Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya
This paper explores the value of cross-cutting ties and conflicting loyalties for the peaceful management of conflicts and the emergence of collective action across previously violently contested community boundaries in two communities in the Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya. In the researched communities...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Stockholm University Press
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Rural Landscapes: Society Environment History |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.rurallandscapesjournal.com/index.php/su-j-rlseh/article/view/7 |
| _version_ | 1797845433824837632 |
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| author | Eric Mutisya Kioko Michael Bollig |
| author_facet | Eric Mutisya Kioko Michael Bollig |
| author_sort | Eric Mutisya Kioko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper explores the value of cross-cutting ties and conflicting loyalties for the peaceful management of conflicts and the emergence of collective action across previously violently contested community boundaries in two communities in the Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya. In the researched communities cross-cutting ties result from intermarriages, land rentals and friendship. Fieldwork was conducted in six neighbouring villages on the border between Nakuru and Narok Counties in 2013 and early 2014. Half of these villages fall within the Maiella Sub-location and the other half within Enoosupukia Location. Enoosupukia, especially, has become notorious in the history of ethnicised violence in Kenyas Rift Valley. In October 1993 more than 20 farmers of Kikuyu descent were killed in an organised assault perpetrated by hundreds of Maasai vigilantes with the assistance of game wardens and administration police; later thousands of farmers were evicted from the area at the instigation of leading local politicians. Nowadays, intercommunity relations between Maasai and Kikuyu are surprisingly peaceful and the cooperative use of natural resources is the rule rather than the exception. How did formerly violent conflicts develop into peaceful relations? How did competition turn into cooperation facilitating changing land use? In this paper we explore the role of cross-cutting ties and the conflicting loyalties associated with them to explain changing community relations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:40:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e10b5de22ecf4c07a981bdb4ead4fe96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2002-0104 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:40:05Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | Stockholm University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rural Landscapes: Society Environment History |
| spelling | doaj.art-e10b5de22ecf4c07a981bdb4ead4fe962023-04-17T07:31:06ZengStockholm University PressRural Landscapes: Society Environment History2002-01042015-06-01211110.16993/rl.ad77Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, KenyaEric Mutisya Kioko0Michael Bollig1University of Cologne Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology; Kenyatta University, KenyaUniversity of Cologne Department of Social and Cultural AnthropologyThis paper explores the value of cross-cutting ties and conflicting loyalties for the peaceful management of conflicts and the emergence of collective action across previously violently contested community boundaries in two communities in the Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya. In the researched communities cross-cutting ties result from intermarriages, land rentals and friendship. Fieldwork was conducted in six neighbouring villages on the border between Nakuru and Narok Counties in 2013 and early 2014. Half of these villages fall within the Maiella Sub-location and the other half within Enoosupukia Location. Enoosupukia, especially, has become notorious in the history of ethnicised violence in Kenyas Rift Valley. In October 1993 more than 20 farmers of Kikuyu descent were killed in an organised assault perpetrated by hundreds of Maasai vigilantes with the assistance of game wardens and administration police; later thousands of farmers were evicted from the area at the instigation of leading local politicians. Nowadays, intercommunity relations between Maasai and Kikuyu are surprisingly peaceful and the cooperative use of natural resources is the rule rather than the exception. How did formerly violent conflicts develop into peaceful relations? How did competition turn into cooperation facilitating changing land use? In this paper we explore the role of cross-cutting ties and the conflicting loyalties associated with them to explain changing community relations.https://account.rurallandscapesjournal.com/index.php/su-j-rlseh/article/view/7maasaikikuyuland-rentingintermarriagecross-cutting tiespeaceful conflict management |
| spellingShingle | Eric Mutisya Kioko Michael Bollig Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya Rural Landscapes: Society Environment History maasai kikuyu land-renting intermarriage cross-cutting ties peaceful conflict management |
| title | Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya |
| title_full | Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya |
| title_short | Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya |
| title_sort | cross cutting ties and coexistence intermarriage land rentals and changing land use patterns among maasai and kikuyu of maiella and enoosupukia lake naivasha basin kenya |
| topic | maasai kikuyu land-renting intermarriage cross-cutting ties peaceful conflict management |
| url | https://account.rurallandscapesjournal.com/index.php/su-j-rlseh/article/view/7 |
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