The Mijikenda (literally the nine cities, also called derogatorily the Nyika or Nika which means "bush people") are the nine tribes along the coast of Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania. They include the Digo, Chonyi,Kambe, Duruma, Kauma,Ribe, Rabai, Jibana and Giriama. Each have unique customs and language, although the languages are similar to each other and to Swahili. Traditions are rich since British and Germancolonists had strongest influence in the upcountry of Kenya, leaving the poorer coast alone. Viewed historically or developmentally, a tribe consists of a social formation existing before the development of, or outside of, states. ... THE GIRIAMA ARE ONE OF THE NINE SUB-TRIBES THAT MAKE UP THE MIJI-KENDA. (MIJI-KENDA LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO NINE SETTLEMENTS). THE MIJI-KENDA OCCUPY THE COSTAL STRIP EXTENDING FROM LAMU IN THE NORTH TO THE KENYA/TANZANIA BORDER IN THE SOUTH, AND APROXIMATELY 30 Km INLAND. THE GIRIAMA... Custom has a number of meanings: A custom is a common practice among a group of people, especially depending on country, culture, time, and religion. ... Swahili (also called Kiswahili; see Kiswahili for a discussion of the nomenclature) is an agglutinative Bantu language widely spoken in East Africa. ... This article refers to a colony in politics and history. ...
Whereas the traditionalists, mainly MijiKenda elders appointed to safeguard the sacred forests known as Kayas, have always looked upon the Government for support, this has tended to be lukewarm.
What baffles most MijiKenda elders who still have a strong attachment to the Kayas, is why the Kenya Government allows the forests to be destroyed by its own officers whereas the Arab and British governments preserved them.
Even among the MijiKenda themselves, not everyone is allowed to go to the middle of the Kaya.
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