Influence of cultural activities on living standards of rural dwellers of Ikolomani south division of Kakamega south sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

Culture has become a sensitive issue and has ever remained a burning aspect almost in all developing countries of the world leading to low standards of living (holy field 2002).Cultural practices play a vital role in influencing people‟s lives. The study was to investigate how socio-cultural practices influence the living standards of people of sub-set county of Ikolomani south of Kakamega south sub-county. The study was guided by the following objectives: to determine the influence of funeral activities on living standards of people of Ikolomani south, to examine the influence of bull fighting on the living standards of the people of Ikolomani south, to establish how patriarchy influences the living standards of people of Ikolomani south and to assess how dependency ratio influences the people of Ikolomani South. The research was based on structural functionalism theory and the conceptual framework which show how the variables interrelate with each other where the independent variable was cultural activities and dependent variable was living standards. The study employed descriptive survey design which described the state of affairs of the respondents. The target population was the households of this area. The sample size was arrived at using Yamane (1967) simplified formulae to calculate sample sizes. Systematic random sampling was utilized during data collection. The data collection instruments were questionnaire, interview and observation schedules which were chosen because they would give the inside of the influence of poverty in Ikolomani. Qualitative data was analyzed using direct quotations from the respondents. Quantitative data analysis took the form of frequency tables, percentages and means. Chapter five dealt with summary of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the findings. Some of the findings among others included, majority of the dwellers to one week to burry their deceased relatives. Bull caretakers intoxicated themselves just as they did to the bulls. This community was patriarchal. Some of the recommendation made were, the community to be sensitized on the importance of burying relatives in the shortest time possible, improve bullfighting to tourist attraction level and discourage drugs intoxication. Advocacy be done in the community to accept women contribution towards developments.