Sacred groves (kibaga) of Mfangano Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorOgol, Callistus KP.O.
dc.contributor.authorOgola, Patrick O.
dc.contributor.authorBeatrice Khayota, Beatrice
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-21T09:37:34Z
dc.date.available2015-05-21T09:37:34Z
dc.date.issued2004
dc.descriptionThis article was scanned from a hard copy of East African Journal of Life Sciences 5(2): 49-58 (2002t)en_US
dc.description.abstractA questionnaire method was used to obtain information about the sacred groves and identity of other protected and sacred plants ofMfangano Island. Some 36 sacred groves, locally known in the Suba language as Kibaga, were reported to have existed on Mfangano Island, of which some 19 still exist, and the other 17 were described as extinct. From the existing groves, 12 were identified as threatened with 7 being intact. They ranged in size from 30m2 , represented by a tree, while the largest was a forest patch covering approximately 15,000m2 (1.5 Ha.). Three broad classes of sacred groves were recognized: burial sites for elders, homesteads of pioneer immigrants, and leprosy victim burial grounds. Each clan is associated with a set of groves whose protection is the. responsibility of its members. Threats to the groves are mostly anthropogenic in nature, and include vegetation clearing for homesteads, agriculture, forest products and other developments. Furthermore, modem Christian faith and educational ideals conflict with these traditional beliefs, further endangering these groves. Several plant species, particularly trees, are considered special and are accorded differential treatment, based on their socio-cultural or utilitarian value. Using some of these for building or firewood is considered a taboo, a status that has provided such species protection.The study has demonstrated that the people of Mfangano have a good traditional ecological knowledge for natural resource use and conservation.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipKenyatta Universityen_US
dc.identifier.citationEast African Journal of Life Sciences 5(2): 49-58 (2002ten_US
dc.identifier.issn10293221
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/12654
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherKenyatta universityen_US
dc.subjectMfanganoen_US
dc.subjectconservationen_US
dc.subjectspecial treesen_US
dc.subjectsacred grovesen_US
dc.titleSacred groves (kibaga) of Mfangano Island, Lake Victoria, Kenyaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Sacred groves (kibaga) of Mfangano Island, Lake Victoria......pdf
Size:
8.67 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
full article
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
RP-Department of Biological Sciences