Bantu Cultural and Linguistic Shift on Contact with Nilotic Luo: A Case Study of Languages around Lake Victoria
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Date
2003
Authors
Shivachi, Caleb
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The Luo are Nilotic peoples and as they came into contact with the lacustrine Bantu namely; Gusii Kuria, Suba and
Luhyia, alongside process of cultural and linguistic shift took place at the expense of bantu speakers. Once in
contact the one time Bantu speakers changed over to become Luo speakers and generally the former would fee
offended in reminded of their Bantu origins. This paper surveys the cultures particularly of the Luo speakers inorder
to find pointers as to why the bantu willingly, so to speak, abandoned their cultures and languages in preference to
Luo.
No other indigenous language in Kenya other than Kiswahili seems to have influenced so many others as Luo did. In
most cases some of the languages and dialects referred to in this research have disappeared others are in the process
of shift and yet others are barely surviving the process of shift to Luo. Ironically the Bantu groups involved in
contact with Luo attribute their cultural and linguistic shift to"Luo arrogance". The research will attempt to give
reasons for shift and illustrate some of the linguistic processes of shift.
Description
Paper presented at the Disparities in developing countries types, challenges and the way forward fourth international conference proceedings of the association of third world studies, inc. Kenya Chapter, held at Kenyatta University Nairobi, Kenya, September 17th to 19th, 2003