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There is also Kemba in Gabon, see Kemba, Gabon The Kamba (Mukamba in singular, Akamba in the plural) are a Bantu ethnic group who live in the semi-arid Eastern Province of Kenya stretching east from Nairobi to Tsavo and north up to Embu, Kenya. This land is called Ukamba or land of the Akamba. Depending on the source, they are either the third or the fifth largest ethnic group in Kenya. They speak the Kikamba language. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (light brown) vs. ...
The Eastern Province of Kenya is one of seven regions of the country. ...
Nairobi (pronounced ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. ...
Tsavo is a small town in Kenya located at the crossing of the Uganda Railway over the Tsavo River, close to where it meets the Athi River. ...
Location of Embu in Kenya Embu is a large town in Kenya, located approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of Nairobi toward Mount Kenya. ...
The Kikamba is a Bantu language spoken by the Kamba people of Kenya. ...
Origins and migration
The Akamba moved into their present lands from Western Tanzania (Unyamwezi) by way of Usambara Mountains and into eastern Kenya. As they settled in the hilly lands their population increased. Some anthropologists believe that the Akamba are a mixture of several East African people, and bear traits of the Bantu farmers (Kikuyu, Taita) as well as those of the Nilotic pastoralists (Maasai, Kalenjin, Borana, etc). The Kamba are often found in different professions: some are agriculturalists others hunters, and a surprisingly large number are pastoralists. Trade in the form of barter with the Kikuyu people in the interior and the Mijikenda and Arab people on the coast was also practiced by the Akamba who straddled the eastern plains of Kenya, all the way South into Taveta country and the Usambara region of Tanzania. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
A Kenyan tribe, being about 0. ...
Nilotic people or Nilotes, in its contamporary usage, refers to some ethnic groups mainly in southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and northern Tanzania, who speak Nilotic languages, a large sub-group of Nilo-Saharan languages. ...
Pastoralists are people whose main source of livelihood is livestock with which they move seasonally in search of fresh pasture and water. ...
Language(s) Maa (ɔl Maa) Religion(s) Monotheism Christianity Related ethnic groups Samburu The Maasai are an indigenous African ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. ...
Kalenjin is an ethnic group of Nilotic origin living in the Great Rift Valley in western Kenya. ...
The Borana are an East African ethnic group living in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. ...
The Mijikenda (literally the nine, also called the Nyika or Nika) are the nine tribes along the coast of Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania. ...
For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ...
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The Usambara mountains are a mountain range in North-East Tanzania, approximately 70 miles (110 km) long and ranging from 20 to 40 miles (30-60 km) in width. ...
Over time, they expanded their commercial activity and wielded economic control right across the central part of the land that was later to be known as Kenya (from the Kikamba, 'Kiinyaa', the Ostrich Country'), from the Indian Ocean to Lake Victoria in the west, and all the way up to Lake Turkana on the northern frontier. The Akamba traded in locally-produced goods such as cane beer, ivory, brass amulets, tools and weapons, millet, yams and cattle. The food obtained from trading helped offset shortages caused by droughts and subsequent famines. They also traded in medicinal products known as 'Miti' (literally: plants), made from various parts of the numerous medicinal plants found on the East African plains. The Akamba are still known for their fine craft work in basketry, and pottery. Their artistic inclination is evidenced in the sculpture work that is on display in many craft shops and galleries in the major cities and towns of Kenya. For other places with the same name, see Lake Victoria (disambiguation). ...
View over Lake Turkana Lake Turkana, formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya (although the far northern end of the lake crosses into Ethiopia), which covers a surface area of 6405 km² (2473 mi²), making it the worlds largest permanent desert...
Colonialism and the 19th century In the latter part of the 19th century the Arabs hijacked the coastal trade from the Akamba, who then acted as middlemen between the Arab and Swahili traders and the tribed further upcountry. Their trade and travel made them ideal guides for the caravans gathering slaves for the Middle Eastern and Indian markets. Early European explorers also used them as guides in their expeditions to explore East Africa. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...
For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...
Eastern Africa (UN subregion) East African Community Central African Federation (defunct) geographic, including above East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easternmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. ...
Akamba resistance to colonialism was mostly |non-violent] in nature. Some of the best known Akamba resistance leaders to colonialism were: Syokimau, Syotune wa Kathukye, Muindi Mbingu, and later Paul Ngei, JD Kali, and Malu of Kilungu (a place locally known as "Mitini kwa Malu"). Ngei and Kali were imprisoned by the colonial government for their anti-colonial protests. It has been suggested that Benign colonialism be merged into this article or section. ...
Hon. ...
The Kikamba family In Kikamba culture, the family is central to the life of the community. The man, who is head of the family, undertakes one of the economic activities popular among the community, such as trading, hunting, cattle-herding (his own cows) or farming. He was, and still is, known as 'Nau', 'Tata', Asa.
The woman, whatever her husband's occupation, works on her piece of land, supplementing the food supply of the home. She grows maize, millet, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beans, pigeon peas, greens, arrow root, cassava, and in the cooler regions such as Kangundo, yam. It is the mother's role to bring up the children. Even children that have grown up into adults are expected to never contradict the mother's wishes. The mother is known as 'Mwaitu' ('our One')
The grandparents (Susu, umau) help with the less strenuous chores around the home, such as rope-making, tanning leather, cleaning calabashes and making arrows. Older women continue to work the land, as this is seen as a source of independence and economic security. They also carry out trade in the local markets, though not exclusively.In the modern Kikamba family, the women, especially in the urban regions, practise professions such as teaching, secretarial, managerial, tailoring etc in accordance with the country's socio-economic evolution.
Culture and beliefs Naming is an important aspect of the Akamba people. Children are often affectionately called Musumbi (meaning "king"), and Muthoki/Nthoki (meaning "long awaited one"). Akamba children are named for/after time or events surrounding their birth. For example, Nduku is a name given to a baby girl born at night and Mutuku to a baby boy born at night. Children born when it is raining may be named Mumbua (feminine) or Wambua (masculine). Children are also named after a living or departed ancestor, depending on the parents' relationship with the person.
Like the Maasai and the Agikuyu, the Akamba believe in a monotheistic, invisible and transcendental God Ngai, who lives up in the sky ('yayaani').] The most venerable name of God is Asa, or the Father. He is also known as Ngai Mulungu, Mumbi, or mwatuangi. He is perceived as the omnipotent creator of life on earth and as a merciful, if distant, entity. The traditional Akamba perceive the spirits of their departed ones, the 'aimu'/'Maimu', as the intercessors between themselves and Ngai Asa. They are remembered in family rituals and offerings at individual altars. Language(s) Maa (ɔl Maa) Religion(s) Monotheism Christianity Related ethnic groups Samburu The Maasai are an indigenous African ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. ...
A Kikuyu woman in traditional dress. ...
Ngai (Enkai, En-kai, Engai, Eng-ai, Mweai, Mwiai) is the supreme God in the monotheistic religions of the Kamba, Kikuyu and Maasai tribes of Kenya. ...
Often when the old men (Asee) are partaking the traditional brew (Uki/Nzovi) it is the custom to pour a little brew before taking the first sip. This is in effect to appease Kuthengya family ancestors.
Kikamba music The Akamba people's love of music and dance is evidenced in their spectacular performances at many events in their daily lives or on occasions of regional and national importance. In their dances they display agility and athletic skills, as they perform acrobatics and body movements. The Akamba dance techniques and style resemble those of the Batutsi of Rwanda-Burundi and the Aembu of Kenya. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
The following are some of the varieties of traditional dance styles of the Akamba community:
- Mwali (pl: Myali) which is a dance accompanying a song, the latter which is usually made to critcise anti-social behaviour.
- Kilumi and Ngoma, religious dances, performed at healing and rain-making ceremonies;
- Muilu is a circumcision dance;
- Mbalya, or Ngutha is a dance for young people who meet to entertain themselves after the day's chores are done.
- Kamandiko', or the modern disco.
Clothing and costumery The Akamba of the modern times, like most people in Kenya, dress rather conventionally in western / European clothing. The men thus wear trousers, usually made from cotton dill, and shirts. Young boys will, as a rule, wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts, usually in cotton, or tee-shirts. Traditionally, Akamba men wore leather short kilts made from animal skins or tree bark. They wore copious jewelery, mainly of copper and brass. It consisted of neck-chains, bracelets, and anklets.
The women in modern Akamba society also dress in the European fashion, taking their pick from dresses, skirts, trousers, jeans and shorts, made from the wide range of fabrics available in Kenya.In the past, the women were attired in knee-length leather or bark skirts, embellished with bead work. They wore necklaces made of beads, these obtained from the Swahili and Arab traders. They shaved their heads clean, and wore a head band intensively decorated with beads. The various kilumi or dance groups wore similar colors and patterns on their bead work to distinguish themselves from other groups.
Traditionally, both men and women wore leather sandals especially when they ventured out of their neighborhoods to go to the market or on visits. While at home or working in their fields, however, they remained barefoot.
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