The beauty of the Kenyan ethnic diversity

I come originally from Brazil, a country where people celebrate their ethnic diversity. We Brazilian are born of a mixture of many races coming from different corners of the planet: the primordial inhabitants of that ground, the indigenous, the Europeans, mainly the Portuguese colonizers, and the Africans, brought to the American continent as slaves. Centuries later, another immigration waves coming from countries like Italy, Germany, Japan, Poland, even from Lebanon and Armenia gave the country the face it has today. It sounds really like a big "soup of races", as we use to call ourselves, but nothing compared to what one can experience in some African countries. Living in Kenya has given me the chance to grow into these diversity and to learn about its people.

Bukusu  lady in the Chwele market. PICTURE: PRIVATE

So, what did I get to learn about the Kenyan people so far?

The population of Kenya is composed by three main groups or folks, the Bantu people, speakers of the Bantu languages and originally from the central western part of the continent, the Nilot, or Nilotic people, mainly inhabitants of Central and East Africa, and the valleys of the Nile river, and the Cushitis, originals from the "horn of Africa", region composed today by countries like Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. This a group of minor significance in number of inhabitants in the country.

A Masaai grandma. PICTURE: PRIVATE

These three folks are divided in a number of smaller ethnic groups or tribes, sub-tribes and smaller groups, the clans, dispersed all over the country. According to recent statistics the population of Kenyan is formed by 42 tribes. Till now I got to know people from a few of them, like the Luhya, Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Kamba, Luo and Masaai.

My friend Nicole Achieng, a Luhya girl with a Luo name. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

In Chwele, Western region of Kenya, where I'm living the predominant tribe is the Luhya. The Luhya belong to the Bantu people and can be subdivided in another 18 sub-tribes, each of them speaking a different dialect or variation of the Luhya language. 

The Bukusu, the people I have the pleasure to live with, is one of these sub-tribes and they speak the language with the same name, kiBukusu. Now it gets more interesting! These sub-tribes are composed by even smaller groups, the clans, which also have specific internal rules and traditions. Omutukhwika, omulako, omukimweyi, omurefu, etc. are examples of clans of the Bukusu tribe. Now consider such a hierarchy in each one of the 42 tribes. That's what I mean with fascinating!

Mrs. Matimbai, my host and friend. From the
Luhya tribe, Bukusu sub-tribe. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

There are a few tribes among those 42 I'm sure you must have heard about, e. g. the Masaai, the Kalenjin and the Kikuyu. The Masaai are those slender tall guys wrapped in red, frequently also blue, "blankets" (in Kiswahili shuka) one can see in movies and advertisements "jumping" in the savannah. They typically wear colorful beaded earrings and necklaces and are known to be a tribe of warriors. These guys belong to the Nilot people.

A Sabaot boy. The Sabaot is a sub-tribe from the Kalenjin. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

The Kalenjin, on the other hand, got a lot of reputation through sports. Some of the best marathon runners in the world are Kenyans, and almost all of them come from this tribe. Like the Masaai, the Kalenjin are also Nilotic people.

Recently I went on a excursion to the Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano on the surroundings of Chwele and up on the mountain I got to know some of the locals, the Sabaots, a sub tribe of the Kalenjin. These guys are used to the life in high and hilly areas and to lower temperatures. This one of the few tribes that used to practice female circumcision.

Ms. Cheptarus Sang, my Kalenjin friend. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

What to say about the Kikuyu tribe? 
This tribe is original from the central part of the country, which includes the capital, Nairobi, and is the largest tribe in population. Approximately 20% of the Kenya population is Kikuyu. These guys are known for being merchants and business people. It's maybe also important to mention that the actual Kenyan president is a Kikuyu.

Yvone Wanjala also a Luhya and Bukusu. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

The complexity resulting of the many tribes, sub-tribes and clans in Kenya is just enormous. As a reflex of that, you can imagine how culturally rich is this country.

All the different traditions, typical meals, the seasonal names and number of  languages. A child growing up in a three languages environment is a very common thing around here. Contrary to what one may think the Kenyans live in peace with each other regardless of all their ethnic particularities.

Rose's fruits stand. Rose is also a Bukusu. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

To learn about  the Kenyan people and get entangled in their traditions has been an amazing and incredibly rewarding experience.

Cheers everyone,

Mácio Simiyu (my Bukusu name :)).