Micro-history of a Nomadic Hamlet

In this paper I describe a micro-history of a hamlet of the Garri in northern Kenya and then try to clarify some characteristics of their society. The Garri are a Cushitic speaking pastoral nomads who live in the Ethiopia-Kenya-Somalia borderlands. They frequently migrate looking for pastures and water. I spent about six months in the ‘Mwalim’ Mohamed's hamlet, named after its chief, following changes in its locations and membership. I call this diachronic aspect ‘microhistory’.The micro-history of the hamlet reveals, firstly, that each family may be seen as an autonomous unit in terms of pastoral management, migration and ownership of the livestock. It is entitled to leave the hamlet at its will if trouble should happen. In fact during the six months only the family of ‘Mwalim’ Mohamed remained as a continuous member of the hamlet: the others came and went. Secondly it was found out that the hamlet does not provide a framework of cooperation and that the hamlet chief does not exercise much power. Therefore a hamlet can exist merely as a neighborhood. In conclusion I suggest that their society may be characterized as an ‘individualistic association’. They regard individual choices as more important than the integration of the society

Art · HAMLET (protein complex) · Literature · Power (physics) · Sociology · African history and culture analysis · Anthropological Studies and Insights · History · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology

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