Christianity and western education: A gendered historical analysis of the colonial Maragoli case, 1895-1963

This study examined the contribution of Christianity and Western education on the changing gender dynamics in colonial Maragoli from 1895-1963. Through Christianity and Western education, the established Pre-colonial Maragoli gender relations were greatly interfered with. Methodologically, the study employed a historical research design where both the primary and secondary data on the research themes were collected, analysed and thereafter sequenced into a historical narrative. The study was conducted in Maragoli land the present day Sabatia and Vihiga sub counties in Vhiga County. Through purposive sampling and snowballing, the study was able to locate the key respondents. Gender analysis was used as the theoretical frame work. Findings revealed that Christianity and western education both greatly contributed to the changes in colonial Maragoli gender relations. Through the Christian equality gospel, the previous Maragoli gender roles were dissolved with both men and women free to engage in any of the tasks. The western education on the other hand created new labour engagement avenues based on academic qualifications and not gender. The study therefore concludes that Christianity and western education as colonial policies introduced new policies which greatly impacted on the established Maragoli gender roles. The study recommends that policy makers should come up with strategies to ensure that the progressive Pre-colonial Maragoli ideals on gender roles that have been neglected curtesy of Christianity and Western education are revisited and integrated into the post-independence Christian and Educational policies for the common good of the Maragoli society and humanity as a whole.