FIFINONO – a blog about cultural exploration

FIFI didn’t know much about Kenyan culture before she met NONO, now we are visiting Kenya together every year, FIFI is learning a lot. This is a society with incredible ethnic diversity, various customs and traditions, and strong British influence.

Ethnic Groups – There are more than 40 tribes in Kenya

Most people associate Kenya with the Maasai tribe, but there are actually about 42 tribes in Kenya! They all have different languages, traditions, beliefs, and practices! Almost all kids growing up speaking three languages: Swahili, English, and the one from their tribe. Kenyans often identify strongly with their ethnic groups.

The largest ethnic groups are:

• Kikuyu people (22%)
• Luhya (14%)
• Luo (13%)
• Kalenjin (12%)
• Kamba (11%)
• Kisii (6%)
• Meru (6%)

Like many other countries, Kenyans associate certain personalities and characteristics to each group. For example, Kikuyus are supposed to be good at business, and Meru is known to have a short temper.NONO is a mix of the Kikuyu and Meru tribe but doesn’t really fit into any of these stereotypes. And in case you are wondering, president Obama’s dad’s tribe is Luo, which is often seen as flamboyant.

NONO told FIFI she needs to learn some dances from his Kikuyu tribe… so here we go.

Family  – They take seniority really seriously

Almost everyone FIFI met in Keyan turned out to be NONO’s cousins! Family is extremely important to Kenyans, and the unit usually includes the extended family as well. From the very beginning, kids are taken care of by their uncles, aunts, and even neighbors. In return, it’s expected for the children to take care of their elders when they grow up.

The elderly are very VERY respected in Kenya. Kids started housework early, and once you have a younger sibling, you can start “order them around”. FIFI was surprised to see kids polishing their parents’ and elder’s shoes! And similar to FIFI in China, you’ll never call the elders by their first name.

Gatherings – Goats are getting slaughtered!

Kenya is a very collectivistic society, and there’s a communal nature to it. As Kenyans are very interdependent on the social level, eating and sharing food with others is a huge part of their life. And once there’s a gathering, a massive amount of food is also served.

Nyama Choma is for “roast meat.” in Swahili. It is one of Kenyan’s most famous and popular dishes and our favorite! Every gathering is an opportunity for Nyama Choma!

The first time FIFI visited NONO’s grandma, NONO came out from the room and presented a goat head which was slaughtered the night before!

Conclusion

Every time FIFI asked NONO something about Kenyan tradition, his answer is almost always “it depends on the tribe”. FIFI learned that Kenya is extremely diverse! However, because of the poor representation in global media, a lot of us have little knowledge of Africa and preserve a biased singular image of the continent.  There are so many fascinating African cultures to be explored, and we need more honest, authentic, and unprejudiced coverage. FIFI and NONO hope we can do our part.

What is your experience and views on Kenyan culture? What about other African cultures?

What destinations are you most interested in exploring next? Leave a comment!