What traditions are celebrated in Kenya?
What traditions are celebrated in Kenya? Most of Kenya safari tourists do not prefer to stay in Kenya’s capital because of its congestion. Nairobi is necessary, yet it is an inevitable stopover on many itineraries. However, Nairobi is not quite as terrible as its reputation as a “Nairobbery” might imply: there are some excellent hotels and dining options, and there are sometimes excellent shopping options at malls and outdoor curio markets, sometimes known as “Maasai markets.” All of our road transfers in Nairobi are managed by a well-known and long-standing safari operator, and a driver-guide in uniform will meet you outside the arrivals hall. Your private car and driver-guide will be available to you during your stay in Nairobi until you have to check in for your flight at the conclusion of your kenya safari.
Kenya’s safari tour main entry point is Nairobi’s airport the Jomo Kenyatta International, known as JKIA. It’s helpful to know that all passengers must exit their cars for a security check on the access road before entering the airport area when leaving this airport. You’re encouraged to leave all baggage in the vehicle, otherwise you’ll have to pass them through an x-ray scanner. Wilson airport, which is located nearer the city centre, is the city’s second domestic airport. Wilson is where the majority of Kenya safari flights depart from. Transfers between the two airports often take an hour or longer, and there are no flights between them.
Kenya
One of the most noticeable aspects of Kenya is the variety of its cultures and customs. The more than forty-three ethnic groups that call Kenya home have contributed to its customs and traditions. Each tribe or ethnic group, primarily from the Nilotic, Cushite, and Bantu linguistic groups, is distinguished by its own customs, cultures, and traditions. These consist of things like language, food, attire, and customary celebrations. Some tribes share similar cultures, and others are totally different. Some are big, such as the Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, and Kalenjin, and others, like the Teso and El Molo, are pretty small. Together, they create Kenyan culture, which is a colourful, intricate tapestry of diversity that never ceases to astound visitors on safari in Kenya.
Child birth and Naming traditions in Kenya
Some are enormous, like the Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, and Kalenjin, and others, some are small such as the Teso and El Molo, are very small. When combined, they create Kenyan culture, which is a colourful, intricate tapestry of diversity that never ceases to astound visitors on safari in Kenya. One consistent throughout the cultures is the spirit of hospitality and generosity distinguishing Kenya and its people is one constant across the civilisations. When travelling across Kenya, Kenya safari tourists can see this for themselves. Some festivals and celebrations remain the same across all tribes, even though globalisation has threaten to destroy some of them. These include rights related to marriage, initiation, childbirth, and funerals.
In Kenya, giving birth is considered sacred and a blessing, and the new babies are greeted with dance, song, and other child naming. Traditionally, during a birth, Kikuyu people would anxiously wait outside. Five ululations were used to announce the arrival of a male, and four for a girl. Older women, including grandparents, nevertheless cherish this tradition even though it is no longer feasible because infants are born in hospitals. By appropriately ululating when they first meet the new born, they satisfy that criterion.
Western Kenyan tribes like the Luo and Luhya have the belief that a baby’s hair should be shaved a few days after birth. It is the mother-in-law’s technique of avoiding bad luck. Most traditional tribes would not approve of the contemporary practice of determining the sex of the infant before delivery using ultrasounds. It was illegal to discuss or speculate about an unborn child in Kenya for fear of “jinxing it.” Naming children is a purposeful and ancient custom among the Kikuyu. The firstborn daughter is named after her father’s grandpa, and the firstborn son is named after his. The maternal grandparents are the names of the third and fourth born children.
The naming of children is systematic and has persisted over time among the Kikuyu, who name their firstborn son after their paternal grandfather, their firstborn daughter after her paternal grandfather, and their third and fourth children after their maternal grandparents. The Maasai name their children after famous people or family members, but never after a living person. The Luo name their children after the time of day they were born or after whatever was happening, such as a storm or famine; a child born at night is called Atieno or Otieno, and a baby born during the rainy season is called Akoth or Okoth.
Facts about Kenya cultures
Circumcision is the symbol of passage of rites from childhood to adulthood among many Kenyan groups, including the Kikuyu, Meru, Masai, and Samburu tribes, which once circumcised both boys and females. However, due to various societal and health concerns, the majority have stopped doing so for girls. Although it is prohibited in Kenya, some communities, such as the Maasai and Samburu, continue to practise girl circumcision. However, circumcision is a significant milestone that marks the transition from childhood to adulthood for boys. Early in the morning, an experienced elder would circumcise a child beside the river, using the cold water as an anaesthetic.
These customs have been diluted by the advent of technology, and many boys end themselves in hospitals for this crucial stage. The Bukusu of Western Kenya are among the tribes that still follow the old ways of doing things. Typically, the initiation ritual is ornate and colourful. Days prior to the ritual, the circumcised boys trade a chicken for two bells at the neighbourhood blacksmith. After that, each lad rings the bells at his friends’ and family members’ houses to formally invite them to the event. Additionally, he designates a maternal uncle to “stand with him” throughout the procedure.
The boys go to the river on the day of the ceremony, where the designated uncles smear them with mud and place grass on their heads to symbolise communion with ancestors. The initiate then returns home nude and undergoes circumcision in front of his family and friends, receiving several gifts from everyone in attendance. The newly circumcised are then placed in isolation for healing, typically for two weeks, before becoming men.
