African womanhood in colonial Kenya, 1900-50 9780821415689, 9780821415672

Table of contents :
Frontmatter
Acknowledgments (page vi)
Abbreviations (page viii)
Glossary (page ix)
Map (page x)
Photographs (page xi)
Introduction (page 1)
1 'Capax Doli'? Debating the Legal Status of African Women (page 15)
2 Sexuality in Culture & Law (page 42)
3 Becoming Kavirondo Clitoridectomy, Ethnicity & Womenhood (page 73)
4 Debating Dowry 'A Daughter is Like a Bank' (page 104)
5 Legislating Marriage (page 129)
6 The Medicalization & Regulation of Maternity (page 164)
7 Girls are Frogs Girls, Missions & Education (page 197)
Conclusion (page 239)
Appendix: Dowries (page 247)
Bibliography (page 252)
Index (page 261)

Citation preview

RKC African Womanhood

im Colonial Kenya 1900-50

EASTERN AFRICAN STUDIES Revealing Prophets — Penetration & Protest in Tanzanta Property Rights & Political Edited by DAVID M. ANDERSON _ ISARIA N. KIMAMBO Development in Ethiopia & Enitrea

& DOUGLAS H. JOHNSON | SANDRA FULLERTON JOIREMAN _ Custodians of the Land

East African Expressions Edited by GREGORY MADDOX, JAMES Revolution & Religion in Ethiopia

of Christianity L. GIBLIN & ISARIA N. KIMAMBO @YVIND M. EIDE

Edited by THOMAS SPEAR

& ISARIA N. KIMAMBO Education in the Development Brothers at War

of Tanzania 1919-1990 Tekeste Negash &

The Poor Are Not Us LENE BUCHERT KJETIL TRONVOLL Edited by DAVID M. ANDERSON

& VIGDIS BROCH-DUE The Second Economy in Tanzania From Guerrillas to Government

T.L. MALIYAMKONO DAVID POOL

Potent Brews & M.S.D. BAGACHWA |

JUSTIN WILLIS Mau Mau & Natonhood

Ecology Control & Economic Development Edited by E.S. ATIENO ODHIAMBO

Swahil Origins in East African History & JOHN LONSDALE

JAMES DE VERE ALLEN HELGE KJEKSHUS

| A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855-1991 Being Maasai Seaya Second edition Edited by THOMAS SPEAR DAVID WILLIAM COHEN BAHRU ZEWDE & RICHARD WALLER . & E.S. ATIENO ODHIAMBO

Pioneers of Change in Ethiopra

Jua Kal Kenya Uganda Now * Changing Uganda - BAHRU ZEWDE

KENNETH KING Developing Uganda * From Chaos to Order | Religion & Politics in East Africa Remapping Ethiopia Control G Crisis in Colonial Kenya Edited by HOLGER BERNT HANSEN Edited by W. JAMES, D. DONHAM,

BRUCE BERMAN & MICHAEL TWADDLE E. KURIMOTO & A. TRIULZI

Unhappy Valley Kakungulu & the Creation Southern Marches of Impenal Ethiopia Book One: State & Class of Uganda 1868-1928 Edited by DONALD L. DONHAM

Book ‘Two: Violence MICHAEL TWADDLE & WENDY JAMES

& Ethnicity |

BRUCE BERMAN Controlling Anger A Modern History of the Somat

& JOHN LONSDALE SUZETTE HEALD Fourth edition I.M. LEWIS

Mau Mau from Below Kampala Women Getting By

GREET KERSHAW . SANDRA WALLMAN Islands of Intenswe Agriculture in Bast Africa

The Mau Mau War Political Power in Pre-Colonial Buganda Edited by MATS WIDGREN

in Perspective RICHARD J. REID & JOHN E.G. SUTTON

FRANK FUREDI

Alice Lakwena & the Holy Spirits Leaf of Allah

Squatters & the Roots HEIKE BEHREND EZEKIEL GEBISSA of Mau Mau 1905-63

TABITHA KANOGO Slaves, Spices & Ivory in Kanzibar Dhows & the Colonial Economy

ABDUL SHERIFF of Kanzibar 1860-1970

Economic © Social Onrgins ERIK GILBERT

of Mau Mau 1945-53 Kanzibar Under Colonial Rule DAVID W. THROUP Edited by ABDUL SHERIFF & Afncan Womanhood in Colonial Kenya

ED FERGUSON TABITHA KANOGO

Multi-Party Politics in Kenya

DAVID W. THROUP The History &} Conservation of Kanzibar In Search of a Nation*

& CHARLES HORNSBY Stone Town Edited by GREGORY H. MADDOX Edited by ABDUL SHERIFF & JAMES L. GIBLIN

Empire State-Building

JOANNA LEWIS Pastimes & Politics A Fitstory of the Excluded* | LAURA FAIR JAMES L. GIBLIN Decolomzation & Independence

in Kenya 1940-93 Ethnicity & Conflict in the Horn of Africa Crisis G Decline in Bunyoro*

Edited by B.A. OGOT Edited by KATSUYOSHI FUKUI SHANE DOYLE & WILLIAM R. OCHIENG’ & JOHN MARKAKIS

African Underclass*

Eroding the Commons Conflict, Age GS Power in North East Africa ANDREW BURTON

DAVID ANDERSON Edited by EISE]I KURIMOTO

& SIMON SIMONSE * forthcoming

KEKE African Womanhood in Colonial Kenya 1900-50 , TABITHA KANOGO

Associate Professor of History University of California at Berkeley , , ,

James Car EAEP oe Ohio Unwersity Press

James Currey Ltd 73 Botley Road Oxford

| OX2 OBS

East African Educational Publishers : Kijabe Street, PO Box 45314 Nairobi Ohio University Press

‘Scott Quadrangle Athens, Ohio 45701, USA

© Tabitha Kanogo 2005 First published 2005

| 1 2 3 4 5 09 08 07 06 05 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Kanogo, ‘Tabitha African womanhood in colonial Kenya, 1900-50 . - (Eastern African studies) 1. Women - Kenya - Social conditions - 20th century 2. Women

- legal status, laws, etc. - Kenya - History - 20th century , 3. Indigenous peoples - Great Britain - Colonies 4. Kenya Social conditions - 20th century I. Title 305.4°2’096762°0904 1

ISBN 0-85255-446-X (James Currey Cloth) 0-85255-445-1 (James Currey Paper)

available on request ,

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data ISBN 0-8214-1567-0 (Ohio University Press Cloth) Q-8214-1568-9 (Ohio University Press Paper)

Typeset in 10/11 pt Baskerville by Longhouse Publishing Services, Cumbria, UK Printed and bound in Malaysia

KEK Map x Contents

3

Acknowledgments vi Abbreviations vill

Glossary 1X Photographs xi Introduction l

‘Capax Doli’?

9;

Debating the Legal Status of African Women 15

Sexuality in Culture & Law 42

/

Becoming RKavirondo

Clitoridectomy, Ethnicity & Womanhood 73

|4

Debating Dowry

‘A Daughter is Like a Bank’ , 104 9

Legislating Marriage 129 6 The Medicahzation & Regulation of Maternity 164 Girls are Frogs

Girls, Missions & Education 197

Conclusion 239 Appendix: Dowries 247

Index 261

Bibliography 292

Acknowledgements

ELGG EKEEKEKKKKKKKKKKK

I have incurred many debts in the process of writing this book. Its preparation would have been impossible without the financial support from different sources at the University of California, Berkeley. Seed money from the Department of History and a grant from the Committee on Research enabled me to carry out field and archival research in Kenya.

Funds from the Shepard Grant at the History Department paid for the transcription of the Kikuyu oral interview tapes. I am grateful for this

support.

Eric Aseka, Nici Nelson, and Muigai wa Gachanja read various chapters of earlier drafts and made many constructive suggestions. Nadine ‘Tanio

and Raj Arunachalam each read the entire manuscript and offered invaluable comments. My students in the last four years have helped me clarify my thoughts and ideas on various issues discussed in the book. [ am very grateful to each and every one of you. _ [have benefited from the assistance of many more people. Durba Ghosh and Sydney Johnson were ingenious research assistants in the summer of 1996. Julia O’Byrne helped with the index. Professor Eric Aseka, Duncan Kang’ethe, Murunga, and Njeri Karuru helped to conduct field interviews and transcribe some of the tapes at different points of this project. It 1s

intended to deposit copies of the tapes at the Department of History, Kenyatta University. Peter Munano Kagucia doggedly but cheerfully transcribed all the Kikuyu tapes. Gail Abbey and B. D. Howard helped with the preparation of the bibliography. Staff at the following libraries and archives were very courteous: the

Kenya National Archives, Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi, Institute for Development Studies Library, Nairobi, the Rhodes House and Queen Elizabeth House Libraries in Oxford. At QEH, Gill Short offered a

~ good balance of professional help and friendship. | I am most indebted to all those women and men who graciously gave of their time and knowledge during long interview sessions. ‘They provided V1

: , Acknowledgements | data without which this book would not have been written. I am humbled by their generosity of spirit, hospitality, and commitment to the education

, of inquisitive researchers and future generations. I hope this book has captured some of their knowledge, insight and wisdom. I take full responsibility for imadequacies of the text. I wish to thank faculty at the Department of History, University of California, Berkeley, for their continued support since I joined the department. Working with and among them continues to be very inspiring.

They are wonderful colleagues. In particular I wish to thank the late Robert Brentano for his warm encouragement throughout the preparation of this work. Professor Paula Fass has been a great source of inspiration. I would have been totally lost without patient and vital help from Gail Phillips and Nadine Ghammache. Deciphering baffling computer glitches, Gail and Nadine have rendered unfailing support. I am also grateful to’

Bud Bynnack. , Many friends in diverse corners of the globe have made the long gestation of this book an enriching experience. In particular I wish to thank Jan and Emma Kolaas, Celia Nyamweru, Ciarunji Chesaina, Teresia Hinga, Valerie Kibera, Margaret Anaminyi, Njambi Kahahu, Peter Kimball, Njeri Komo, Kwamboka Okare, and Inez Sutton for unfailing support and good humour. Professor Dick Herr and his wife Valerie have been very kind hosts on numerous occasions. To all of you, asante sana, thank you very much.

Alone, in a category of his own, is James Currey who has waited patiently as every deadline for the submission of this manuscript lapsed and a new one was set. ‘Thank you for your personal commitment to African scholarship, especially Eastern African Studies. I hope this book

will in a small way add to our understanding of Kenya. Monica McCormick of the University of California Press joined James Currey in , facilitating the completion of this work. I appreciate your support.

Last but not least, I wish to acknowledge the great support that my family has continued to give me. I owe my mother Mary Wanjiku Kanogo Gichomo, my sisters Njoki, Wanjiru, Wairimu, Wangare, Wangui, Njeri, Phyllis, Wambui, and my brother Wanjohi more than words can express. This book is written for them, and in memory of three wonderful people, my father, James Kanogo Gichomo, Jane Awinja Anaminyi Nandwa and Beth Wambui Nduati. Berkeley, California

vil

List of Abbreviations KEELE OCEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Afr. Africa

AG Attorney General

AIM African Inland Mission CMS Church Missionary Society CENT Central Province CNC Chief Native Commissioner

CP Central Province

CSM ~—_ Church of Scotland Mission

DC District Commissioner

DO District Officer

EAS East African Standard (newspaper)

FH Fort Hall (Murang’a) KBU Kiambu/Kyambu

KCA Kikuyu Central Association — KNA Kenya National Archives

KPP Kikuyu Progressive Party Lab. Department of Labour LNC Local Native Council

NKU Nakuru NN North Nyanza NZA Nyanza

NYI Nyeri

Mss Manuscript

PCEA Presbyterian Church of East Africa

PC Provincial Commissioner

RH Rhodes House Library, Oxford, England. RVP Rift Valley Province SDA Seventh Day Adventist Church Vill

Glossary

KEELE GGKKKKKKKK

baraza public meeting

boma homestead bure useless, free

dukas shops

elmoran a circumcised unmarried man of the junior warrior grade

gakuo dress, in its diminutive form wakamuyu divorcee among the Kikuyu

wud circumcision ritual

kayama ya tembo a measure of traditional beer

kipkondtt a Kipsigis man who inherits a widow

kurigu an uncircumcised Kikuyu girl — shia burial hut for an unmarried woman (spinster) meko bride abduction among the Luo misheni mission, mission adherents

motirt an initiate’s sponsor

mukene an unmarried but circumcised young woman among the Meru

mukoma ndt a loose, unmarried and pregnant woman

muruithia the circumcisor ,

omukoko divorcee among the Wanga |

pai-ke free public or private sexual liaisons established by widowed Kipsigis women

pim elderly Luo woman entrusted with the rearing of children

and adolescents |

shenza uncouth

shuka an unstitched piece of cloth

sufuria aluminium sauce pans

thaka an unmarried circumcised young man among the Meru walt islamic leader , watu wa mungu _ literally people of God; religious sect 1x

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Va Oe og t Say elfereii = 4,qb ' 4d “ont

TeANIA | eX | A i = UGANDA |. : nS { 7 ea | : ON Wajir i oe i iwest syan.” itpi ,= 3 aor a i- a; \““e., WAJIR gg ff/ a2 Tpowot EPP | Ks :a

si Kgpenguria =} =°Ma=! SAMBURU ae \= 2: PA TRANS-NZONA tect @% 2 eT ametifaniat \ nn ‘ rc’mv : ay" egy ELGEYO-MaRAKWwerT ISIOLO i —|

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OE Sop Kisurna Naku eal. KIRINVAGA SX ~., ;

; }Ke ak arerg, NYVAN ; SUMED } E. me4al| ae xétrat :i| E FPR Toe NAKUBU 4 ee; ;awe eap—— cma “#PONS a Fy E 4= : AY” r,s ‘C_/an AIROBE | ‘ *, “ NARCK “< “NAIROEIL ., witul | TANARNWERLo 4 Sf

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:E“me, NAIROBI Holy7 aot|*"| —< NA Mee, t; L os *a \ame Se me, MACHBKOS *-, “omy OE Bajadhe ® ‘ Ly i ’ Le __ “~, KAJIABO May / we

7 M “He, kK*. tytee ye 8

TANZANIA sf ar e ON eM a— fe TANZANIA Ney

International boundary evurdami 7