 Team Reports |
The Diversity of KenyaElisabeth Lugo — Rexdale, ON
Very few countries have the cultural, racial and linguistic diversity that Kenya possesses. This country has an outstanding natural beauty and a long and interesting history. Without a doubt these combined characteristics have had a great influence in the formation of Kenya in modern times. It is therefore quite astonishing that the Kenyans by and large do not have a history of violence and are apparently living together in relative peace and harmony. More than once in conversation with Kenyans, they pointed out this fact to us with a certain pride and satisfaction. Men and especially women are dressed rather conservatively. In actuality I think it is a combination of tribal traditions and modesty in daily apparel. The long dresses and skirts are befitting the quiet dignity expressed in many women’s behaviour, speech and manners.
Cultural diversity goes hand in hand with linguistic diversity. Some of the main tribes mentioned in conversation by our driver, Michael Dande and our Rotary hosts are Kikuyu, Luo, Turkana, Mero, and Masai. However, the everyday language of communication is Swahili while the other official and more formal language is English More than forty different ethnic groups can be identified, each with its own cultural traditions, and yet one often speaks of “the Kenyan.” It appears to me that Kenyans by nature are quite polite and delightful. It is easy to engage them in laughter and conversation. On the surface it seems that tribal differences are more expressed and emphasized in concrete matters such as clothing, customs, culinary dishes, music, dance, and visual arts. Yet, the soul, the spirit, the acceptance of one another as belonging to as well as being an active part of one nation is Kenyan: unity in cultural diversity. In the bustling metropolis of Nairobi, it is not unusual to observe heartbreaking poverty coexisting alongside incredible wealth. Countless groups and organizations of men and women, often founded on religious principles, are involved in the seemingly endless struggle to reduce enduring poverty. It was a pleasant surprise to see women of all walks of life engaged in leadership roles. It would be a serious mistake to equate material poverty with ignorance and lack of education. The many people we met at the distribution sites, including the children who were obviously lacking in adequate housing, nourishment, and proper clothing, did not have a lack of desire or lack of commitment to better themselves through education. Nothing short of heroic efforts are made daily, especially by teachers. Forty to fifty students per class, usually sharing desks, seemed to be the norm while in some schools we visited there were as many as one hundred students per class. Learning materials are at an absolute minimum yet education plays an important role in their lives.
As one town official pointed out, most classes are of a cosmopolitan nature; the cultural, tribal mix is present throughout the educational system. Since most of our distributions were in rural areas, we experienced a completely different life from that of a person living in a big city like Nairobi. The capital is, at its core, modern, spacious and lively. There are museums and art galleries. City planning includes numerous spacious parks with a diversity of tress, bushes and plants. Everywhere one can find architectural gems tied to its colonial past. In contrast, the villages, apart from the small business centers, display the traditional dwellings built by a particular cultural group. “Kraals” as well as huts, the typical construction found in the countryside consist of a framework of wooden sticks and poles filled up with rectangular mud bricks. Kenya, a land of contrasts, surprised us in its challenging diversity. |
