Don't set sail on someone else’s star.

<br>Don't set sail on someone else’s star.



Chic African Culture Blog

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. African tech startups raise billions of dollars annually, seven African start-ups were included in the World Economic Forum 2021 cohort of 100 Technology Pioneers.

African Culture is World Heritage

Appreciate Africa through African art, food, proverb sayings, folklore, biographies, spirituality and African living history.

Tribes of Kenya Facts

Tribes of Kenya Facts

Facts About Kenya

Kenya has one of the most culturally diverse populations in Africa. Kenyan tribes include, the Kikuyus, also known as Gikuyu, Luhya, Luo tribe, Kalenjin, the Kamba tribe, also called the Akamba, Kisii, Maasai, and the Meru.


School girls collecting water
Kenyan Culture

Tribes of Kenya Eight Interesting Facts


Kenyan Tribes Facts Capital: Nairobi Area: 580,367 sq. km (slightly more than twice the size of Nevada) Population: 45 million.

There are over 40 Kenya tribes; indigenous tribes of Kenya fall into three ethnic groups, namely: the Bantus, the Cushites and the Nilotes.
The Maasai people of East Africa live in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania along the Great Rift Valley on semi-arid and arid lands.

Largest tribes in Kenya

Kikuyu

The Kikuyus, also known as Gikuyu or Agikuyu, make up Kenya’s largest ethnic group around 22%.The Kikuyu tribe is a Bantu tribe that neighbors the Embu, Mbeere and Meru tribes around Mount Kenya. Kikuyus speak the Kikuyu language, and most of them live around the fertile central highlands and Mount Kenya where they mainly grow tea and coffee. The Kikuyu tribe dominates leadership and politics in Kenya.

 

Luhya

Luhyas are Kenya's second largest ethnic tribe making up around 14% of the population. The Luhya tribe, also known as the Abaluhya, Baluhya, or Abaluyia, are neighbors to the Luo, Kalenjin, Maasai and Teso tribes. Although considered one tribe, the Luhya consist of over 18 small tribes, each speaking a different dialect of the Luhya language. The Bukusu and Maragoli are the two largest tribes within the Luhya tribe. Traditional bullfighting is a popular sport with some of the Luhya tribe. Luhyas are mainly agriculturists, growing sugarcane and other crops; most of the sugar eaten in Kenya is produced in Mumias, a Luhya land.

 

Luo

Luo tribe is a subgroup of the larger Luo society that is spread across Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Congo and Ethiopia. The Luo tribe is the third largest community in Kenya and makes up around 13% of the population. Luo people as an initiation to manhood remove six teeth from the lower-jaw.

The Luo community is a significant player in the Kenyan political scene. The late father of Barack Obama was from the Luo tribe. Fish and ugali are the staple foods of the Luo tribe.

 

Kalenjin

Kalenjin is the fourth largest community in Kenya making up around 12% of the population. The Kipsigi’s are the largest of the Kalenjin group. Kalenjin’s are famously known as Kenyan running tribe. Many legendary Kenyan long distance runners are Kalenjin’s, they continue to dominate the marathon scene to this day.

 

Kamba

The Kamba tribe, also called the Akamba are the fifth largest tribe in Kenya making up about 11% of Kenya's total population. Kamba people are gifted dancers, singers, woodcarvers and basket weavers. The Kamba men and women hold high seats in politics and leadership Kenyan political landscape.

 

Kisii

The Kisii tribe are also known as the Gusii tribe. The Kisii live in the highlands in Nyanza, Western Kenya between the Luo and Luhya tribes. The Kisii are the sixth largest ethnic group, comprising about 6% of Kenya’s population. They are farmers and raises livestock on their densely populated farmlands. Classic Kisii foods are ugali, cassava, and matoke.

 

Meru

The Meru lives on the northeastern slopes of Mount Kenya and make up about 6% of Kenya’s total population. The name Meru refers to both the people and the location. The Meru are agriculturalists and coffee, tea and cotton are the most commonly grown cash crop. The Meru tribe is divided into subtribes, Igemebe, Igoji, Imenti, Miutuni, Muthambi, Mwimbi, and Tigania. The Chuka and Tharaka are considered part of the Meru tribe but they have different oral histories and traditions.

 

Other Groups of Kenya

African 15% and non-African 1% including the Maasai. The Maasai people of East Africa live in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania along the Great Rift Valley on semi-arid and arid lands. A majority of the Maasai population live in Kenya and small portions of Tanzania. The Maasai are a semi-nomadic people who adhere to traditional communal land; the concept of private ownership was a foreign concept to the Maasai people. Traditionally, the Maasai diet consisted of mainly meat, milk and blood from cattle. Maasai people drink blood only on special occasions.



Kenya is five times the size of Ohio slightly more than twice the size of Nevada.
The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa.
Glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak.
More than 40% of Kenyans are under the age of 15. Kenya in 1967 was the first sub-Saharan country to launch a nationwide family planning program.

Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

This Week’s Best Posts and Pages

Top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals

Image
Gold Olympic Medals Africa Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Nigeria are the top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals. 10 African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals How much do you know about Africa's history at the Summer Olympics Games? The 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad has been a part of Africa’s history since 1904. Also in Rio 2016, the first-ever Team Refugees will stand before the world and prove that you can succeed no matter where you're from. Top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals African Country Gold Silver Bronze Total Kenya 24 33 29 86 South Africa 23 26 27
Learn More

Beauty Does Not Pay Bills African Folklore Story

Image
Beauty Does Not Pay Bills African Folklore Story In the popular African folklore story, Beauty Does Not Pay Bills a beautiful Zulu woman learns the hard way you cannot rely on how you look to pay the bills. Beauty Doesn't Pay Bills African Folklore Story As the ancestors say, a young Zulu woman was well known and prized throughout the land for her unique beauty. One day, she thought to herself since she is so beautiful she would only have to show up at the local market, and the people would bring her all she needed to survive. Therefore, when she saw the women go to market, carrying loads of vegetables, beans, bananas, and cocoyam, she put on her prettiest clothes adorned herself with costly beads and bracelets and followed the women to market. When she arrived at the market, people were busy bartering their vegetables for dried fish, salt, pottery, and other supplies. The beautiful woman stood there in the busy market empty-handed, and had nothi
Learn More

Chadian Steamed Honey Cassava Buns

Image
Chadian Steamed Honey Cassava Buns African Recipes by African Gourmet   Chadian steamed honey cassava bun recipe has as many variations as to the fillings and the preparations. Our recipe offers a tasty filling of sweet honey to compliment the delicate soft steamed buns. Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 25 min Total time: 35 min Ingredients 2 cups cassava flour ½ cup water ¼ cup honey ½ teaspoon salt Honey for drizzling Directions Mix together cassava flour, water and salt. Knead until dough is formed then divide into 10 equal balls. Using your thumb make a deep indication in the center of each ball, fill with honey and smooth the dough back over the filling. Place squares of parchment paper under each ball so the dough does not stick to the steamer, steam in a bamboo steamer for 25 minutes. Drizzle with honey and serve warm as a snack, appetizer or with meals. [Read: Largest Ethnic Groups Of Chad Africa .] Chad Food Recipes
Learn More

Arrest in Rwanda 100 Days of Genocide

Image
Major Pierre Claver Karangwa, one of the executioners of the 100 day long Rwandan Genocide lived in the Netherlands for 26 years before his arrest​. Rwanda is the most densely populated country in mainland Africa with a population of 13 million living on 10,169 square miles of land; Rwanda is about the size of the US state of Maryland. The population is divided among ethnic lines with Hutu 85 percent, Tutsi 14 percent, and Twa 1 percent.  Major Pierre Claver Karangwa In 1959, three years before independence, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front and began a civil war in 1990. The mass killing of Rwanda’s Tutsi population was ignited on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying the-then president, Juvénal Habyarimana, was shot down and crashed in Kigali, t
Learn More

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

Support African History and Culture

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet are dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing African history and heritage celebrating 14 years of service in 2021. Share and support in the pride of being part of an important cultural and educational resource.


Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

Chic African Culture

Be better than average and support African history and culture. Since 2008 Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet highlight Africa through her food and culture. Contact us culture1africangourmet@gmail.com

More LOVE from Africa to Read About

Tasting African History Through Street Food African proverbs are to speech what salt is to food What is a person from Africa called