| dc.description.abstract | The Tharaka people had various forms of cottage industries which they used to produce myriad
traditional items and weapons to sustain their livelihood during the pre-European period. Such
articles and weapons are boats, pots, baskets, mats, bee hives, swords, spears and hoes. These
cottage industries were negatively impacted by the arrival of the European colonialists,
consequently affecting the socio-cultural and economic life of the Tharaka people. However, the
aspect of contribution of colonial rule on the Tharaka cottage industry has not been adequately
researched by the economic historians. This gave the impetus to this study that sought to
investigate the contribution of the colonialism on the traditional cottage industries in Tharaka
South Sub-County. The colonial rule was extended to Tharaka in 1907 when the British
colonialists arrived in the area. The study was carried out in Tharaka South Sub-County in
Tharaka-Nithi County. The study was anchored on the articulation of modes of production theory.
The data was collected from oral, archival and secondary sources. Fifty respondents for oral
interview were sampled through purposive and snowballing techniques. Research instruments
employed comprised the interview schedules and focus group discussions. The study found that
colonialism had far-reaching negative consequences on the Tharaka traditional cottage
industries. It was noted that there was decline in production in cottage industries, abject poverty
among the traditional crafts, majority of the artisans lost their employment, change in social roles
and mass emigrations of the traditional technologists in search for alternative source of
livelihood. This research contributes to the wider comprehension of the cottage industry in the
pre-colonial Kenya and Africa in general. The study contributes to Tharaka historiography. | en_US |
