Top 6 cultural events you wouldnt want to miss in kenya. According to the kenyas 2009 census, the kalenjin has a population of 4,967,328 people making it the third largest group in kenya after the kikuyu, and the luhya. A visit to turkana land offers you the chance to experience the fascinating pastoralist way of life. Gallery quality framed photographic prints, metal prints, canvas prints, art prints, and art boards to update your space with awesome art. It is also the northwestern most county in kenya and is known mostly for its. The turkana have no godcentred creation myth as such, but akujs role as rain giver, and thus lifegiver, is commonly misconstrued by some ethnologists to mean that he is also the creator. From the traditional music and cultures of kenya, a multimedia encyclopaedia dedicated to all kenyan tribes, including music and dance, history, culture, society, religion and beliefs, rituals and daily life, fables, legends, riddles and proverbs.
The most important rituals in the turkana society are the birth, the initiation rites, rituals and ceremonies for the wedding and the rituals related to death. One of the groups of indigenous people who live in the north of kenya, the turkana, call the large, stunning, green lake anam kaalakol, meaning the sea of many fish. Encounter a pastoralist world turkana land and the turkana people are pastoralist in nature. They serve both as a source of food milk, meat and blood and as a form of traditional currency used to negotiate for brides and dowry payment. Sources on the turkana commonly report that the turkana believe in a god known by the name kuj or akuj, who is associated with the sky and is the creator of all things. Women are skilled at working leather and realize little skin skirts, adorned with multicolored beads and pieces of ostrich eggs. Oral history and archaeological evidence suggest that, prior to a. This is because marriage is the source of increase in the community as when the young people in the society get married, they are expected to bear children and facilitate continuity of the community. Turkana boy skeleton stirs debate discovery february 7, 2007 deep in the dusty, unlit corridors of kenyas national museum, locked away in a plainlooking cabinet, is one of mankinds oldest relics. Turkana tribe is part of the nilotic tribes and constitutes the second largest pastoralist community in kenya after the maasais. Although the famine which resulted from the sharp drop in food production was dramatized by the international press, insecurity of food availability is characteristic of pastoral production. Such continue to influence the kenyan culture that has consistently faced rapid influence from the western culture. Popular organizational culture books showing 150 of 106 the culture code.
Turkana, a people living in the arid, sandy expanse of northwestern kenya, from lake rudolf lake turkana to the ugandan border. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. Turkana boy, as he is known, the most complete skeleton of. A turkana local shows guests of the cultural festival a traditional gourd in 2018. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The turkana people emerged as a distinct ethnic group sometime during the early to middle decades of the nineteenth century. The turkana culture is vivified by a unique wealth of dresses, hairstyles, jewellery, sayings, tales, songs, craftsmanship and knowledge. The author traces the prehistory of the region, tells of the extraordinary wealth of wildlife that once populated the area, and recounts the history of the colonial period, thereby creating a vivid picture of a vital traditional culture. The tribes of kenya are known for their unique history, culture, values, lifestyle, language, religion, food and more most visitors to kenya can easily recall the maasai tribe and their close kin, the samburu people. The turkana people of kenya are skilled at carving wooden water troughs and containers. All the rituals are accompanied by animal sacrifices that make happy the spirits. It gave incredibly accurate and detailed information without being elitist or condescending toward the more rural and traditional cultural. Kenyan tourism has made the maasai and samburu tribes the most famous because of their long preserved culture.
A traditional metal wrist knife worn by a turkana man. Wall art in a wide variety of readytohang prints for your home, office, or dorm. They speak the turkana language, which is nilotic and similar to the maasai language. Celebrating kenyan diverse culture the turkana people.
The traditional clothing of the turkana is very simple and consists in a cloth knotted on the shoulder, to form a sort of tunic, for men. Turkana people for the turkana, the above is a world divided between akuj god or akuj nameri god of the stars and nipen or ngiapan spirits. Turkana tribe is part of the nilotic tribes and constitutes the second largest pastoralist community in kenya after the maasais they speak the turkana language, which is nilotic and similar to the maasai language the turkana, like the samburu and maasai, still maintain their undiluted traditional way of life. Life as a traditional turkana lady wangechi gitahi travels. We service the needs of european, mediterranean and middle eastern markets throughout the united states and canada. As in most african traditional religions, traditional religious specialists in turkana are present and play an active role in almost every community event. The turkana are a nilotic people native to the turkana district in northwest kenya, a semiarid climate region bordering lake turkana in the east, pokot, rendille and samburu to the south, uganda to the west, and south sudan and ethiopia to the north. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Traditional turkana people use music and movement to praise their animals, mourn the dead and express themselves. These people were one of many affected by a severe drought in 1979 and 1980. File, standard residents of lodwar are preparing for this years edition of turkana cultural festival. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Another striking aspect of turkana culture is the beautiful and intricate singing that is heard on moonlit nights during the rainy season. Lake turkana is an important resource, in particular, for the people of the north of kenya.
It goes without saying that turkanas are among the tribes who still practice most of their original culture. This program does not have turkana as a language choice, however, i was required to enter a something to continue. It is used for selfdefense, or for cutting up meat. These dances too, often depict animals and thus reflect the economic life of the turkana people and can be held on. According to the 2009 kenyan census, turkana number 855,399, or 2. The turkana, like the samburu and maasai, still maintain their undiluted traditional way of life. Turkana religious specialists, ngimurok, continue to act as intermediaries between living people and ancestors and also help in problem solving in communities. Views of mt kenya on clear days from its foothills, the marsabitlake turkana cultural festival will take place for the 14th consecutive year in loiyangalani town. Introduction marriage is one of the cultural activities which are highly valued so much in turkana community.
Theres one supreme god akuj who is associated with the sky, and who can be addressed through prayer or through intermediaries such as diviners and livingdead ancestors. The majority of the turkana still follow their traditional religion. The turkana tribe of kenya their history and culture. Culture and customs of kenya was a superb book and was, by far the best book on the subject that ive read to date. Singing and dancing play an important role in turkana culture. It is the worlds largest permanent desert lake and the worlds largest alkaline lake. The turkana speak an eastern nilotic language of the nilosaharan language family. It defines who they are and in fact around 70% of the turkana continue to practice the traditional pastoralist lifestyle that appears to have been the first form of economy known to man.
Details of the turkana tribe and their culture in kenya. See more ideas about people of the world, african tribes and world cultures. Turkana wall art products, available on a range of materials, with framed and unframed options. Kalenjin people and their culture in kenya go visit kenya. I also highly appreciate the tobongulore turkana tourism and cultural festival 2018, held from 19th21st april, that provided me a platform to meet and engage with these ladies and more. Turkana rely on their livestock for food for meat, milk and blood. Culture and language of the turkana, nw kenya book, 1983. The people say their traditions of song and dance make them proud to be turkana.
The turkana are nomadic pastoralists who live in the desert regions of northwestern kenya. Also, where possible i have included the kiswahili equivalent word on the actual english card. We will be celebrating our rich cultural heritage which ranges from traditional dances, traditional regalia, songs, foods, lifestyle to the. Because of the traditional culture, a woman does everything from looking after the children, building the home and looking for food. Livestock, especially zebu humped cattle, are very important in the turkana culture. By volume it is the worlds fourthlargest salt lake citation needed after the caspian sea, issykkul, and lake van. I sampled the ladies day to day lives through their eyes, some content with the traditional lifestyle as is, some with a hunger in their eyes for the. The kenyan nilotes have some of the best preserved traditional practices. The secrets of highly successful groups hardcover by. Close to 95% of the people living in turkana county adhere to traditional beliefs while 510% of the residents are christians. Daniel coyle goodreads author shelved 3 times as organizational culture avg rating 4.
With traditional dances and a chance to taste various foods from these communities as well as being able to visit their unique huts and get a taste to. About turkana county turkana is the 2nd largest county in kenya 77,000 sq. Turkana food is a family owned and operated ethnic food distributor with over 30 years of experience. Turkana people have a rich culture, a culture that dates back so many years ago. The event features unique performances and demonstrations of ten different ethnic communities which live in the lake turkana region. The turkana produce finely crafted carved wooden implements used in daily life. The turkana are allowed to peek in kenya vpro metropolis 2012 duration. God is called upon in times of need but little concern is given to whether he answers or how. Kenya tribes culture and lifestyle of the tribes of kenya. It is here where the 15 ethnic communities which live in marsabit county. Find highquality turkana stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. The vast majority of the turkana still follow their traditional religion, which on the surface seems straightforward enough. Reminiscent of annie dillards nonfiction essays or even some of jeanette wintersons more meditative fiction, turkana boy does not focus on plot so much as moments in succession, so i can understand others frustration if they expected a typical work of fiction with tight storyline. The traditional turkana weapons, used to protect their herds and possessions from wild animals and other tribes, include an eight foot long spear, a knobkerrie fighting stick, wrist knives, fingerhooks, and a shield made from buffalo, giraffe, or hippo hide.