| Kenya has more than 40 tribes. Their role is | | | | to adapt. She eats Masai food, sleeps in |
| diminishing slowly, but the tribe is one of | | | | wooden shacks, and delivers their baby in the |
| the main defining features of living in | | | | bush. But her husband feels increasingly |
| Kenya. On the one hand, everybody admires the | | | | threatened by her independence and abilities. |
| sight of proud Masai warriors, dressed all | | | | When she opens a small shop in the village, |
| red with their typical spears and shield. And | | | | he's jealous. He gets abusive and she finally |
| tribes have social advantages, such as mutual | | | | has to flee with her daughter back to |
| help. On the other hand, the tribes in Kenya | | | | Switzerland. |
| are holding the country back. This article | | | | |
| provides some background information. | | | | Tribes In Kenya Business And Politics |
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| The Big Picture Of Tribes In Kenya | | | | Besides culture, tribes play a main role in |
| | | | business and politics. Tribe members 'help' |
| Family in Kenya is all-important. Big | | | | each other, and this goes from , to |
| extended families live together and look | | | | favoritism in the government and covering |
| after each other. Then comes your clan, your | | | | each others criminal activities. |
| sub-tribe, and your tribe. Since Kenyan | | | | |
| independence in 1963, the government has | | | | The Kikuyu dominate both business and |
| tried to create a national consciousness, | | | | politics. There are several reasons: they are |
| stressing the idea that "we are all Kenyans". | | | | the biggest tribe, have westernized to a big |
| But as a result of the tribe system, national | | | | extent, are street-smart in business and the |
| identity is very weak in Kenya. | | | | led the independence movement in the 1950s |
| | | | and 1960s. This independence movement became |
| Kenyan tribes are mainly based on language. | | | | the first big political party, KANU, which |
| There are three language groups in which all | | | | dominated Kenyan politics for many decades. |
| the tribes can be divided: the Bantu, the | | | | |
| Nilotic and the Cushitic speaking tribes. | | | | The first president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, |
| Well-known tribes that still follow the | | | | as well as current president Mwai Kibaki are |
| traditional lifestyles as the Masai, Samburu | | | | Kikuyu, and both have shown clear favoritism, |
| and Turkana tribes are Nilotic. However, many | | | | if not outright corruption towards their |
| Kenyans speak three languages: their tribal | | | | tribesmen. Kenyatta used the land reforms |
| language, English, and Swahili (which | | | | after de departure of the British to make |
| together with English is the official | | | | himself and his fellow clan members the |
| language in Kenya). | | | | biggest landowners of the country. Kibaki was |
| | | | elected in 2002 on the promise to end the |
| The biggest tribes are, respectively, the | | | | ever-present corruption, but once in office |
| Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin and Kamba | | | | did precious little to fight it. Instead, he |
| (although exact numbers differ widely from | | | | adopted members of his Kikuyu clan throughout |
| source to source). | | | | his administration. These people are known as |
| | | | the "Mount Kenya Maffia", after the home |
| Tribes In Kenya: Pretty Or Ugly? | | | | region of the Kikuyu around this mountain. |
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| Of course, I very much like to watch | | | | Many voters support a political candidate not |
| traditional tribal life. The Masai, Samburu, | | | | because of his ideas or personal abilities, |
| Turkana tribes people have magnificent | | | | but because he's from the same tribe. |
| colorful jewelry and clothes, impressive | | | | Political parties are based on tribes, not on |
| rituals, and beautiful songs. Experiencing | | | | ideas. Elections often come down to the |
| this is for many one of the big reasons of | | | | question: which tribe is going to exploit the |
| coming to Kenya. | | | | other tribes? The election struggles of |
| | | | 2007-2008 in Kenya also had a tribal |
| But let's be honest. How many of the tourists | | | | background: many non-Kikuyu voters thought |
| who idealize the tribes in Kenya would be | | | | that the Kikuyu (22% of the population) under |
| able to live that way themselves? Tribes also | | | | had "eaten enough" (slang for stealing |
| mean a belief in witchcraft (and better avoid | | | | government funds) under the Kibaki |
| being called a witch in Kenya!), female | | | | government, and therefore supported a |
| genital mutilation, and little individual | | | | politician from the Luo tribe (Raila Odinga). |
| freedom as the course of your whole life is | | | | |
| already fixed at birth by tribal customs. | | | | While some people in the west romanticize the |
| | | | tribal life, seeing this as a 'purer' |
| The "White Masai" movie has made this all too | | | | lifestyle which is more social and 'closer to |
| clear. It tells the real life story of a | | | | nature', I personally am happy that I'm not a |
| Swiss woman (Corinne Hofmann) who marries a | | | | part of it, and I believe many Kenyans would |
| Masai warrior and joins the traditional | | | | benefit from a gradual roll-back of the tribe |
| tribal life in his small village. During the | | | | system. |
| first years, she shows a remarkable ability | | | | |