FEATURE ARTICLE
Impact of Colonization on the spatial fabric. Image credit: GSAPP core team
In the post colonization era, the woman’s role of MANYATTA - THE HISTORIC IMPACT OF COLONIZATION ON GENDER ROLES AND THE caretaking and providing food and water in the household did not change but her means to fulfil these SPATIAL FABRIC A majority of the local population in Kisumu and Manyatta belong to the Luo tribe. During the precolonial era, the traditional professions of the Luo tribe consisted of herding, fishing, and tending to pastors. This lifestyle was nomadic in nature and complemented the complex family structure . The expansion of ‘occupied’ land by the sons of each family enabled the spatial needs of each family to be met. However, the post-colonization era brought with it the process of land segregation among the various tribes of Kenya, thus limiting the scope for physical expansion. In essence, while the habits of the tribes remained intact, the spatial environment was drastically altered. Traditionally, women of the household were in charge of the farmlands and this enabled a degree of control, sharing of gender roles and recognition and respect for their contribution.
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CITY OBSERVER | June 2016
responsibilities significantly changed. The lack of any additional farmlands to develop and the shrinking of grazing fields for the herds necessitated women to find alternate means of ‘providing’. Luo traditions do not deem it necessary for women to directly own land or property but allowed them to have any possible claim only through their spouse . In addition to these struggles, women are also faced with the difficulties of poor health, little access to capital and credit, lack of access to formal jobs, commoditisation of their bodies, multiple responsibilities of care-taking and sustaining households and often having to resort to derogatory and unhealthy methods of barter for goods . Additionally, formal education has often been a secondary priority for female children. While primary education was made available to all children, irrespective of gender, the dropout rate of girls in secondary education institutions is alarming. This