Luyia of Kenya: A Cultural Profile is a holistic emic view of the customary beliefs of the Luyia people of East Africa. Written by Shadrack Amakoye Bulimo, an experienced journalist who previously worked for the
Nation and
Standard newspapers in Kenya, the 660-page book provides a defrosted window into Luyia cosmology separating fact from fiction. The book is a cradle-to-grave account of how the Luyia live and die, love and hate, and undertake the rituals of initiations and practice witchcraft. The author tackles the taboo subject of witchcraft and how widespread belief in the occult even among the educated and Christians is still a major hindrance to economic empowerment in Luyialand. The author provides an elaborate analysis of rites of passage - child birth, marriage, circumcision, and death - and how these institutions are governed by customary traditions. These institutions served the clan community well in the pre-European days but are now under siege from modern global economy. This book is an attempt at preserving the Luyia culture for future generations. “I was challenged by my children who made inquiries about their cultural heritage and realized how little I knew then,” explains Bulimo. “I embarked on a learning journey and a discovery of a body of knowledge which this book encapsulates.”
