Indigenous Languages and Indigenous Knowledge in East Africa: The Case of Kiswahili, Kikuyu, and Kikamba is a rare academic book. This book is quite competitive in this field of research as it has seamlessly managed to put together information on three communities, which is not very common. This book is a major contribution to the interconnectedness between indigenous language, knowledge, and practices, discussing the major issues throughout the three selected communities from East Africa. This approach is unlike other scholarly books within the field which have often focused primarily on one ethnic community. The contributors are quite sober in the discussions and use very socially acceptable language to develop the data they have collected and analyzed. This book can be a source of knowledge for budding scholars and general practitioners and will make very significant contributions to scholarship and research on the issues discussed.

Wangari Mwai, Presbyterian University of East Africa

This is a very timely and critical book that discusses language, herbal medicine, judiciary, and governance among the Akamba, Kikuyu, and Swahili people—three closely related communities in East Africa. The insights that Esther Mukewa Lisanza and Catherine Mwihaki Ndungo highlight demonstrate how African people managed their affairs effectively. The connection between local languages and indigenous knowledge is well articulated by the authors and justifies why local languages are key in the preservation of Africa’s rich heritage. This book is a much-needed addition to the field of Africa’s indigenous knowledge scholarship. The authors do an excellent job at elevating the often forgotten and marginalized knowledges of African people. This is a must-have book for scholars of indigenous knowledge and any serious reader who wants to understand the critical role that African indigenous knowledge plays and how it is sustained through indigenous languages.

Leonard Muaka, Howard University

This book has uncovered the pivotal role that African languages play in African studies. Colonialism closed the door for African languages to grow in Africa, and now, with this collection of works, Esther Mukewa Lisanza and Catherine Mwihaki Ndungo have ushered in the much-needed wind of hope through that same door.

Kehbuma Langmia, Howard University