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In Indigenous Languages and Indigenous Knowledge in East Africa: Swahili, Kikuyu, and Kamba, Esther Mukewa Lisanza and Catherine Mwihaki Ndungo argue that African languages and indigenous knowledge forms are the tools which have made African communities such as Swahili, Kikuyu, and Kamba thrive for generations. Using interviews and research data, this book investigates the following questions: what is the nature and role of multilingualism in East Africa?; what role do herbs and indigenous foods play in Swahili, Kamba, and Kikuyu communities?; how are the communities governed indigenously?; and what is the connection between indigenous languages and knowledge? The findings presented within this study have demonstrated that multilingualism is a great resource in East Africa as many have prided themselves on their multilingual abilities within their education, careers, and cultures. Although these languages have been identified as carriers of indigenous governance, judiciary, and herbal medicine that have survived for generations, Lisanza and Ndungo advocate for policies and education systems to recenter these indigenous languages and their accompanying indigenous knowledge forms and practices once the older generations have passed on.
List of contents
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: East African Languages: The Case of Indigenous Dominant Languages, Indigenous Minority Languages, and Multilingualism
Chapter 1: Kiswahili as an Indigenous Dominant Language in East Africa
Chapter 2: Kikamba and Gikuyu as Minority Languages in East Africa
Chapter 3: Multilingualism in East Africa: Voices of the Youth in Kenya and Tanzania
Part II: Herbal Medicine among the Swahili, Gikuyu, and Kamba
Chapter 4: Indigenous Medicine Among the Swahili
Chapter 5: Herbal Medicine Among the Agikuyu
Chapter 6: Akamba Herbal Medicine: No Disease Without Cure
Part III: Indigenous Governance and Judiciary
Chapter 7: The Kamba Indigenous Governance and Judicial System: The Clan System
Chapter 8: Swahili Indigenous Governance and Judiciary: The City-State System
Chapter 9: Gikuyu Indigenous Governance and Judicial System: The Age Grade System
Conclusion
References
About the Authors
About the author
By Esther Mukewa Lisanza and Catherine Mwihaki Ndungo
