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Kenya: People of the earth

It is not only the filming of Out of Africa' to which Kenya owes its fame. Scientists , anthropologists and historians believed that man originated from Kenya's Great Rift Valley about two million years ago which certainly qualifies the country for a study in "Ancient History."

The Arabs were the first foreigners to visit Kenya's shores. The Portuguese among them Vasco da Gama was the first colonial empire to reach Kenya making their presence felt for 100 years from about 1593. In the late 1600s the Arabs regained control of the area until British colonialism renamed the area British East Africa and British rule was very much the order of the day.

Kenya gained independence in 1963 with Jomo Kenyatta as its first president.

"Kenya, exhorted by a revered national leader to surmount age-old tribal animosities, gropes precariously towards the goals of stability and a harmonious multi racial society," (sound familiar?) writes Robert Coughlan in Tropical Africa (1968).

Jomo Kenyatta the patriarchal president of Kenya was once jailed by the British as a Mau Mau terrorist. Chief of the Kikuyu, largest of the nation's tribes, he vigorously preaches the spirit of " Harambee" (let's pull together) to rival tribesman, Asians and whites.

A collection of different peoples closely identified with specific territories rather than an integrated nation Kenya's population mainly comprises black Africans, belonging to about 40 different ethnic groups. The largest of these is the Kikuyu followed by the Kalenjin, Kamba, Luhya and Luo.

Divided by separate languages or dialects and in many areas, by differing ways of life, differences in economic and social development have sometimes lead to friction between groups. Yet that they are a friendly people is evidenced by the elicitation of "Jumbo" a form of greetings that suits all occasions.

While some may believe that "The meek shall inherit the earth," the people of Kenya follow the code of conservationists very closely. "We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." That being said, the code dictates the modus operandi for tourists.

They are advised to be especially aware that while on safari, the harassment of animals disturbs feeding , breeding and reproduction cycles and that off-road damage cause irreparable damage to vegetation.

Most of Kenya's rural people live on small farm settlements raising crops and livestock for a living l May nomads move around in search of grazing land and water for their animals. The great Masai Mara National Park region for example is home to the Masai people of the south-west also characteristically nomadic. But being nomadic does not mean they do not have a culture. In fact as far as they are concerned, "a man without culture is like a zebra without stripes." It is for this reason that so much importance is attached to the Olonana - the Masai cultural experience which introduces westerners to their unique way of life. The experience consists of a bushwalk and orientation lectures, a faceto-face encounter with tribesman in full kit and an in-depth immersion into the Masai cattle culture including visits to tribal craftsmen and builders a rich cultural experience for any Culture Vulture.

Learn more about this author, Iza Goldwasser.
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