Meet the Indigenous People of Turkana

Kenya is a great country of diversity as it is enriched with at least 42 different tribes and cultural ways of life. Most communities have embraced the modern way of life and are slowly being assimilated into the Western lifestyle. The Turkana tribe, however, has managed to stick to their undiluted way of life. They have survived natural calamities, modernisation and have still remained strong. The ‘People of the grey Bull’ as they refer to themselves inhabit the harsh and inhospitable terrain of lake Turkana, situated in Northern Kenya. The Turkana tribe is the second largest pastoralist community in Kenya. They speak an eastern nilotic language of aŋajep a ŋiTurkana. Ancient history reveals that about 300 years ago, the Turkana people dwelled in a mountainous region of north-eastern Uganda, where caves were copious. i suppose that is why their name “Turkana is believed to be loosely translated as “the people of the caves.” According to the myth, the Turkana people left the hilly north-eastern region of Uganda in pursuit of their huge grey bull. The legend goes like this: eons ago, a group of youthful warriors were herding their long-horned Zebu cattle, when a big grey bull set off at a quickened trot. The warriors were alarmed at this unusual behaviour and decided to follow the bull as they were worried that the rest of the cows would follow it. For days, the warriors pursued the grey bull, until they finally caught up with it. They found the bull in…

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