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“Not all cultures are bad.” Drawing illustrations from the Novel Blossoms of the Savannah by Ole Kulet, validate the assertion.

Answer Text:
Culture is defined as the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society. Traditions forms part of culture of a people and are handed down from generation to generation. In our contemporary world, culture plays a pivotal role in defining a people, what they believe in and reasons to their way of life. For example it is the culture of people from the coastal region of Kenya to cook spicy foods, their women are praised for their dedication to preparing their husbands meals as early as from afternoon until evening.
In the novel Blossoms of the Savannah, we encounter the Nasila Culture which is also the part of the Maa culture. We cannot fail to mention the conflict that negative culture has ignited between the characters, but we can as well mention that positive cultures has played a key role is making this society cohesive. The speech of Ole Musanka at Persimei’s homecoming party expounds the importance of the culture. Culture unites the members of the Nasila society. This is portrayed as he says that “Ole Kaelo must be told, home is Maa, home is Nasila, home is home is family and home is the children. Kill one of the four pillars and, and there is no home to speak about. Sever yourself from the culture of your people and you effectively become olkirikoi, a man of no fixed abode…” (p.52)
While reflecting on Oloisudori’s demand to marrying her daughter, Mama Milanoi wonders where such good aspects of Nasila culture had gone for they would shield her daughter from being forced to marry an old man like Oloisudori. She flashes back to the case of a fourteen years old girl that was being seduced by a man. The culture allowed for mass action and the man was subjected to public rebuke.
Nasila culture clearly defined relationships. “The founder had intended that the culture would regulate the lives of the people…It charted out the way for everyone, from cradle to the grave. It defined relationships, it created laws that governed the ownership of property and settled disputes. It did not discriminate, it did not favor anyone over the other, it gave everyone a chance to live a full life; it protected everyone within its confines and provided cleansing procedures for those who defiled it. It was simply a cherished way of life for all the Maa people…” (p.118).
Joseph Parmuat teaches Resian and Taiyo the Nasila culture that protects the girl child. The rich Maa culture has different types of love. There is elangatare where boys did anything possible to win girls’ admiration. Should the betrothed misbehave or do anything to offend the Nasila culture, they lost the favor of the girl’s parents and forfeited the right to marry the girl. (P.124-125)
When Resian stayed in her uncle’s home, she learnt the best tenets of Nasila culture that is also the Maa culture, which shielded the girls from the male visitors who stared at them. The girls were taken to one of their aunt’s houses and are not to interact with the visitors. (p.175)
Resian and Taiyo goes to stay at their uncle’s place for some time, they witness some positive aspects of communal life and unity in a polygamous home. They come to learn the basic truth of Nasila culture appreciate that what they considers negative aspect of Nasila culture. (p.149)
Mama Milanoi appreciates the culture that gave the villain son of her sister and his friend a second chance to live when they tucked their head between the legs of the two old men. (p.163)
In conclusion we must agree that not all tenets of culture are bad since with the above illustrations we are able to appreciate how positive Nasila culture are important in holding them together.