| dc.description.abstract | This study analyses socio-economic impact of Indians on the culture of Africans in Kendu Bay. Even though the literature review demonstrates that the Afro-Asian relations have been studied in Kenya and the entire East Africa, very little has been done in Kendu Bay. The objectives of the study are: to examine the socio-economic position of the people of Kendu Bay on the eve of colonial rule; to analyze the emergence and expansion of Indians and their way of life in Kendu Bay; and to investigate the socio-economic interaction between the Indians and Africans and its effects in K.endu Bay. The study used purposive and snowball sampling strategies during data collection. Data was collected using oral interviews, archival sources and secondary sources. The data was analysed through content analysis with respect to thematic areas drawn from research objectives. Pluralism and cross-culturalism theories were employed to interpret the data. The study revealed that after formal settlement in K.isumu and Kibos, Indians were attracted by business prospects in Kendu Bay while accompanying the colonial administrators on their patrols to K.arungu and K.isii headquarters. In K.endu Bay Indians carried out trade. They purchased agricultural products like cotton from the Africans and sold to them manufactured commodities such as clothes. This trade replaced barter because rupee was used as a medium of exchange. Indians employed Africans in their premises thereby introducing them to wage labour. Similarly, Africans acquired technical skills and established similar businesses as Indians. This study concludes that social integration did not fully occur. This was attributed to the strong religious and caste ties reinforced by the Indians; secondly, segregated schools, hotels, and residential areas by the colonial regime further encouraged the separation of the races; and finally Indians came to East Africa neither to conquer nor to convert, but for only one reason: to improve their economic prospects. Regardless of such obstacles some social developments were witnessed among the Africans, for instance, use of clothes and the adoption of the new eating habits like introduction of spices, rice and chapatis. It emerged that the Ismailia sect contributed in introducing Africans into Islamic religion and culture. This study concludes that social relations among the Luo were governed by the rules of kinship, gender and age. The Luo were pastoralits and cultivators and interacted with their neighbours during trade. Indians were attracted by business prospects in Kendu Bay. Indians introduced' Africans into a capitalist economy and exposed them to new cultural practices. Towards independence and at independence Indians experienced stiff competition from Africans backed by government policies. Therefore, they migrated out of Kendu Bay to other towns like Oyugis, Kisii, Kisumu and Nairobi leaving a very small number by 1978. This study recommends that a research should be conducted to establish why Indians are penetrating back to the interior parts of Nyanza like Kendu Bay with a view of supporting this initiative to promote socio-economic development. Another research should be carried out to determine how political developments in Kenya such as introduction of multy party democracy in 1991 and the promulgation of the constitution of Kenya 2010 have affected the relationship between Indians and Africans. | en_US |