THE UNIVERSITY OF LEIPZIG

Table 7.4 Why Respondents got plant species from sacred places
Value response Frequency Percentage
Don’t Know 4 1.37
Good life and good luck 8 3.65
Medical healing 91 41.55
Blessing the community 99 45.21
Cleansing the community of evil 13 5.94
Planting at home for prosperity 5 2.28
Total 220 100
Source: Field Survey data.
In the above table, the respondents’ reasons for picking collecting plants forest’s sacred places
are varying. 41.55% of the respondents answered that the carried these plants because they
needed them for medical healing. 45.21% informed the study that the plant species gotten
from these places are used for blessing, while 5.94% of the respondents confirmed that the
plants were used in the cleansing the community of evil. 2.28% noted that people get the
plants from the sacred places to plant in their homes for prosperity. Lastly 3.65% informed the
study these plants are used to bring good life and good luck. Therefore, the above responses
illuminate the fact that traditional and religious beliefs have an influence on nature and
biodiversity conservation practices within the Kakamega forest sacred places.
The above finding postulates a relationship between biodiversity and religion. This
relationship is one laced with generated concerns of rationalism and bio-ethics. Many of the
respondents believe that there is a need to balance and preserve nature. This was extracted
from the Luhya belief that every animal and plant species plays a role in the balance of life
and nature. It is needless to re-emphasise the varied importance adduced from the various
biodiversity species. These interpretations help us to understand the real interchanges that
underpin the link between religion and nature. Therefore, given the fact that the Luhya
communities have variegated meanings assigned to the biodiversity, then, it helps us to
appreciate the synthesis that local communities value biodiversity far beyond the instrumental
and economic values.
This purposeful observation results into the motivation for further conservation of the natural
biota, a strong facet of rationalism and humanism. This deduction is derived from the
interpretations and the different values ascribed to the varied plant and animal species within
different localities. This may also be located within the traditional Luhya belief in the societal
concern for nature and humanity, an aspect which has favorable implications for forest
environment in Kakamega.
168