Narrating the nation: conceptualization of post-colonial female self and identity by selected Kenyan women writers = Ukuxoxela isizwe: Insungulomcabango ngobuqobo lowesifazane nobuyena ngokukhetha ababhali besifazane emva kokuqonelwa kweKenya.

Abstract

This research study sought to explore the development of the female self and national identity in selected Kenyan women’s writings. The study examined the interrogation of the numerous female identities that are the concern of postcolonial Kenya. It focused on patriarchy, gender, ethnicity, and violence as forces that interfere with women's sense of selfhood, belonging to, and claiming the nation. The investigation conducted was qualitative. The methodology employed involved a meticulous examination and scrutiny of the texts of Wangari Maathai's Unbowed: A Memoir (2006), Grace Ogot's Days of My Life (2012), Marjorie Oludhe's Coming to Birth (1986), Muthoni Likimani's Fighting Without Ceasing (2005), and Passbook Number F.47927 (1998). The close reading examined the explicit significance of textual materials and their structural characteristics to determine how they achieve coherence. The study employed gynocriticism, feminist theory, and postcolonial literary discourses to examine the evolution of female selfhood and national identity within patriarchal and contemporary societies. Analysis also involved the female autobiographical voice within the context of postcolonial Kenya, which serves as a means of articulating individual agency through language. The results of this study demonstrated how patriarchy affects the female elf, and women writers aim to empower women through self-consciousness. The autobiographical voice enables the woman to explore her identity and define herself, and it reveals not only the interests of those who produce autobiographies but also the concerns of those who read them. The study also found that there is an essential nexus between the female self, politics, activism, women in the public realm, and women's rights. Another finding was that the autobiographical voice is the central cohesive device in the narratives, and it echoes all other voices in society and women have a sense of collective identity, which sometimes becomes a source of strength and transformation. The conclusions drawn were that the social position of women is a concern for Kenyan women authors. The story, the characters, and the point of view influence the concept of women's empowerment. In a culture that confines and restricts women, the capacity for women to direct their own lives is essential.

Iqoqa.

Lolu cwaningo lufune ukuhlola ukuthuthukiswa kowesifazane luqobo nokuhlonza ubuzwe emibhalweni ekhethiwe yabesifazane eKenya. Ucwaningo luhlole ukuphekwa ngemibuzo ukuhlonza kwabaningi besifazane lokho okukhathaza iKenya emva kokuqonelwa/kobukoloni. Belugxile kwabesilisa, ubulili, ubuhlanga nodlame njengangamandla agxambukela emzweni wokuba ngowesifazane, wokwamukeleka nokufuna isizwe. Ucwaningo olwenziwe beluyikhwalithethivu. Indlela yokucwaninga eyasetshenziswa ibandakanya ukuhlola ukuqaphelisisa imininingwane nokucubulungisisa imibhalo kaWangari Maathai Unbowed: A Memoir (2006), Grace Ogot’s Days of My Life (2012), Marjorie Oludhe’s coming to Birth (1986. Muthoni Likimani’s Fighting Without Ceasing (2005), nePassbook Number F.47927 (1998). Ukufunda ngeso lokhozi kuhlole ukubaluleka okucacile kwezinto zombhalo kanye nezimpawu zazo zesakhiwo ukunquma ukuthi kuphumelelisa kanjani ukuhambisana. Ucwaningo lusebenzise igynocriticism, injulalwazi/thiyori yabesifazane nemibhalo yezingxoxo zangemuva kokuqonelwa/kobukoloni ukuhlola ukuthuthuka kokuzimela kowesifazane nobuyena kuzwelonke nasemphakathini wabesilisa nowesimanjemanje. Uhlaziyo lubuye lufake izwi lowesifazane ezikhulumela/autobiographical esimeni sokuqonelwa kweKenya, elisebenza njengezindlela ezibeka owenza umsebenzi ngolimi. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ikhombise ukuthi ukuba seqhulwini kwabasilisa kumthinta kanjani owesifazane luqobo, futhi ababhali besifazane bahlose ukuhlomisa abesifazane ngokuzicabangela. Izwi lokuzikhulumela lenza owesifazane akwazi ukuhlola ubuyena nokuzichaza yena, futhi alivezi kuphela inzuzo yalabo abakhiqiza imibhalo umuntu ezikhulumela kodwa futhi nokukhathazeka kwalabo abayifundayo. Ucwaningo lubuye lwathola ukuthi kukhona ukuxhumana okubalulekile phakathi komuntu wesifazane luqobo, ezombusazwe, ubushoshovu, abesifazane endaweni yomphakathi namalungelo abesifazane. Okunye okutholakele kube ngukuthi izwi lokuzikhulumela liyithuluzi lokuhlangana elingumgogodla phakathi ezindabeni futhi liwananela wonke amanye amazwi emphakathini bese nabesifazane babe nomqondo ohlangene wokuzihlonza, lokho kwesinye isikhathi uba wumthombo wamandla noguquko. Iziphetho okufinyelelwe kuzo wukuthi isikhundla sabesifazane emphakathini sikhathaza ababhali besifazane baseKenya. Indaba, abalingiswa nombono kunomthelela ekuthuthukiseni abesifazane. Esikweni elivalela futhi livimbele abesifazane, amandla abesifazane okuqondisa impilo yabo abalulekile.