Naibori Love Story
The Kenyan Margareth and Eric are lovers, but she is a Kikuyu and he is a Luo. These two largest tribes of Kenya are engaged in an ancient cultural and political conflict, one that seems to be the main obstacle standing in the way of their future together. Yet the real problem in their relationship is of a personal nature. Margareth is split between tradition and modern spirit, between emancipation and submission, between inner rebellion and the incapacity to act. Erics ideas are traditional: he beliefs the wife has to submit to the husband. Nairobi Love Story shows the difficulties Margareth and Eric face in building a future together in a society that is dominated by traditions and religious restrictions. Although the focus lies on the forbidden character of their love, the film nevertheless depicts a hopeful image. At the end of the movie Margareth visits Erics mother for the first time.
Ethnicity
The Kikuyu are Kenya’s most populous ethnic group. There are about 5,347,000 Kikuyu people in Kenya in 1994, equal to about 22% of Kenya’s total population. The Luo are the third largest ethnic group (12%), after the Kikuyu and the violent riots between the tribes of the Kikuyu and the Luo. More then thousand people died and about 300.000 had to take refuge.