Asenath Bole Odaga (1937–2014) was a Kenyan publisher and author of novels, plays, children's books, and other literary works. Odaga also promoted literature in Kenyan languages and the study of

oral literature Oral literature, orature or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung as opposed to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used vary ...

by writing in

Luo Luo may refer to: Luo peoples and languages *Luo peoples, an ethno-linguistic group of eastern and central Africa **Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania or Joluo, an ethnic group in western Kenya, eastern Uganda, and northern Tanzania. *** Luoland, th ...

and co-authoring a guide to oral literature for students.

Biography

Born in Rarieda, Kenya in 1938, Asenath Bole Odaga was educated at

Alliance Girls High School Alliance Girls' High School (AGHS) is a public national boarding school for girls located near the small town of Kikuyu in the Kiambu District of the Central Province of Kenya, 20 km from Nairobi. Founded in 1948 as the African Girls High S ...

and

University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...

.* At

University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...

Odaga submitted a thesis for the Masters of Arts degree: ''Educational Values of "Sigendeni Luo": The Kenya Luo Oral Narratives''. In 1982 Odaga founded Lake Publishers and became the first female publisher in Kenya. She would later open the Thu-Thinda bookstore in

Kisumu Kisumu ( ) is the List of cities and towns in Kenya by population, third-largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa (census 2019). It is the third-largest city after Kampala and Mwanza in the Lake Victor ...

. Odaga founded the Kenya Women Literature Group in 1986, with the intention of developing works in Kenyan languages by and for women. Odaga also wrote books for children, saying "I thought that children should have something to read about their own background and the other children they know, real African heroes with whom they can identify" These stories often focus on the daily life of children. Asenath Bole Odaga died on December 1, 2014.

Legacy

Odaga was listed by the ''

Daily Nation The ''Daily Nation'' is the highest circulation Kenyan independent newspaper with 170,000 copies. History The ''Daily Nation'' was started in the year 1958 as a Swahili language, Swahili weekly called ''Taifa'' by the Englishman Charles Hay ...

'' as one of the writers having the most impact on Kenyan society. Her work has been cited as an influence on Kenyan novelist

Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (born 1968) is a Kenyan writer who is the author of novels, short stories and essays. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story "Weight of Whispers". Education and professional life Born in Nairobi, Ke ...

Published works

*''English—Dholuo Dictionary'' *''The Villager's Son'' (1971) *''Thu tinda : stories from Kenya'' (1980) *''Yesterday's today : a study of oral literature'' (1984) *''Ogilo nungo piny kirom'' (1983) *''The Shade Changes'' (1984) *''Nyamgondho wuod ombare gi sigendini luo moko'' (1985) *''The storm'' (1985) *''Literature for children and young people in Kenya'' (1985) *''Munde goes to the market'' (1987), with Adrienne Moore *''A bridge in time'' (1987) *''Munde and his friends'' (1987) *''Between the years'' (1987) *''Jande's ambition'' (1988) *''The silver cup'' (1988) *''The hare's blanket. And other stories'' (1989), with Adrienne Moore *''Poko nyar migumba : gi sigend luo mamoko'' (1989), with *''The diamond ring'' (1989) *''The angry flames'' (1989), with Adrienne Moore *''The secret of the monkey rock'' (1989) *''Riana'' (1991) *''A night on a tree'' (1991) *''My home'' (1991) *''The love ash, rosa and other stories'' (1992) *''Simbi nyaima'' (1993) *''Basic English-Luo words and phrases'' (1993) *''Why the hyena has a crooked neck and other stories'' (1993) *''Endless road'' (1995) *''Luo sayings'' (1995) *''Something for nothing'' (2001) *''Mogen jabare'' (2003) *''Nyangi gi Otis'' (2004) *''The Luo oral literature and educational values of its narratives'' (2010)

References

External links

"Asenath Odaga: Matriarch who bequeathed us rich literature and sense of belonging"
in sde.co.ke
"Asenath Odaga passes on in Kisumu"
in Kisumuinfo.com
"Kenyan literary icon Asenath Bole Odaga dies in Kisumu"
by David Ohito, in Standard Media.co.ke {{DEFAULTSORT:Odaga, Asenath Bole Kenyan women writers Kenyan novelists Kenyan children's writers Kenyan women children's writers Kenyan women novelists 1937 births 2014 deaths People from Siaya County University of Nairobi alumni 20th-century Kenyan businesswomen 20th-century Kenyan businesspeople Alumni of Alliance Girls High School