought to understand ways of arriving at meaning in contemporary Kipsigis riddling in a context where shifts in value influenced by colonial modernity is apparent. The analytical procedure was informed by insights from the concept of composition by fragments by Barber (1989) and Hofmeyr (1994). This study espouses that riddle formation and practice is dependent on historical circumstances and experience of the community. The study established that the mode of construction of new metaphors in contemporary Kipsigis riddles reflects the changing postcolonial Kipsigis worldview. The Kipsigis riddle therefore can be regarded as a versatile genre capable of encapsulating the history as well as accommodating other experiences brought to bear on the community. It also provided an illustrative insight on how the Kipsigis people interacted with their neighbouring cultures and more importantly, how the British colonial authority impacted on the Kipsigis culture and traditions. The study concludes that riddles and the riddling process is not just about aesthetic appeal but it is able to both adapt to changes in a dynamic social context and act as a storehouse of African histories and experiences. Hence the study has expanded the frontiers of knowledge on the riddle by proposing a shift of focus to the impact of its context and its social history. The study opened more gaps on looking at riddles as a genre which can be used to interrogate the history of a community, its cultural transformations and and the making of new knowledge. The study recommends further investigation on how the riddle as a genre functions in Kenyan communities as well as in other African communities. TABLE OF CONTENTS vi DECLARATION AND RECOMMENDATION .................... Error! Bookmark not defined. COPYRIGHT ......................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION......................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................................... v ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF PLATES .................................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Study ................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Background to the Study of Riddles .............................................................................. 2 1.1.2 Historical Background of the Kipsigis culture............................................................... 5 1.1.3 The Kipsigis Riddles ...................................................................................................... 8 1.1.4 Kipsigis Riddle Performance ....................................................................................... 10 1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 11 1.3 Broad Objective of the Study .......................................................................................... 11 1.3.1 Specific Objectives ...................................................................................................... 11 1.4 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 11 1.5 Justification of the Study ................................................................................................ 12 1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study ................................................................................ 12 1.7 Definition of Terms......................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................ 15 2.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 15 2.1 Literature Review............................................................................................................ 15 2.2 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................ 28 3.0 Research Design.............................................................................................................. 28 3.1.1 The Study Area ............................................................................................................ 28 3.1.2 Target Population ......................................................................................................... 29 3.1.3 Methods of data collection ........................................................................................... 31 3.1.4 Data collection Tools ................................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS .......................................................................................... 34 vii 4.1 Post-Colonial influence on Kipsigis Culture, History and Oral Traditions .................... 34 4.1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 34 4.1.1 Impact of Post Colonial Modernity on Kipsigis Cultural Transformations ................. 43 4.1.2 Pastoralism and Farming in the Pre-colonial Kipsigis Community............................. 48 4.1.3 Kipsigis Oral Tradition ...............................................................................................