Introduction
The Gusii people refer to a tribe in Kenya found about 50 kilometers east of Lake Victoria. A member of the Gusii tribe is called an “Omogusii”. The Gusii people belong to a group of people known as the Bantu. Bantus comprise Abagusii (Gusii people), Kuria, Ameru, Agikuyu, and the Abaluhya. While the Gusii people chose3 to settle in the Kisii highlands, other groups remained along the Lake Victoria Basin. Some others like the Kuria settled in the lower Savanna region, at the border between Kenya and Tanzania. When the British invaded their lands and established a colonial government in 1907, the Gusii people initially responded to their occupation with armed resistance. However, the resistance ceased after the First World War. Although many tribes living in the Kenyan highlands were moved from their lands, the Gusii people were fortunate not to be driven away. The Gusiiland had seven subdivisions. The subdivisions were converted into administrative units by the colonial government. The various subdivisions were left under the leadership of government appointed chiefs.
Demographics
The number of the Gusii population was 1.3 million in 1989. However the population is likely to have increased considerably. The Gusiis are one of the most rapidly growing populations in Kenya, increasing at a rate of three to four percent per year. For instance, the average Gusii woman bears close to nine children. Additionally, the infant mortality rate has significantly reduced as a result of improved nutrition and healthcare.
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Language
Ekegusii is the language spoken by the Gusii people. It is a Western Bantu language. In Gusii culture, it is common to name a child after a deceased individual from the father’s clan. The first name of the child is usually from the father’s clan, with the second coming from the mother’s clan. Children can also be named after a recent event, such as the weather or the season at the time the child is born. Some of the Gusii names may refer to the time when the clan members or parents are migrating. “Kwamboka”, for example, is a female name meaning “crossing a river”. It is normally prohibited to talk about an individual’s feelings in Gusii. As such, questions relating to a person’s mental state are answered with statements about the economic situation or physical health. Therefore, the Gusii people strive to avoid talking about their personal feelings in order to maintain respect among them-selves.
Folklore
The oral tradition of the Gusii people contains several prominent figures that are linked with historical events. Historical events are of significant importance to the Gusii people. For instance, their migration to their present land and the arrival of the British are some of the most important events in their oral tradition (LeVine, 1994). It is often easier to establish the ages of people who were born during such events because they are memorable. The prominent figures in the Gusii culture are primarily men. However, there are a few women who have been given prominence by the Gusii oral tradition. Nyakanethi and her stepson Nyakundi are some of the prominent figures in the Gusii oral tradition. According to the Gusii people, Nyakanethi and Nyakundi established a densely populated area called Kitutu. They are believed to have fortified themselves in the highlands to the north, giving shelter to families that fled attacks by neighboring people. The fleeing families were given a home in Kitutu. Nyakundi was installed as their chief. Other heroes in the Gusii oral tradition are those linked to the establishment of the colonial administration in their lands. For instance, Sakawa occupies a special place in the Gusii oral tradition. He was a prophet born in the 1840s and died around 1902. According to the Gusii, Sakawa predicted the arrival of the British in 1907, as well as the establishment of the district capital in Kisii Town. A prophetess called Moraa is a prominent figure in the Gusii culture. The prophetess is said to have attempted to form a rebellion against the British colonialists. In 1908, prophetess Moraa gave her stepson, Otenyo, some medicines she claimed could protect him from bullets. She then sent Otenyo to kill the British Officer G.A.S. Northcote. However, Northcote managed to survive the attacked and later became governor of Honk Kong.
Religion
Before the introduction of Christianity to the Gusii people, they believed in the existence of one supreme God who created the world but did not directly interfere in human affairs. The Gusii people believed that it was the spirits of their ancestors, impersonal forces and witches that caused interference. Additionally, Gusiis believed that diseases, deaths of people and livestock and destruction of crops were caused by displeased ancestor spirits. Today, the Gusii people are followers of some form of Christianity. For instance, the first Roman Catholic mission was established in Gusiiland in 1911. Later on in 1913, the first Seventh Day Adventist Mission was established in the region. Although Christian churches are active in Gusiiland, some non-Christian beliefs continue to influence the lives of some of the Gusii people. When inflicted by misfortunes, some Gusii people still visit some diviners (abaragori), who may prescribe some sacrifice. There are also professional sorcerers among the Gusii people who serve to protect against witchcraft. Witches are also common among the Gusii people. They can be men or women who are believed to dig up buried corpses in order to eat their inner organs or use some of the body parts for magic. Witchcraft is considered an art that is learnt and is handed down from parent to child.
Social Relationships
In the Gusii culture, day to day interactions follow strict rules of politeness and kindness. There are important rules for avoiding sexual shame referred to as “chinsoni”. There are also rules governing respect known as “ogosika”. The rules are usually many and often complicated. The rules play a significant role in regulating proper behavior between men and women, between different kinds of relatives, and between generations. For instance, people within the same generation are allowed to make fun with each other and even talk about sexual matters. However, such talk is prohibited between different generations as it is considered a show of disrespect. This implies that respect is highly esteemed in the Gusii culture. Additionally, a father may not be allowed to enter his son’s house, and a son-in-law is required to avoid meeting his mother-in-law. The expected behavior in daily interactions is the one of respect and there should be a difference in the way young and old and women and men interact (Hakanson, 1994). Body language is largely reserved and gesturing is always kept to a minimum. Between people of unequal status, such as young and old and woman and man, the person of a lower status is not supposed to look directly into the other’s eyes.
Gusii people are very careful about personal appearance. They usually avoid showing themselves, even when partially naked. Additionally, bodily functions are never mentioned or implied between different generations or between men and women. For instance, it is common for Gusii men and women to avoid being seen on their way to the lavatory. In order to maintain respect, there are very many expressed or implied rules in the Gusii culture regulating behavior. A Gusii person usually refers to his father as “tata” and his mother as “baba”. Similarly, the parents distinguish their children as “momura” (for son) and “mosubati” (for daughter).
Hospitality towards strangers is also common among the Gusii people. At the same time, they are very reserved, polite and suspicious about the intentions of others in many ways. Interpersonal conflicts are common. However, people are not supposed to show outward signs of anger. The culture strongly emphasizes the need for peaceful conduct and emotional control. However, this may result in explosions of violent behavior, particularly under the influence of alcohol.
Marriage and Family
In the Gusii culture, marriage is normally established through bride wealth payment. Te bride wealth can be in the form of livestock or money. The bride wealth is normally paid by the husband to the wife’s family. The act establishes a socially approved marriage in the community. The husband’s family home is usually the residence. Divorce is very rare among the Gusii people. Upon the husband’s death, the widow normally chooses a husband from among the deceased’s brothers. Any Gusii man got married as soon as possible after puberty until the 1960s. From then, elopements have become a common phenomenon in the culture. New unions began to be established without necessarily paying the bride wealth. Households in the Gusiiland are based on ether nuclear or polygamous families. A Gusii man can marry several wives. Mothers are ultimately the ones responsible for the care and rearing of the children. They may also delegate some of the childrearing tasks to older children. The men normally play a little part in child rearing, as they are the primary breadwinners.
Economy
Finger millet, sorghum, beans, and sweet potatoes are some of the pre-colonial crops grown by the Gusii people. The cultivated plant crops were complemented by milk and meat from livestock (Hakanson, 1988). By the 1930s, coffee had been grown, albeit on a limited basis, by the community. Exchange took place within the homesteads in Gusiiland in pre-colonial period. Agricultural products, livestock, and crafts were exchanged. Goats and cows were the most popular media of exchange.
The Gusii and Caucasian American Cultures
Based on the analysis of the Gusii people, it is clear that there exist some principle differences between their culture and that of the Caucasian Americans. However, there are some similarities between the two cultures in terms of religion. Religion and marriage are some of the important cultural aspects that will be explored in order to make a comparison between the two cultures.
The religious beliefs of the two cultures have some similarities. For instance, most Caucasian Americans and Gusiis are Christians. They believe in the existence of one God who created the universe. Therefore, the two cultures share the same Christian faith. Unlike the Caucasian Americans, most Gusii people are still superstitious. Gusii people still believe in the existence of witchcraft, and ancestor spirits. Some still visit witchdoctors and diviners whenever they are inflicted by misfortunes. On the other hand, Caucasian Americans seek for medical care or psychiatric services whenever they have issues affecting their wellbeing. This is a significant departure from the Gusii approach to misfortunes.
There are significant difference between the Gusii marriage practices and those of the Caucasian Americans. For instance, polygamous families are not common in the culture of Caucasian Americans like in the case of Gusii culture. Gusii men can marry several wives, something that is unheard of in the Caucasian American culture. Wife inheritance is not also practice among the Caucasian Americans. However, widows can be inherited by one of the brothers of the deceased. Therefore, there are significant contrasts in the marriage cultures of Gusiis and Caucasian Americans.
References
Hakanson, T. (1988). Bride wealth, women, and land: social change among the Gusii of Kenya
Hakanson, T. (1994). Grain, cattle, and power: the social processes of intensive cultivation in pre-colonial western Kenya.
LeVine, R.A. (1994). Gusii culture: a person centered perspective.
