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The ethnic diversity of Kenya had lead to a variety of richness of culture. In pre-colonial Africa performance held an important role. Oral literature was one of the primary form of literature as Kenya did not have a script culture. Kenya Literature in written form is introduced in the colonial period.
Orature ( that is based on performance) or oral narratives hold a very important position in the life of the indigenous communities. Later on script culture was introduced and pieces of Kenya Literature were being produced in Swahili, English and also in other vernaculars like Gikuyu.
Post colonial writers like Ngugi, Achebe, Isak Dinesen are the well known figures to the world. Achebe, who has recently won Booker writes in English but incorporating a lot of Swahili words and also not maintaining the English grammar, thus creating a anew English or enriching the English language. His novel Things Fall Apart reflects the African culture & the confrontation of the community life with a different set of order very well.
On the other hand though starting his literary career by writing in English, Ngugi has shifted to Gikuyu. According to him Gikuyu should be introduced in the university level also, so that the new generation can come to know about their culture and their language, which they often tend to forget as Westernization has become a threat to indigenous culture. His major contribution to Kenya Literature
are pieces like I Will Marry When I Want, The Trial of Didan Kimathi, Petals of Blood etc.
Kenya Literature is tremendously influenced by its oral culture & community life. So Kenya Literature can be a doorway to know Africa & its culture more closely.
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