Popularising Traditional Games and Sports Amongst the Luo Youth to Preserve Indigenous Knowledge

Abstract

For a traditional community to be productive and competitive, traditional games and sports were part and parcel of the indigenous communities. With globalisation, communities have embraced modern games, thereby pushing traditional games into oblivion. The study investigated how traditional games and sports can be popularised to attain sustainable development goals through indigenous knowledge among the Luo youth. The objective of the study was to identify traditional games and sports among the Luo community in Kenya, analyse the socioeconomic benefits of traditional games to the youth, investigate the level of acceptance of the games among the youth, examine the factors that influence the acceptance of traditional games among the youth, and recommend strategies to popularise traditional games amongst the Luo youth. The target population for the study was 40 participants drawn from Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Migori counties, predominantly inhabited by the Luo community, using purposive sampling. The study used a qualitative survey to collect data from community and youth leaders from the three county governments. Key informant interviews were also conducted with departments of sports and culture in the four county governments. The data were analysed and reported using descriptive statistics. The findings of the study revealed the unpopularity of traditional games and sports amongst the Luo youth in Kenya. Ten traditional games and sports were identified. The findings of the study may be used to articulate the socioeconomic benefits of traditional games and sports, specifically for youth.