Kenyan Green Village Report - ADAM - Leonardo da Vinci Projects ...

KENYAN GREEN VILLAGE
510138-LLP-1-2010-1-UK-LEONARDO-
LMP
Kenyan Green Village Report
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission. This publication reflects the
views only of the author, and the Commission cannot
be held responsible for any use which may be made
of the information contained therein
MicrManyatta Youth
6/28/2013

KENYAN GREEN VILLAGE
MANYATTA YOUTH
Cultural Integration: Weaving together the Coastal and lakeside cultures
A GREEN VILLAGE PROJECT- KENYA
A participatory study conducted by:
Manyatta Youth
Po. Box 88453-80100 MSA
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JUNE, 2011.
STUDY FINDINGS
Rural Food
What types of food do you grow in your community?
The following are some of the common foods grown in the coastal and southern Nyanza region; maize,
beans, finger millet, pumpkins, cassava, cow peas, green peas, vegetables, maize, mangoes (fruit & food
enrichment), fish (readily available in the ocean) and palm (coconut) trees which also tapped to produce
palm wine, coconut fruit among others.
How do you prepare these types of food?
South Coast
Cassava;
This is a staple food in the coastal region. It is harvested directly from the farm, the outer cover is peeled
off and the inner white part is cooked. In case you would wish it to be served with coconut soup, the
cassava is cut into smaller pieces and carefully laid in a cooking pot. Thereafter, the inner white and softer
part of the coconut is removed using a traditional knife; mbuzi [see photo]. Once ready the soft white
tissue is then transferred into a traditional sieve and the white milk is added to the cassava together with
salt to taste and then cooked. When fully cooked it ready to be served.
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The second type of cassava food sima ya bada originates from cassava flour. Cassava uprooted from the
farm, peeled off and dried out in the sun for three days and grounded to produce flour used for making
cassava cake commonly known as sima ya bada. The cassava is harvested from the farm, peeled off and the
inner soft tissue is cut into smaller pieces and dried in the sun until it is dry. This usually takes three – five
days depending on weather conditions. Once dry, they are placed in a traditional mortar (see photo) where
they are pounded using a pestle until it is completely threshed. It is then transferred to a traditional tray
(see photo) where it is sieved to get a fine flour which is used to prepare sima ya bada.
The process of cooking requires a lot of expertise. To start off the process, you boil water when it starts
simmering you add cassava flour and then stir until forms porridge like mixture. Add more cassava flour
and continue cooking until it is ready to be served.
Sea fish
The other common type of food for the coastal community is sea fish and there exists varied species
drawn from the ocean. The fish is cleaned by removing the intestines. Thereafter, a sharp stick is passed
directly through the mouth of the fish and passes through the lower part of the fish. This is done to
ensure the fish remains stiff enough thus preventing it from bending and losing shape. A palm leave stick
is split into half and the fish to be cooked carefully sandwiched in between the sticks. The stick is then tied
up tightly from the open end and salt carefully applied to catalyze the drying process. They are then
roasted over the fire for about twenty minutes until ready to serve.
Preparing boiled fish also follows a similar preparation process.
The fish is cut into small pieces and arranged inside a cooking pot. In order to stop the fish from sticking
at the bottom of the cooking pot, some sticks are placed strategically and the fish is gently placed on top
of them. Add water to the fish and a little salt. Allow to boil. Later add more water and slices of raw
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mango. Continue boiling until the slices of mango are soft enough. The food is ready to be served with
ugali (maize meal cake) or rice. For those who prefer pepper, a special chili sauce is prepared using grounded
pepper, salt and lemon. There are so many varieties of food available in our communities and these
include their preparation methods. However, we have only sampled some of the most common ones for
purposes of this report.
South Nyanza
A comparative study was made and in this regard the team also conducted a field tour and interacted with
a lakeside community in southern Nyanza province, in western part of Kenya. We identified typical food
varieties that are also prevalent within the southern coastal communities in coastal region of Kenya. This
community is also largely dependent on fish and its related products.
Although due to greater demands for the product in the external markets the community is only able to
access poor quality of fish since the best quality is sent to satisfy the very increasing demands of the urban
markets. It is common practice that meals are served separately for both men and women. In addition, the
girls are always required to eat with their mothers in the kitchen while boys are culturally required to eat
with the men or their fathers outside in the open space or in the main room.
Rural Energy; forms of energy use;
Cooking
Firewood is predominantly used for cooking purposes and is usually collected by women especially girls
from nearby forests and bushes. This is socially constructed role (gender) that is passed on from one
generation to the other. These can either be collected when dry or ‘wet’. The dry wood is usually
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consumed immediately while the ‘wet’ ones are often split into sizeable pieces, dried out in the sun and
later kept for future use.
Lighting
Tin lamps made locally from used tins and a rag coiled to form the wick. These tins lamps that emit a lot
of smoke are called koroboi (coast) and Nyangile (Nyanza).due to high source of paraffin which is the main
source of energy used fro lighting, others would light up a log in the house to provide light in the room. In
extremely poor families they depend on sun light.
As such supper is always prepared before sunset and either eaten immediately or next to the fire place. On
a moonlit night, people depend on its light. Essentially most of these rural communities have naturally
adopted mechanism of operating in the dark. Light is used sparingly and extremely when it is necessary. for
example among the lakeside communities people are discouraged from sweeping at night based on the premise that one will
drive away ‘family wealth’. In essence, the aim is to avoid important household being swept out in the dark.
Heating houses
During cold seasons most families gather firewood in a central place inside their houses and light up fire
to generate heat and warmth and also to drive away insects (e.g. mosquitoes) and snakes. The smoke that
comes with the fire is also used to preserve meat (for use during tough seasons e.g. famine etc) and seeds
to be used in subsequent planting season.
Use of solar energy
Both communities largely depend on solar energy for a number of activities. The first major function is
drying their food e.g. fish, meat, maize, millet, cassava etc. Crops in the field also depend on the sunlight
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for photosynthesis. It is equally used to dry clothes and most rural community members also bask in the
sun especially in the morning to obtain vitamin D. lastly, rural communities also use the sun to determine
the time in the course of the day.
3. Sustainable Ancestors (Generational skills transfer)
a) How are skills and knowledge transferred from one generation to the other?
[Grandparents – parents – children]
Skills transfer from one generation varies based on levels and biological orientation (male or female).
There are skills that are transferred from father to son, mother to daughter especially during childhood. As
children mature into adolescence this role is taken over by the grandparents, uncles and aunties. Based on
the rural setting, the grandparents are often closer and freer with their grandchildren. Issues relating to
sexuality and responsibility are addressed by the grandparents. Girls are often required to spend the night
in their grandmothers’ house where cultural practices relating to womanhood are skillfully transferred. For
example girls at this stage learn more about how to cope with sexual and/or reproductive health problems i.e. menstruation.
Girls are taught in a wide range of domestic issues e.g. cooking, house keeping, midwifery (traditional
birth attendants), herbalists etc
Boys on the other hand, in their childhood draw a lot of inspiration from their fathers and they spend a
lot of time with their fathers informally learning based on experience building, mentorship and intuition.
Fathers who are fishermen, herbalists, singers and dancers, spiritualists, witchdoctors wanamaji or ajuoke
palm wine tapers (climbing the palm tree to tap wine is a special skills that is only passed along family
lines) , hunters, basket weavers and kaya elders naturally transfer these skills to their sons. We have very
specific skills like; rain making, sorcery and witchcraft that are only passed at the point of death or after
death. In most cases, the spirits always settle on a next kin of their choice from that particular family.
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It is also interesting to note sometimes parents deliberately pass on skills to their children irrespective of
gender roles. This happens in homes where either there is no son to inherit the skills or the son is not very
keen in earning about the particular skill. In this instance the skill is often transferred to a girl thus
breaking the stipulated socially constructed roles.
The four rites of passage in our traditional Africa community are critical in determining the levels at which
skills are transferred. These include; birth, puberty, marriage (adulthood) and death. A form of skills
transfer cycle is followed because as one gets older they are equally expected to repeat the cycle. One
typically common practice of ensuring sustainable ancestor hood is naming of children after their departed
parents, grandparents or influential elders in their communities. This ensures there is continuity.
Sometimes, when a child cries continuously it is always concluded that it is the spirit of a departed relative
crying to be reincarnated through the child. Based on experience, the child usually stops crying
immediately it is called using the name of the relative. Certain places are also named after some of these
ancestors as historical and permanent symbols or marks of their continued existence though post
humously in the lives of community members. Others practices that further the spirit of sustainable
ancestors are sometimes done unconsciously. For example it is a common practice among the digos to pour out
libation before taking a sip of their palm wine; mnazi. Usually, a small quantity of the wine is poured on the ground as a
spiritual connection with the ancestors.
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b) Where does this transfer take place
Skills transfer in most rural communities takes place either in mosques or churches because of the deep
religious beliefs that they hold to matters relating to their spirituality. Moral ethics and values are imparted
through the religious leaders to the followers. For school going community members schools play a
fundamental role in propagating skills, knowledge and transformation of attitudes towards various socioeconomic
and political issues. The family remains the primary unit at which skils are shared from either
the parents or grandparents to the younger generations.
Besides the above areas skills are transferred through public meetings, trainings organized by the
government, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
operating within these areas. Other informal areas of sharing and skills exchange include water points,
markets and palm wine selling joints. We have however not mentioned the role that the media is playing in
skills transfer with advent of vernacular based FM radio stations.
4. Sustainable Building
a) What kind of houses do you live in?
In both communities visited, the type of house build by rural dwellers is largely determined by their level
of income per house hold. Such factors as social stratification and economic differentiation in the rural microeconomic
pyramid are major influencing factors. Poor families prefer mud houses and makuti (palm leaves)
thatched roofing.
Average families build mud houses with iron sheet roofing while others also upgrade the mud houses into
semi permanent status depending on their upward mobility (improved socio-economic status) in the
society. In this framework, we also have privileged families by virtue of education, positions of influence,
wealth who can afford permanent concrete houses.
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b) What materials do you use in building these houses?
As shown in the above photos, the most common material for low cost mud houses are; building poles
obtained from mangrove forests (coast), fencing poles fitos, twigs, boritis, sisal strings, red earth soil
mounded to form clay, water and dry palm leaves/grass for thatching.
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Semi permanent houses require the same materials however, coral stones (blocks), sand and water will be
necessary to reinforce the building. As for permanent and concrete buildings, the requirements are similar
to any other modern type building structure.
c) Where do these materials come from?
Most of these building materials are obtained directly from the natural environment while other
requirements especially for permanent buildings are purchased from local hardware stores.
d) Who participates in this process?
Building process is a communal affair that involves men, elders, women and children with each playing
specific roles. The level of participation in the building process reduces as you graduate from a low cost
mud house to a permanent house that requires more technical expertise.
e) What role do they play?
Children and women usually collect water,
transportation of building materials from the source
and any other assigned roles based on gender
specifications of the community; women also prepare
meals while men engage in the actual construction of
the house and supervision of the exercise. In both
communities this is often viewed as a communal event
that is highly promotes the spirit of mweria or kanyakla
kinship solidarity and tranquility in the society. Besides the aspect of solidarity, it is also believed that it is a
key source of blessing. The elders as the custodians of the traditional norms play an oversight role to
ensure that the laid down cultural practices are jealously guarded and conformed to.
5. Wood Products
f) What are the common uses of forests
i) Wood
Wood as a product is obtained from forests by both communities and its use is quite diverse. The primary
use is for building purposes (poles, roof trusts, fencing posts etc). Consequently, wood is used as the
principal source of cooking energy and as mentioned in the previous chapters this predominantly the
preserve of women and girls. Both communities also use the wood to craft canoes and boats, doors,
windows, fishing traps and even furniture that is used at home or sold to commercial users for final use by
carpenters in urban centers.
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ii) Honey
In the past community would harvest honey from wild bees in the forests and they would use fire to
demobilize the bees at night. Even today, the forests still provide the best grounds for bee keeping.
Artificial beehives are often strategically located in the forests and harvested periodically to provide honey
either for domestic use or further processing for commercial
purposes.
iii) Medicines
Forests in both communities are the main sources of herbal
medicines that have been used and continue to be used by the
communities as remedies for various ailments. Different parts of
trees are harvested ranging from the roots, leaves to the barks that
are used directly or pounded, dried in the sun and boiled. Twigs
obtained from specific trees in the forests are also used as
toothbrushes. Families composed of herbalists and witchdoctors directly derive their livelihoods from the
medicines that are used to treat various ailments while
witchdoctors are also able to prepare charms or
concoctions that could be used for either black magic
or witchcraft purposes.
iv) Others
Other uses of forests are religious in nature while others
relate to food and waste disposal.
The coastal communities have set aside certain
forests as holy shrines kayas where they offer sacrifices and interact with their ancestors. In the entire
coastal region, the forests cover in south coast has been relatively high because they preserve forests for
religious values. Sometimes when demons posses community members or during drought/famine a kaya
elder mwananchi leads the ceremony. Such rituals are often stimulated by traditional dancers who sing and
chant incantations. In this community, there are specific days set aside for visiting the shrines.
Food that is eaten by most rural families is often obtained from the forests. These could be wild
vegetables, bush meat (wild animals and birds) from traps set up in the forests by skilled hunters. Most
families where they are no latrines prefer relieving themselves in the forests. They argue that it is only in
the only way that they can be able to identify various sicknesses affecting their system since they can see
their waste as opposed to a long drop latrine. Forests have also been used as hideouts by the communities
during inter tribal clashes. Other uses include, gums or glue which are is for tuning the chords of
traditional musical instruments like orutu.
Figure 1: Mwarubaini-a tree that is
believed can cure forty ailments
Figure 2: A man relieving himself in a grass field
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6. Empowering Communities
a) What practical activities bring the community (both the young and old) together?
Among the Digo community in the coast, traditional shrines kayas (home) played a significant role in
religion. These were special places that communities visited during calamities e.g. drought, famine, disease
outbreaks to seek spiritual intervention from the ancestors. Other social events include; inter religious
open fora mjadala where Muslims and Christians engage in public debates about religion, public barazas
(open meetings) organized by the provincial administration to educate the public on government policy,
communal activities like construction, funeral, farm work, weddings or cultural ceremonies i.e. dances;
kayamba, sengenya, Gonda, tsikitsi, koroboi etc
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Similarly, in the lakeside communities, social events like funerals, weddings, payment of dowry,
construction of a new house or home, open crusades organized by religious groups, markets days, night
dances (especially during funerals), and government related activities where the community are mobilized
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by the local government officials (chiefs, assistant chiefs and village elders), community sports events
organized by local community leaders or schools, farm work, fishing related activities that bring together
all players involved in the fish market chains; fishermen, fish mongers, boat owners, boat operators etc
b) What role is played by traditional institutions (such as church, mosque, village elders’
council, schools, youth, women groups etc) in this process?
The above institutions play a pivotal role in facilitating and catalyzing community participation in most
development processes. Community entry in any rural community is almost impossible unless it is done
under the aegis of these traditional institutions. In the coastal region, mosques (the community is
predominantly Muslim, as such are governed by sharia law), village elders’ council 1 and schools play a
primary role in this process. Youths and women are equally important but they only play a secondary role.
It is in the mosques, village elders’ council and schools that you can access the youths, women and key
community resource persons.
In the lake region, the church especially the Seventh Day Adventist church (SDA) underlies the strong
religious attachment that this community ahs in matters relating to their faith. Generally, the church and
not necessarily restricted to SDA plays a significant role in igniting community participation. Alongside
the church is the government (provincial administration), which is a key player as far as furthering of
socio-political and economic participation of the community in defining their development agenda is
concerned. Other institutions like schools, markets, health faculties, youths and women groups have also
emerged as central hubs for mobilizing communities towards social action.
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