The Samburu tribe
The Samburu people are a nilotic and semi-nomadic pastoralist tribe that inhabits the Northern Kenya plains. They are a Maa-speaking group, who are almost like cousins of the Maasai tribe.
The Samburu tribe, just like the Maasai are a nomadic pastoralist, moving from one place to another, following patterns of rainfall, in search of fresh pasture and water for their cattle, camels, goats and sheep.
The Samburus are considered to be more traditional and remote than their masai kin, and have remained culturally authentic by clinging to their ancient traditions while defying modern trends.
Other neighbors of the Samburu tribe include pastoral communities of Turkana, Rendile and Borana.
History of the Samburu
Samburu history is intertwined with that of other Nilotic tribes in Kenya. The Samburus are known to have originated from Sudan and settled north of Mount Kenya and south of lake Turkana in the Rift Valley area of Kenya. Upon their arrival in Kenya in the 15th century, they parted ways with their Maasai cousins who moved further south, while Samburus moved further north. Under British colonial rule, the Samburu were not affected much since the British did not find their land particularly attractive.
Samburu Language & culture
The Samburu tribe just like the Maasai, speak the Maa languages. Although they share vocabularly, the Samburu dialect is spoken in a more rapid manner than the Maasai language. Together with the Maasai and the Turkana tribes, the Samburu are among the few African tribes that have remained culturally authentic clinging to their traditional way of life.
The Samburu tribe dress almost like the Maasais that it is hard to distinguish between the two tribes. Both Samburu men and women dress in brightly colored traditional shukas which they wrap loosely around their body. Samburu men also dye their hair in red ochre while the women wrap themselves in beautiful multi-beaded necklaces and other traditional jewelry. Samburu warriors or morans keep long braided hair and dress more colorful than other members of the tribe.
Circumcision, for both boys and girls, is one of the most important rituals among the Samburu. For boys, it is the initiation into moran (warrior) life while for girls, it signifies becoming a woman. Once circumcised, a girl/woman can be given away in an arranged marriage to start a family of her own. Sadly, this practice has seen girls as young as 12 years being married off to men old enough to be their grandfathers. In recent times however, concerted efforts by the Kenya government and non governmental organizations have remarkably reduced cases of female circumcision and forced early marriages among the Samburu and Pokot, enabling many girls to attain education.
Samburu Nomadic Lifestyle
Like with other Kenya pastoralist tribes, the Samburu people rear large herds of cows, sheep, goats and camels, which they openly graze in their communal land. Samburu herdsmen and their animals stay in one grazing area for as long as there is adequate pasture and water, then move on to new pastures once they exhaust the current one. In every area they move to, they temporarily build manyattas, mud-walled grass-thatched huts which they live in and fence their cattle yards with thorn. A typical Samburu village normally comprises several manyattas belonging to a group of 5 to 10 families.
Faith & Religion
Traditionally, the Samburu believed in one supreme god Nkai or Ngai - who was thought to reside in the Mountains. Diviners often acted as the intermediaries between other mortals and Nkai. Although today many Samburu people still adhere to their traditional religion, some have adopted Christian and Islamic faith.
Samburu Food & Diet
Maize (corn), milk and blood is their main food. The blood is drawn by piercing the vein of a cow with a spear or knife, after which the wound is resealed with hot ashes. They don't slaughter their animals very often. The Samburu tribe only eat meat on special occasions and ceremonies such as during the birth of a child, initiation and marriage.
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