CHANGING PATTERNS IN MARRIAGE AMONG THE ISUKHA PEOPLE OF KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA, 1894-2010 BY LEEN KAVULAVU A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, POLITICAL SCIENCE & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY MOI UNIVERSITY 2020 ii DECLARATION Declaration by Candidate This thesis is my own original work and has not been presented in any institution for the award of any degree. No part of this thesis should be reproduced without my consent or that of Moi University. Signature: _________________________ Date: ___________________________ Leen Kavulavu REG.NO. SAS/DH/11/14 DECLARATION BY SUPERVISORS This thesis is the candidate’s work and has been prepared with our guidance and assistance; it has been submitted with our approval as official University Supervisors. Signature: _________________________ Date: ___________________________ Prof. John K. Chang’ach Department of Educational Foundations Moi University Eldoret Signature: _________________________ Date: ___________________________ Dr. Prisca Tanui Too Department of History, Political Science & Public Administration Moi University Eldoret iii DEDICATION To my parents Levi Mugalavai Musalia and Anne Koster Mugalavai for their love and encouragement and in memory of my late grandfather Hezron Musalia Ogalo. iv ACKNOWELDGEMENTS I greatly thank the almighty God for his loving, kindness and sufficient enabling environment during the period of this study. I am greatly indebted to my supervisors, Prof. John K.Chang’ach and Dr. Prisca Tanui Too for their intellectual input, useful discussions and corrections on several aspects of this dissertation. I deeply appreciate their cooperation, guidance and positive criticisms which had immeasurable impact on the final form of this work. I also wish to thank both supervisors for their emotional support and encouragement when l felt like giving up. Special thanks should also be extended to the following: the entire fraternity of lecturers and staff of the School of Arts and Social Sciences of Moi University for having opened its scholarly atmosphere which enabled me to acquire relevant knowledge; the Department of Humanities and Languages of Karatina University, for the support that made it possible for me to undertake Ph.D. studies at Moi University. Gratitude to all my colleagues in the department of Humanities and Languages of Karatina University, and especially Prof. John Mwaruvie, Prof. Joshia Osamba and Janet Naisoi Mashara who readily accepted taking over my teaching responsibilities while l was away. I also appreciate the invaluable support from staff of the Moi University Library, Karatina University Library, the Kenya National Library Services libraries and the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Centre Search Room where the research was conducted for their generous assistance. I am also grateful to my classmates Sara, Malion and Duncan for sharing with me their experiences and challenges during my study. I find no suitable words to thank Alfred Nagwe for proof reading the work and his valuable remarks during personal discussions. I am greatly indebted to my study participants for sacrificing their time for the interviews. I am particularly grateful to my contact persons in the field who were also participants, Philip Nabwangu Shiholo, Charles Sambuli, Laban Shikulu Shitambatsi, Gilbert Shigami, Assistant Chief David Ashimosi, Edward Konzola and Pastor Simon Osiango for introducing me to the participants. Professor Joshia Osamba deserves special gratitude for his editorial assistance. I also acknowledge the support of Paul, Ann and Sally, who patiently showed me how to use the computer and the necessary programmes. Many thanks to my father, Prof. Levi Mugalavai Musalia and mother Anne Koster Mugalavai for their patience and support. My sisters, Viona Muleke and Cynthia Chamwada and my friends Amos Wawire, Annrose Mutea, Mary Nyawira, George Okumu and Zainabu, all in their small ways fired my imagination. To you all, l thank you. v ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of colonial and post-colonial social and economic changes on Isukha traditional marriage institution 1894-2010. The study maintained that the colonial and post-colonial policies restructured the traditional Isukha marriage institution from courtship, bride wealth, marriage ceremony, widow guardianship to polygamy. The objectives that guided this research included the evaluation of significance of marriage among the Isukha during the pre-colonial period; examination of the establishment of colonial and missionaries’ activities in Isukha; exploration on Isukha marital structural responses to colonial policies and missionary activities; assessing changes in marital relations of the Isukha community in 1963 to 1990; and post-colonial period on labour, property and marital relationship among the Isukha to 2010. The historical research design was used in this research in order to link phases of the area of the study. The study was informed by the theories of articulation of modes of production and agency. Data collection was done through primary and secondary sources by use of vast archival materials and the oral interviews that revealed the state of Isukha perception of marriage institution. Purposive sampling and snowballing techniques were used to select a sample of 60 participants well versed with Isukha marriage from the target population. The research instrument that were employed to collect oral data included unstructured interview schedule, and Focus Group Discussions. Data was analysed using qualitative method. It was compiled into themes and reported in descriptive texts and direct quotations. The study established that the traditional marital institution was the foundation of Isukha society because marriage ceremony fostered cohesion and socialization among community members. It equally observed that, the establishment of the church through missionaries’ activities who acted as fore runners of colonialism impacted on traditional Isukha marriage institution. The study also established that the period 1945-1963 marked a transition in the Isukha marriage institution courtesy of rural- urban migration of the persons under study. Furthermore, the study also found out that while the missionaries and the colonial state with considerable difficulty articulated foreign marital practices, the Isukha responded as receptive agents ready to accommodate, absorb and assimilate new practices into their traditional marriage institution. The Isukha therefore, retained what they deemed beneficial to their marital institution and restructured their traditional institution of marriage with the new and progressive ideas from the missionaries, the colonial state and globalization with what they considered beneficial to the marriage institution. With this nature of the Isukha, their marital institution and property structurally evolved during the period of this study. The research findings established harmonization of the missionary and colonial progressive marital values into the traditional Isukha marital system. The study recommends the need to incorporate some traditional practices such as bridewealth payment, parent’s involvement in family life education and communal interest in the choice of a partner which are harmless and the registration of all marital unions in order to protect the matrimonial rights of the parties. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .......................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWELDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... xi GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................... xii OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS ........................................................... xiv ABREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .......................................................................xv CHAPTER ONE ..........................................................................................................1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ...........................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Study Area ...............................................................................................................5 1.3 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................11 1.4 Purpose of the Study ..............................................................................................11 1.5 Objectives of the Study ..........................................................................................11 1.6 Research Questions ................................................................................................12