Kenya+Culture

Culture in Kenya! media type="youtube" key="v1ITKgYRCVo" height="315" width="420" People of Kenya Kenya is made up of 13 main ethnic groups and 27 smaller eithnic groups. The majority of Kenyans belong to ‘Bantu’ tribes such as the Kikuyu, Luhya and Kamba. There are also the ‘Nilotic’ tribes such as the Luo, Kalenjin, Maasai and Turkana. The ‘Hamitic’ people include the Turkana, Rendille and Samburu. Around 13% of the population are of non-African descent, i.e. Indian, Arab and European.
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Beliefs in Kenya The Kenyan Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. About 50% of the population are Christians, 10% Muslim and there are also small Hindu and Sikh minorities. The people of Kenya tend to live amongst members of their similar religious beliefs. Christians tend to be concentrated in the and central sections of the country while Muslims cluster in the eastern coastal regions. Most Kenyans interweave native beliefs into a traditional religion.

Traditions and Society  Kenya is a very group oriented culture and family is very important to the culture. The extended family is the basis for all social structure in this country. This extended family includes relatives on both sides of the family as well as close family friends. When people are married, their families are joined together and families are to support each other in times of need. Ancestors are extremely important in this culture and are remembered and honored throughout life. People of Kenya believe that when an ancestor passes away, their spirit is still alive all around them. Ancestors are believed to have a great influence the events in life because they are closer to God. An ancestor is believed to only truly be dead when all the family and friends have been forgotten.  **Kenyan Flag Meaning**

The black stripe represents the African people; while the red stands for the struggle for independence. The green represents Kenya's agriculture and natural resources. The thin white stripes symbolize peace and unity. The central emblem represents Kenya's fight for freedom and their preparedness to defend that freedom. Education The current education system in Kenya is an 8-4-4 system, introduced in 1985. Under this system, eight years of primary schooling (leading to the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) are followed by four years of secondary schooling (leading to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)) and four years of first degree studies at university. This is in line with the need for a broad-based curriculum that prepares students for self-reliance, vocational training and further education. The KCSE is administered by the Kenya National Examinations Council.   Etiquette and Language Kenya is a multilingual country. Although the official languages are Swahili and English, there are actually a total of 62 languages spoken in the country. These mainly consist of tribal African languages as well as a minority of Middle-Eastern and Asian languages spoken by descendants of foreign settlers. The African languages come from three different language families - Bantu languages (spoken in the center and southeast), Nilotic languages (in the west), and Cushitic languages (in the northeast ).  The most common greeting Kenya is a handshake. For casual encounters, a short and quick handshake is given but if greeting more than a casual acquaintance, a longer and more prolonged handshake is required. Closer female friends may hug and kiss on the cheek rather than shaking hands. When greeting and elder, it is important to shake with the right hand while holding their wrist with the left hand. This is a sign of respect and appreciation for the older generation. The most common greeting is "Jambo?" (How are you?) which accompanies a handshake. To skip or rush a greeting is considered poor manners and is highly discouraged. People are generally addressed by their academic, professional or honorific title followed by their surname. Once a personal relationship has developed, you may be able to address a person by their title and first name, first name alone, or nickname. Wait for the Kenyan to determine that your friendship has reached this level of intimacy. Women over the age of 21 are often addressed as “Mama” and men over the age of 35 are often addressed as “Mzee”. Children generally refer to adults as Aunt or Uncle, even if there is not a familial relationship. Food Traditional Kenyan foods reflect the many different lifestyles of the various groups in the country. Most Kenyan dishes are filling and inexpensive to make. Staple foods consist mainly of corn, maize, potatoes, and beans. //Ugali// (a porridge made of maize) and meat are typically eaten inland, while the coastal peoples eat a more varied diet. The Maasai, cattle-herding peoples who live in Kenya and Tanzania, eat simple foods, relying on cow and goat by-products (such as the animal's meat and milk). The Maasai do not eat any wild game or fish, depending only on the livestock they raise for food. The Kikuyu and Gikuyu grow corn, beans, potatoes, and greens. They mash all of these vegetables together to make irio. They roll irio into balls and dip them into meat or vegetable stews.In western Kenya, the people living near Lake Victoria (the second-largest freshwater lake in the world) mainly prepare fish stews, vegetable dishes, and rice. Read more: [|Food in Kenya - Kenyan Food, Kenyan Cuisine - traditional, popular, dishes, diet, history, common, meals, staple, rice, main, people, types, make, customs, fruits, country, bread, vegetables, bread] [|http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Kenya.html#b#ixzz1tYP5YCxa]
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This information was found at [|http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/kenya.htm]