The Ahikuntaka

No member in the community has had access to higher education or further education. Education has been limited to the primary
and secondary grades in a formal school. This is an indication that the community lacks facilities for higher and further education.
A considerable 24.98% has never attended school which indicates educational deprivation in the community. Taken as a whole, the
educational attainment in the community reveals to a large extent the lack of facilities and provision for higher education within the
community and also a lack of general interest in education among the members in the community.
Table 7: Distribution of the respondents’ family members in relation to their occupation
Occupation Frequency % of total
Snake charmer 192 22.6
Animal handler 264 31.32
Palm reader 317 37.33
Carpenter 5 0.588
Tailor 1 0.12
Mason 5 0.588
Small business 2 0.23
Trishaw driver 6 0.71
Mechanic 3 0.35
Farmer 22 2.59
Blacksmith 0 -
Electrician 0 -
Welder 1 0.12
Watch repairer 0 -
Barber 2 0.23
Any other occupation 29 3.42
Total 849 100
Table 7 above describes the distribution of the respondents’ family members in relation to their occupations. According to the data
collected and compiled, it shows that the vast majority in the community practice palm reading occupations. Among the traditional occupations,
palm reading takes first place with 37.33% followed closely by animal handling 31.32% and 22.6% snake charming. A few
have broken away from these traditional occupations and taken to other non traditional occupations. Of these 2.59% have resorted to
farming as their main occupation. Only a very few were recorded outside the realm of traditional occupation, which included 1 tailor
and 1 welder, 6 trishaw drivers, 5 masons and 5 carpenters and 2 barbers, 3 mechanics and 2 engaged in small scale business and the
rest engaged in various odd jobs. The study reveals that there is to some extent a tendency slow and gradual to break away from traditional
occupations provided there is opportunity to do so.
The Ahikuntaka
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