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Kenya

Culture & History

Personality, Culture, & Identity

Kenya is like wondering children out for an adventure in the forest. There are no rules, no real direction, not even a well thought out plan. As each adventurer encounters the next, each decides if they will unite or divide, war or make peace, determine if the other is encroaching on his land or simply passing by to trade, but at the end of the day, when mom calls them home, they all listen.

Kenya is diverse (consisting of over 40 ethnic groups) and to most individual Kenyans, their ethnic loyalties stand well above some political unit, under whose umbrella they live. Kenya, as a political entity, is just a governing body that dictates laws and at times faces great resistance from ethnic groups who consider the nation's laws a breach of their freedom. Despite this conflict, each group respects and listens to the laws of the state, perhaps to acquire further economic development or perhaps just out of fear of the government's wrath and power.

Kenyans identify in various ways. Some groups, like the Masaai see their fellow Masaai warriors in neighboring Tanzania as a closer ally than any group within Kenya itself and "Kenyans" most often identify as such only in the cities, which are little more than giant mosh pits of everyone who can't find work or who seek a new life away from their rural tribal life and traditions.

History

The Great Rift Valley (which passes through modern-day Kenya) has been the "cradle of civilization" since the first man (or woman) began to walk on two feet, and since then Kenya has found itself as the destination for migrating cultures and peoples from throughout Africa. Today, its population primarily consisted of small tribal groups controlling each's own plot of land or following the herds across the plains for food.

European influence began in the late 1400s with the arrival of the Portuguese, but in the 1700s the Omani Sultans took power over the coast and stationed their capital in the island of Zanzibar (Tanzania). This island became the center of the Indian Ocean's trade including Indian spices, African slaves, and European clothing and guns.

In 1886 the British and Germans drew boundaries of their newly claimed African lands and what is the modern border between Kenya and Tanzania was one of these boundaries, with the British taking control of what is today Kenya.

Due to the multiple ethnic groups and relatively little foreign influence on the region's interior during this period, there was no united liberation movement until the 1950s. The initial freedom movement was a wild and violent uprising, which did little to gain freedom and claimed the lives of many more locals than British (who controlled Kenya at the time). Soon after these events, the British decided to grant the country this freedom and, soon after organized free elections and transferred power to the people in 1963.

Since independence, Kenya has been fairly stable, although the country's presidents have tended to rule with an iron fist. The country's economic and income levels have been fairly consistent with minor growth over time. The economy took a couple major blows after the bombings in 1998 and 2002 (see below), which discouraged tourists from entering the country. Additionally, there has been a slow standard of living decline in the past few years and the country is amassing major debts.

Dress & Behavior

There are few dress or behavioral warning to be aware of in Kenya other than along the coast, where Islam dominates. The only warning everyone must be aware of in all parts of the country is that many local cultures believe having their picture taken is unlucky or that by having their picture taken, a part of their soul is stolen from them. For this reason never take pictures of the local people unless you first ask.

In Muslim areas it is considered inappropriate for women to leave their hair uncovered, however this is loosely enforced, especially among foreigners. Women covering their heads will show great respect to their culture, however most Kenyans understand if you don't cover your hair.

Again in these Muslim areas, both women and men are expected to cover their legs and shoulders; showing your knees can be very offensive. 3/4 length pants, like Capris and short sleeve shirts are only looked down upon by strict Muslims, however wearing full length pants and long sleeves at all times in predominantly Muslim areas is the best course of action. Some seaside resorts often times allow these rules to be ignored, but follow the example of locals in these places.

Islamic law forbids pork products and alcohol. While the interior has no dietary restriction, along the coast try to avoid drinking alcohol and eating pork. In these areas though, pork products are difficult to find so avoiding pork is easy due to its inaccessibility. To learn more about dining etiquette in Kenya, visit the Kenyan Food page.

This page was last updated: July, 2011