An Exploration of the Decolonization and Ecofeminist Activism of Indigenous Kenyan Women in Wangari Maathai's Memoir Unbowed: One Woman’s Story
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1312.33Keywords:
identity, decolonization, ecofeminist, indigenous women, activismAbstract
Wangari Maathai, perhaps one of the world’s most renowned African female writers, frequently writes on the struggles faced by indigenous Kenyan women who lack the essentials for survival. Her writings are infused with the efforts of indigenous women to establish themselves as contributing members who can create new ethical, cultural, and territorial agendas. In her writings, Maathai also places a strong emphasis on indigenous female ideal transformation and decolonization narratives. Environmentalism and indigenous women’s agency have always been a key unrelenting passion in Maathai’s writings. Following this passion, this study examines the decolonization and ecofeminist activist narratives that shape the indigenous Kenyan women's national collective identity and agency. The purpose of this article is to explore Maathai's inspiring activism which is a succession of countless acts of activism toward the planting of both the seeds of land and the agency of indigenous Kenyan women.
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