People & Culture
Culture
The culture of Kenya is a way of life that blends the tradition of thousands of years of African social evolution with the modern influence of the 20th Century. This blending of culture is expressed in different forms that range from people & language, food, music & dance, art, artifacts, theatre & literature, to ethnic values and ethical norms. Combined with other traditions, these forms of expression and lifestyle combine to form an identity that is uniquely Kenyan.
Kenyans live a highly social and collective lifestyle where the extended family, large pool of friends and the community shape the course of their existence and well-being. People are very friendly and neighbors are no strangers in Kenya. You can arrive as a visitor and leave as a friend.
Swahili culture
The Swahili culture and language arose from the inter-marriage of Bantu-speaking people and early visitors mainly Arab traders who migrated and settled along the East African coast. Arab and Persian cultures had the greatest influence on the Swahili culture and language. 35% of Swahili vocabulary derives from the Arabic language but the syntax and grammar is Bantu. The Swahili language also absorbed words from the Portuguese who controlled the Swahili coastal towns and from languages of the later colonial powers on the East African coast – English (British) and German.
Aspects of the Swahili culture are diverse due to its many origins. For example, Swahili cuisine has influences from Indian, Arabic, and European cultures. There are also alterations to certain dishes due to religious reasons. For instance pork is seldom used in food because most of the Swahili are Muslim. Some food that is common in the everyday lives of the Swahili is fish, tropical fruits, and exotic spices
An artifact of the Swahili culture is the kanga, a rectangular piece of cloth mainly worn by women. It has geometrical designs and at the bottom of each kanga is written a wise saying. Kangas are now part of almost every kenyan household and are used to carry children, as kitchen aprons,
An additional part of Swahili culture is the music. Tarabu is the main type of music that the Swahili listen to. It is a combination of Swahili tunes sung in rhythmic poem mixed in with Arabic or even Indian melodies. It was traditionally performed at weddings and gatherings. Over the years Tarabu has grown to not only included ethnic instruments, but also the fiddle, tambourine, guitar, keyboard, and drums. Even though the instruments have changed, the basic singing style is still the same as always.
Food
Kenyan cooking draws upon a variety of ethnic traditions merged with flavours and tastes from outside countries. Because of Kenya’s long-time linkage with foreign settlers, Kenyan foods have been greatly influenced in taste, cooking and presentation by the Indian, Arabs, European, Pakistani and some western countries. It is interesting to note that relatively little remains in contemporary Kenyan cuisine to reflect the British colonial experience apart from a fondness for tea. A larger impact was made, however, by Indian merchants and railway workers from the subcontinent. Samosas, chapati, curries, rice pilau and chutneys remain quite popular with Kenyans today.
Kenyan food is mainly traditional with almost all Kenyan ethnic groups boasting a meal they can truly call their own staple food. However if one had to name a Kenyan dish, it would probably be “nyama choma” (literally grilled meat), usually goat or mutton. When Kenyans go out, they go for the standard blow-out feast, which is a huge pile of nyama choma (roast meat). You can order your meat of choice; goat, beef, mutton or chicken, and the way you prefer to eat it, either cooked, fried or roasted. Nyama choma is also very popular at parties, family gatherings and wedding receptions;
Resources and useful links:
http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/
http://www.kenya-information-guide.com
http://www.culture.go.ke
www.nationalheritage.go.ke/
http://www.museums.or.ke/
http://www.kenyarchives.go.ke/
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://swahilionline.com
