You Don’t Live Here Anymore from Philister Sidigu on Vimeo.

You Don’t Live Here Anymore is a documentary that explores the concept of home from a traditional and cultural lens. Helen Adero, Lucy Sidigu, and Roslida “Dada” Sidigu begin to question Luo traditions when they face the consequences of making decisions that go against the norm in their Kenyan village.

While mourning the death of her husband, his secret marriage was brought to light, revealing the fact that he had married a second wife to produce a son, who would inherit his property and in effect cause her to lose everything.

After years of living in America Lucy finds that she no longer has to abide by the traditions of the Luo tribe. As she becomes independent her marriage begins to crumble and she must choose between her culture and the freedom found in America.

Lucy moved to the United States in 1986 with her three daughters. Over the years she cleaned houses for church members, and eventually was able to raise enough money to pay her way through a nurse aide program. As she focused on gaining her independence, she eventually became an American citizen and began to question the traditions she grew up embracing.

Forced into marriage at the age of twelve, Dada leaves her husband and has to face the shame and criticism of others in the village of Karateng.

These stories are the norm for Luo women in Kenya, but Helen, Dada, and Lucy are not your average Luo women.

Seamlessly weaving in interviews, reenactments, and statistics on the status of Kenyan women, we find that the Kenyan woman is willing to fight for her freedom, offering hope for their daughters and the future of girls in Kenya.