The Use of Myths in Restaging the Luo Cultural Identity in Grace Ogot’s Princess Nyilaak

Abstract

This study focuses on the use of myths in restaging the Luo cultural identity in Grace Ogot's novel, Princess Nyilaak. The study explores how myths are employed as a literary device to represent and reclaim the cultural identity of the Luo people in Kenya. The objectives of the study are: to examine how Grace Ogot incorporates myths in Princess Nyilaak and their significance in portraying the Luo cultural heritage and to examine the narrative techniques employed by Grace Ogot to integrate myths into the storytelling process. The study is guided by three theoretical frameworks: Narratology theory, African Feminist and Aesthetic approach to literary study. These three approaches are aimed at determining how Ogot created a fictional myth based on the Luo Traditions and how she viewed and treated women characters in Luo cultural set up. The three approaches complement each other and anchor my critical analysis of Ogot’s Princess Nyilaak. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, utilizing close reading and textual analysis of Princess Nyilaak to identify and interpret the myths embedded within the narrative. The findings reveal that Ogot strategically integrates Luo myths to depict the richness of the Luo cultural traditions, beliefs, and values. Through the retelling of these myths, the novel explores the complexities of cultural identity and the tensions between tradition and modernity. The last part presents conclusion and findings