Turkana tribe
The Turkana tribe are a nomadic pastoralist people that inhabit Turkana District in Kenya's Rift Valley Province.
This Kenya Nilotic tribe constitutes the second largest pastoralist community in Kenya after the Maasai.
They speak Turkana language, which is nilotic and similar to masai language.
The Turkana, like the Samburu and Maasai, still maintain their undiluted traditional way of life. They are distinguished for being great survivors living in harsh and inhospitable terrain.
History
The Turkana tribe originally came from the Karamojong region of North Eastern Uganda. Turkana oral traditions purport that they arrived in Kenya while pursuing an unruly bull. The land they occupy is harsh and very dry. The Turkana were therefore less affected by colonialism since the British saw nothing attractive in their land.
Culture and Lifestyle
Like with all other pastoralist tribes in Kenya, livestock, especially cattle, are at the core of Turkana culture. The Turkana people live a nomadic life, always moving from one place to another depending on the availability of pasture and water for their animals.
The Turkana place such a high value on cattle that they often raid other tribes to acquire more animals. This may be seen as theft, but to the Turkana and other pastoralist tribes in Northern Kenya, this is a perfectly acceptable traditional custom. Cattle raids are common between Turkanas and the neighboring tribes especially the Karamoja of Uganda in the West, and the Pokot and Marakwet in the South.
Unfortunately, these cattle raids have increasingly become more dangerous due to the upsurge in small fire arms (guns and rifles) amongst Turkanas and the neighboring tribes. Today, many people in the region own unlicensed fire arms for their own protection. The sight of a Turkana herdsman holding a G3 (or AK47) rifle, while herding his animals, is not strange in this region.
Unlike other nomadic tribes, the Turkana do not have many complex customs or strong social structures. Each Turkana family tends to be self-sufficient though at times a number of families may graze their animals collectively.
Polygamy is an acceptable way of life. A Turkana man can marry as many wives as he can pay bride price for. Like the Luo tribe and the Teso, the Turkana tribe does not practice male circumcision. They also do not hold any special initiation rituals for transition to manhood.
Turkana clothing
The Turkana are nearly as colorful as the Maasai and Samburu in their regalia and dressing. Men dye their hair in special colored soil, while women adorn themselves with traditional jewelry and beaded necklaces. A woman's social status or class determines how much jewelry and what kind of jewelry to wear. From the point of view of a Turkana person, one glance at a woman is enough to know her standing in the society.
Art and Craft
Some of the most beautifully crafted items from the Turkana are the bracelets and necklaces worn by women. Turkana craftsmen also produce many other artistic items especially weapons - spears, clubs and knives. The Turkana also manifest special skills in metalwork, wood-carving, and stone carving.
Faith & Religion
Today the majority of Turkanas still adhere to their traditional African religion. They believe in a God of the heavens/skies, whom they call Akuj or Kuj. Turkanas can pray directly to Akuj, or through the spirits of the ancestors. They normally call upon this God in times of crisis or calamities such as in extreme droughts.
The Turkana life today
Cattle are still the main source of livelihood for the Turkana especially in the rural setup. The livestock provide food (milk and meat) and are also a source of wealth when sold for money. Fishing in Lake Turkana is also an important source of income for those living close to the Lake. While illiteracy levels are still high among the Turkana, there are a few well educated Turkanas who have joined other sectors of the Kenya economy.
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