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Kenya Lifestyle and Culture

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The culture of Kenya is diverse due to its multiple traditions; there is no prominent culture that identifies specifically with the nation. Instead, the different communities make up different communities that constitute what is Kenya.

However, despite Kenyans proudly embracing their cultures, traditions, and religions, they are also conscious of the importance of national harmony. Kenyans believe in unification rather than individualism, hence the common term “Harambee”, which means pulling together. This idealism has been the Kenyan government’s point of strive since independence and defines the everyday life of the people of Kenya.

Mutual responsibility and self-reliance are encouraged at the community level through cooperative farming and herding. The socio-political core of Kenya is to bring people together.
Kenya has over 47 ethnic groups that make up the nation. Some of the most prominent and well-known cultures include that of the Masai people inhibiting the majestic Masai Mara lands.

The Masai culture is the face of Kenyan tourism, although it constitutes a smaller population of the Kenyan people. The group is famous for its upper-body embellishments and of course the Masai cloth. The Masai beadwork, jewellery, and visual art has reached international acclaim and identifies as authentically African. They remain one of the few tribes in Africa that have been able to protect and conserve their culture from western influences.

Other notable populations in the country include the Swahili living on the coast and the Kikuyu who make up the majority of the Kenyan population and Bantu community at large.
Urban life in Kenya is by no means uniform; the lifestyle mainly depends on your geographical situation. A good example is a life between the culturally dynamic city Nairobi and the Muslim town, Mombasa.

The Capital is dotted with numerous restaurants, bars, and clubs and the lifestyle there is more liberal and diverse whilst in Mombasa, (although they have an active reveling lifestyle as well) mosques, and women dressed in bui buis (loose-fitting garments that cover married Muslim women from head to toe) are a common feat; exhibiting the conservative element of the city. Nairobi is an up-tempo industrious and commercial city that is in contrast with Mombasa a historical city famed for its music and culinary.

Tourism is an integral part of Kenya and its socio-economic landscape. The word “safari’ is synonymous with Kenya it is a word that was coined by the nation.

The country is made up of vast lands consisting of the Big 5 animals of Africa and is a tourist hub throughout the year. This interaction with foreign people has in turn made Kenyans friendly people in their core nature.

Despite the general urbanization of Kenya, traditional practices are still of pivotal importance. Rituals and customs are still practices and they remain well documented, thanks to the intense anthropological study of Kenyans during the British colonial period.

Kenya stands out as one of the most documented countries in the world. Oral literature is safeguarded through the publishing of traditional folktales and ethnographies. A good example is that of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, one of the best-known writers in Kenya and Africa as a whole. His literature captures life in Kenya before, during, and after the British occupation. His writings are usually themed around colonialism, education, corruption, culture, and love, in the reflection of his native land.

Kenya has a varied collection of music forms, in addition to its multiple types of folk music based on the various regional languages the country embraces. However what remains the same is the fact that Kenyan music is mostly riddled in instruments, particularly drum beats. The music has embraced both local sounds and imported ones, especially the Congolese cavacha rhythm.

The popular local genres include Benga, Akothee, and Taarab, a genre originally from the eastern coastal region heavily influenced by Arabic styles. Another popular genre is Zilizopendwa, a genre of local urban music that was recorded in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Modern-day songs have their lyrics frequently sang in Kiswahili, Lingala (a language borrowed from Congolese musicians) or English, although to a lesser extent there are songs sang in other local languages.

There is no music without dancing; therefore Kenyan people have their distinguished dances. The Isukuti, a vigorous dance performed by the Luhya sub-tribes, Ohangla among the Luo, Mugithi among the Kikuyu, Taarab among the Swahili and Nzele among the Mijikenda. Most of these traditional dances are performed during ceremonies such as weddings, festivals, and funerals. They embody the celebration of the people whenever they gather.

Kenyan cultural diversity resonates in their food as well. The nation’s food is an influence of Bantu, British, Arab, and Indian influence. The foods common throughout Kenya include ugali and chapatti. Ugali is a mush made from maize and often served with greens and meat. Chapati is a fried bread of Indian origin and is served with stew or vegetables.

Rice is a common staple starch as well. Usually, Kenyans have 3 meals a day, breakfast (kiamsha kinywa), lunch (chakula cha mchana), and supper (chakula cha jioni). Boiled sweet potatoes and yams are a common meal for breakfast while ugali with relish is eaten by most populations for lunch or supper. These are popular meals, although regional variations also exist.

Fish, vegetables, sour milk, and, irio (a stew of peas, corn, and potatoes common with the Kikuya), are the most common relishes in Kenyan meals. Many people own shambas (vegetable gardens) as a supplement for purchased foods. Meat is traditionally not an everyday meal and is usually eaten in small quantities. Grilled game meat is a common delicacy amongst the people.

The Masai people are popular for the preservation of their livestock and avoid killing their cattle. Instead, they prefer to use products yielded from the live animal, including blood drained from non-lethal wounds. They usually drink milk, mixed with the cow’s blood, and eat the meat of sheep or goats instead. In the big cities such as Nairobi, the fast-food culture has been adopted the city is filled with international fast-food restaurants such as Steers, KFC, and Subway. There are also many local fish-and-chips shops.

Holidays celebrated in the country include most Christian holidays, as well as the Muslim festival ʿId al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of Ramadan. Independence Day (Jamhuri) is celebrated annually on December 12. Moi Day and Kenyatta Day, both in October, honor two of the country’s presidents, while Madaraka in June celebrates Kenya’s attainment of self-governance in 1964.

Kenya is a competitive country when it comes to sports, particularly athletics. The country is famous for its dominating stand in middle and long-distance running. It has for decades produced Olympic champions in various long-distance events especially the 800m, 1500m 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, 10000m, and the marathon.

Kenya won several medals at the Beijing Olympics (6 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze medals), making them Africa's most successful nation at the Olympics that year.

Long-distance running has always been a rivalry competition between the Kenyans and the Ethiopians in all sporting events they meet at. Although they play other sports such as rugby, cricket, hockey, and football, long-distance running events remain a favorite for the Kenyans as they stay winning.

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