44 Tribes of Kenya

Suba

Abasuba people are of bantu descent not Nilotic as mostly thought. The there are about 300,000 Suba people and just about 50,000 who speak...

Walwana

A marginalized tribal group in Tana riverKnown for their fishing activities in the river They are also known as Malakote and con...

Luo

The Luo people are well known for their fishing activities and are believed to be the first community to fish by the Lake Victoria

Tharaka

The Tharaka culture is today experienced during the Ura-Gate Tharaka Cultural Festival Based on the community memory revived thr...

Suba

Abasuba people are of bantu descent not Nilotic as mostly thought. The there are about 300,000 Suba people and just about 50,000 who speak the language. Suba culture, if not preserved, will soon be lost.
The Abasuba are settledmostly in the Rusinga island which they named. During the Rusinga festival the Abasuba people showcase their culture in efforts to preserve their way of lives.
Subas were traditionally involved in rain Making sacrifices such as animal sacrifices to appease the gods and clan spirits Suba District. These were carried out in special shrines which can still be found across Suba such as Utende, Kwitutu, Mungusa and Kiboye Shrines.
Suba people also practiced rock art which can be found in the caves of Kwitone in GulweMfangano.

A marginalized tribal group in Tana riverKnown for their fishing activities in the river
They are also known as Malakote and considered to be part of the Pokomo group.
Kenya’s national anthem is derived from a lullaby in this tribal group. The Walwanaculture is rich in folk tales, songs, dances
There is astrong influence of Pokomo culture in today;s Swahili culture as the Pokomo’s intermarried with the coastal Arabs. One of the languages among the Walwana is a precursor to the Kiswahili Language

The Luo people are well known for their fishing activities and are believed to be the first community to fish by the Lake Victoria
The Luo preserve some of their ritualistic cultural practices especially burial rites depending on how a person dies. Initiation rituals such as removing of the lower six teeth and tattooing of the body have however been phased out with time
The Luo community are in particular known for their musical skills and instruments such as the Nyatiti particularly unique to them. Aspects of their traditional style of music has been carried to modern times particularly known as ‘Ohangla’ and ‘Benga’. Sample music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_j2bD0rHs
Their oral traditions have led to the preservation of some ancient notable personalities among the Luo. This includes LwandaMagere and Gor Mahia whom a Kenyan Football team is named after

The Tharaka culture is today experienced during the Ura-Gate Tharaka Cultural Festival
Based on the community memory revived through the dialogues, Tharakans have developed an ancestral map and calendar of the territory, documenting where they come from, the qualities of the land and how they lived there.
They are known for their ancient brewed Honey beer which is sacred
The community of Tharaka are now growing their own varieties of gourds, millet and sorghum that is better suited for their environment
Ntai/kunyamilangombe are riddles, and grandparents tell riddles to children to test their intelligence.

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