Masimba Hills Safaris

About Kenya

Articles - Feature Tour

 History

Kenya is named after a mountain of the same name. The Kikuyu people, who lived around present-day Mt.Kenya, referred to it as Kirinyaga, meaning ‘mountain of whiteness’ because of the snow-capped peaks. Mt. Kirinyaga, which was the main landmark, because synonymous with the territory the British later claimed their colony. However, the name Kenya arose out of the inability of the British to pronounce Kirinyaga correctly. Kenya is known as the ‘cradle of mankind’. Between 1998 and 1999, the remains and fossils of Kenyanthropus Platyops, dating back over 2.6 million years, were discovered west of Lake Turkana. The discoveries suggest the protohumans roamed the area more than 20 million years ago. Today these remains can be found at the National Museum of Kenya.

People of Kenya

Most of Kenyans people dwell in rural areas with the urban population accounting for 25per cent. There are 42 tribes in Kenya, the main ones being the Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii, Meru and Turkana. The rest comprise about 15 percent of the total Kenyan population, with the one percent being non-African (Asian, Europeans and Arabs). The local languages still strongly exist, but Kiswahili is the national language with English being the official language. The people of Kenya are as diverse and contrasting as the country’s landscape. They include the Cushitic speaking nomads, Bantu speakers and the Nilotes. Together, their different cultures and traditions add to the amazing beauty of Kenya.

Culture

The culture of Kenya is as diverse as its more than 40 ethnic groups. It is possible to leave the melting pot of different and mixed traditions in the city of Nairobi and drive one hour to traditional customs and practices of Maasai Manyatta complete with cows, spears and arrows. The diversity in culture is evident in the different ways of life; the hierarchal relationships among the people; the different ways of traditional houses are constructed; the manner of dressing and adornment of dress accompaniment; the type of musical instruments, music and dance; the rich ceremonies and festivals; and the rich diversity of cuisine and the ways in which the foods are prepared, preserved, served, and consumed.