Urbanization and youth migrants

Abstract

This study intends to look at the urban influence on youth migrants from Lindi living in Dar es Salaam. It is the hypothesis of this study that these youth migrants will change as a result of moving to the city. To find whether there has been any change in their behaviour, a comparison will be made between rural and urban youth. Perceptions of both urban and rural youth towards their culture and traditions in terms of taboos, mother tongue, witchcraft, the tradition of “Jando” and “Unyago” are compared. The presentation of findings shows that the hypothesis, that youth migrants change their behaviour with urban influence is not correct. It is discovered that, they have not changed. The little change that they have undergone is not enough to justify total change. Besides, the change is temporary and an extension of what is already happening in the rural. The perceptions of youth migrants culturally, economically as well as socially are not different from the perceptions of rural youth. The conclusion of this study therefore, rejects the hypothesis that, youth migrants have changed as a result of migrating to the city.