We Only Come Here to Struggle: Stories from Berida's LifeA Kenyan trader shares her life history, including enduring British colonial rule, overcoming poverty, and reclaiming her life. Here is the life history of Berida Ndambuki, a Kenyan woman trader born in 1936, who speaks movingly of her experiences under the turbulences of late British colonialism and independence. A poverty survivor, Berida overcame patriarchal constraints to reclaim the rights to her labor, her body, and her spirit. She invokes a many-faceted picture of central Kenyan life in this compelling narrative. |
Contents
1 I Am Berida Ndambuki Childhood Family and Initiation | 1 |
2 No woman can know what will happen to her in marriage Marriage Children and Survival | 22 |
From Kathonzweni to Nairobi | 56 |
4 The Akamba are a peaceloving people Ethnicity Religion and Politics | 87 |
5 I ask myself why did I have my children? Life and Death | 99 |
1999 | 115 |
OUR RELATIONS ON FRIENDSHIP AND CROSSCULTURAL MIS UNDERSTANDING | 117 |
137 | |
Other editions - View all
We Only Come Here to Struggle: Stories from Berida's Life Berida Ndambuki,Claire C. Robertson No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
African Akamba Antony asked Athi River baby beans beat Berida Berida Ndambuki birth bought bridewealth British East Africa called child Christian Claire clothes cook cowpeas cows dance daughter died Domitila dress dried staples drink Ethnology of A-Kamba EXCERPT FROM TAPE farm father flour friends gave Gikomba girls give given goat harambee hospital husband Jane Karanja Kathonzweni Kenya Kenyatta Kikamba Kikuyu Kilaya Kiswahili kyondo look Maasai Maggie maize Makueni Malaba marriage married Martha Masii matatus Matuu Mbithe Mbithe E Mbithe Ka Mbulwa Mombasa mother Muthama Mutune Nairobi Ndambuki never Nyayo paid parents Penwill person police problems rain secondary authors sell shamba sick sister sleep sold someone sometimes stall stay story talk TAPE TRANSCRIPT tell things told took trade Ukambani wife wives woman women