Indigenous Cultural Practices and Environmental Conservation: A Case Study of Ogiek Community of Mau Forest of Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how cultural practices are used by the Ogiek indigenous community to enhance environmental conservation.
 Methodology: The study drew on the descriptive survey design. The data collection tools comprised of closed questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides. The study constitutes a sample size of 417 (male & female) respondents 18 years of age and above. The study participants were selected through simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Quantitative data was collected through the questionnaires and was coded and entered the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 for analysis. Thematic analysis was employed in analysing qualitative data. Inferential statistics was used to run frequencies, pie charts, cross tabulations among others for analysis and interpretation.
 Findings: Findings revealed that cultural practices such as Totemism, taboos, and sacredness of water sources within the Ogiek indigenous community are essential to environmental conservation since they foster environmental conservation. Sacredness of water sources is among the technique used to enhance the conservation of water bodies. Cutting certain trees is considered taboos among the Ogiek Community. Such trees are always conserved and available in plenty. Their totems include certain animals such as Owl and dear and plants such as Mukeu that serve as honey bees’ attraction for the production of honey. The strategies adopted in enhancing cultural practices in conservation efforts among the Ogieks indigenous community are the use of decrees of deities which define the relationship between community members and the environment. Orders are also given by the council of elders on the restricted killings of certain animals, cutting of trees, and limited access to certain water sources to enhance conservation.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: On integration of cultural practices among the Ogieks community into modern-day conservation techniques, both local and national government should support the council of elders and local administrative leaders with material and financial resources to streamline their abilities in the management of natural resources and the environment. Indigenous education methods including community dialogue, apprenticeship, and community elder are word of mouth and indigenous innovations need to be engaged. Challenges faced by the Ogiek community in maintaining cultural practices in conservation efforts include lack of policies and legislation to protect indigenous values, beliefs and practices relating to environmental conservation, inadequate support by both the National and County governments, interference of cultural practices by the Top-Down decision-making and framework formulation policy, negative attitude of some Ogiek community members who shy away the indigenous people from showcasing their conservation knowledge.