Contributions Of Indigenous Education To Health Practices: A Case Of Bukusu Community Of Bungoma County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Health problems as a result of changes in health practices of the people and changes in

the environment have been and are an issue of concern. While numerous efforts have

been undertaken to curb these health problems, little attention has been given to the role

which Indigenous education can play in fostering health practices. This has led to gradual

abandonment and even extinction of some of the traditional health practices which have

been shown to have promoted health. This study was therefore aimed at establishing how

indigenous education promoted and propagated some of the health practices in order to

maintain the well being of the society taking the Bukusu Community of Bungoma

County of Kenya as a case. The Bukusu occupy majorly Bungoma County in which the

study was based. The study was guided by the medical ecology theory and the general

systems theory. An ethno-historical approach was employed in the research design,

instrumentation, data collection, analysis and interpretation. Validity of the instruments

was attained through formulation of the items as per the research objectives while

external and internal criticism was used to attain reliability of the study. The historical

inquiry progressed in three major phases namely collection of oral evidence through field

work, research into secondary materials in libraries and collection of archival data

through archival research. Non Participant observation was also carried out throughout

the three phases. To achieve systematic collection of data, purposive and snowball

sampling techniques were used. The population of the study was about nine hundred

thousand Bukusu individuals of Bungoma County. The research sample comprised of

forty two elderly persons including both men and women who were interviewed and the

data collected was analysed qualitatively through triangulation and deduction of themes.

It was found out that indigenous education through its content and methodology promotes

observance and propagation of health practices that includes wellness promotion, proper

nutrition and traditional herbal medication. These contributions make indigenous

education to be still relevant to the contemporary society because they correlate to current

health promotion efforts. Results obtained from this study may be useful in informing the

contemporary society on the valuable health practices that are at the verge of extinction and this can provide a contribution towards the current health promotion efforts.