The impact of Christianity on Keiyo traditional marriage

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the impact of Christianity on Keiyo traditional marriage values. The focus of the research was the Protestant churches in Ainabkoi Division, Uasin-Gishu District. The study had three concerns. First, to investigate the significance of totems representing the bride and the groom's families. Second, to establish the significance of pregnancy before final marriage rite, and thirdly to evaluate the impact of Christianity on pregnancy before final marriage rite. Because Christian religion has been taught for about four decades the researcher sees that Christianity has had much impact on Keiyo traditional marriage and as a result many old practices and procedures have been done away with but pregnancy before final marriage still persist despite constant condemnation. Purposive sampling and area sampling was applied. In purpose sampling the researcher used his expert judgement to handpick the informants. This is because the researcher required those who have experience and could give the relevant information needed by the researcher unlike others. Purposive sampling was used to select fourty elderly people men and women well versed with Keiyo traditional marriage. Purposive sampling was also used to select eighty church members who had been baptised before they got married in the R.C.E.A and AlC Churches. In each church, fourty respondents were picked for interviews. The findings of the research is that pregnancy before final marriage rite serves an important function in the Keiyo community that has not been replaced but the above practice is contrary to the basic teachings of the Bible and bring confusion to the purpose of marriage. However with the passage of time as the traditional generation paves the way for the new, Christianity.will very likely win.