User:Shadbulimo/sandbox

Shadrack Amakoye Bulimo was born in Kenya, Bunyore Sub County, Ebusikhale sub location in 1960. He holds a Masters degree in International Journalism from City University, London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communications from the School of Journalism, University of Nairobi. He went to Mulwakhi Primary School in his native Bunyore, Vihiga County, before proceeding to Mombasa for secondary education at Allidina Visram High School. He worked variously as a business reporter and editor for Financial Review, Nation, Kenya Times and Standard before going on a scholarship to the UK for further studies. He worked for the UK government for several years before establishing his own business in London and currently lives in Canada with his family. His interest in cultural matters was piqued by his two daughters, Lynda and Sasha who, growing up in Europe, kept inquiring about their origins and culture. Although, he answered these questions to the best of his ability, he soon acknowledged his own shortcomings worsened by dearth of reference material on Luyia culture. While history of Abaluyia has been documented by two autochthonous scholars – Prof Gideon Were and Dr John Osogo - the only comprehensive cultural compendium is by German anthropologist, Dr Gunter Wagner who carried out extensive field work among the Maragoli and Bukusu more than 70 years ago. Mr Bulimo realised cultural orientation is an important aspect of a child’s growth process and picked up where Dr Wagner left. As editor of a Luyia portal, www.abeingo.org, he started a conversation with the Luyia people worldwide on the community’s hopes and aspirations on pertinent issues of economic empowerment and conservation of socio-cultural resources. Over six years, these colloquial exchanges, enhanced with available literature on various Luyia sub nations, internet research and interviews, evolved into a journey of cultural discovery and a body of knowledge which this book encapsulates.