The Conversation
International · 2 hrs ago
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Kenya’s war on traditional alcohol: a colonial hangover about what it means to be ‘civilised’
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Kenya's colonial authorities prohibited Africans from consuming European alcohol while initially tolerating traditional home-made liquors like palm wine, which held cultural and ceremonial significance in communities such as the Mijikenda, reflecting broader colonial attitudes about 'civilisation'.
Kenya’s war on traditional alcohol: a colonial hangover about what it means to be ‘civilised’
At the dawn of Kenya’s colonial era in 1902, consumption of home-made alcohol was deeply embedded in society. For instance, among the Mijikenda of coastal Kenya, palm wine was integral (p.290) to traditional ceremonies, such as marriage and initiations, and in ritual offerings.
This partly explains why the colonial authorities did not consider prohibiting African home-made liquors.
As early as 1908, however, they did prohibit Africans from consuming or handling European liquors. The prohibition
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