KENYAN TRIBES AND PEOPLE- PART 1

THE KIKUYU
The Kikuyu/Agikuyu are of Bantu origins and make up the country's largest tribal group and their heartland surrounds Mt. Kenya. The ''first'' Agikuyu were thought to have migrated into the area from the east and north-east from the north-east from the 16th century onwards. Famously warlike, the Kikuyu overran the lands of the Athi and Gumba tribes, becoming hugely populous in the process. Today, 24% of Kenyans are of the Kikuyu tribe. The Kikuyu also fiercely resisted the British, and spearheaded the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s that was a major catalyst for the eventual end of British rule.

The Kikuyu territory borders that of the famous Masai tribe, and inter tribal raids on property and cattle were once common. Despite this, intermarriage between the tribes occurred, and there are numerous cultural similarities between the two tribes today. The Kikuyu are the best represented tribe in Kenya in political spheres thanks to the influence of Kenya's first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, who was a Kikuyu himself. Initiation rites for both boys and girls ( although F.G.M, is being done away with) are very important ceremonies and consist of ritual circumcision for boys and girls. Each group of youths of the same age belongs to a 'riika' (age-set) and passes through stages of life, and their associated rituals together. Sub-groups of the Kikuyu include the Embu, Ndia and Mbeere.




THE LUHYA
Like the Kikuyu, the Luhya are of the Bantu origin and are made of 17 groups. They are the second largest group in Kenya, but occupy a relatively small area in Western Kenya centered in Kakamega, where they settled around the 14th century. Population densities in their region is incredibly high.

In times past, the Luhya were skilled metal workers,forging knives and tools that were traded with other groups.Today, most Luhya are agriculturalists, farming groundnouts,sesame and maize. Small holders also grow large ammounts of cash crops such as cotton and sugar cane. Many Luhya still have a strong and powerful belief of withcraft and superstition, although, to the passing traveller and visitor, this is rarely obvious. Traditional costume and rituals are becoming less common, due to the pressures of the soaring Luhya population.

THE KALENJIN
The rough translation of the word Kalenjin is ''I tell you.'' Believed to have migrated from Sudan nearly 2000 years ago, these people consist of an estimated 3 million souls in Kenya. Most of these people live in the Great Rift Valley, in Western Kenya.

Traditional clothing consisted of animal skins. Either of domesticated animals or wild animals. Heavy brass coins were used as earrings, which stretched the earlobe almost to the shoulder. It is also this tribe and region that produces most if not all of the athletic world champions.

LUO (JALUO/JOLUO)

The Luo are an ethnic group in Kenya, eastern Uganda and Northern Tanzania. They were also formerly known as the now-absolute classification, Nilotic Kavirondo. They are part of a larger kin of Luo peoples who inhabit an area including southern Sudan, Northern and Eastern Uganda, Western Kenya, and Northern Tanzania. The Luo are the third largest group in Kenya behind the Kikuyu, Luhya and Kalenjin. The Luo, alongside the Kikuyu, inherited the bulk of political power in the first years following Kenya's independence in 1963

The primary Luo livelihood is fishing. Outside Luoland, the Luo work throughout Eastern Africa as tenant fishermen, small scale farmers, and urban workers.

They speak the Dholuo Language, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family, spoken by other Luo-speakong peoples such as the Lango,Acholi,Padhola and Alur. Kenya's first and current Prime Minister resides from here. The most powerful man in the world, the President of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, traced his roots back to his father , a member of the Dholuo tribe.( They are rumored to be distant cousins).

THE AKAMBA

The Akamba can also be referred to as just Kamba. These are the people who reside in the semi-arid areas of Eastern Province of Kenya.They form the 5th largest tribe in Kenya. Anthropologists believe that the Kamba are a mixture of several East African people. A large number of them are pastrologists.

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