Art and Material Culture

This book documents the development, functions, adaptations and changes in Mijikenda Art and Material Culture in the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial periods. The author examines the intrinsic link of art and material culture to Mijikenda traditional, social, economic and political institutions. The book further examines how aesthetics, visually and non-visually, articulates status in the Mijikenda society. The study concludes that “modernization” has had a negative impact on the production, use and perpetuation of the Mijikenda Art and Material Culture. Therefore, Professor Elizabeth Orchardson-Mazrui argues that in line with UNESCO’s recognition and protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the Kenyan government should be in the forefront of formulating and implementing policies to protect Mijikenda cultural traditions. This book is a must-read for researchers, students and lecturers concerned with cultural studies.