African Socio-Religio Cultural Understanding of Family and Parenting: A Case of the Agikuyu, Kenya

Abstract

The family is an important unit among the Africans not just for primary socialization but for identity construction as well. It is in the family that one is born, grows, molded and acquires values necessary for human interaction and existence. It is from the family that the society sprouts especially through procreation and parenting. The family, in the African context is thus a sacred institution that binds the other institutions in the society such as religion. In the contemporary African society, however, the family has changed in form and content. Responsible family hood and parenting in the contemporary society seems faulted hence the need to understand the noble task from the traditional African society. This paper examines African understanding of family and parenting in view of explicating how contemporary parenting and family challenges such as those of single parenthood can be addressed. It is done by examining the socio-religio cultural understanding of family and parenting using one African community; namely the Agĩkũyũ as a model for other communities.