Overview

Kenya, also known as the Republic of Kenya, is one of the 54 countries in Africa, located on the east coast. Kenya is known for its beautiful environment, with abundant wildlife, unique landscapes, vast savannahs with the most amazing sunsets, and rich culture that makes it an experience like no other. Its climate is filled with sunshine all throughout the year (the seasons are not as defined as it would be in North America), making it the perfect temperature to explore the safari and hike up the hill of Mount Kenya, especially during the dry season.

Daily Life

Kenya is known for its rich cultural history and traditions. Though, there is a social division that is present in society: those with high class are more accustomed to Western culture than those in a lower class. But, everyone is connected to the Kenyan culture and environment in different ways. Most Kenyans are very connected to nature, so many take time out of their day to enjoy the sunny beaches of the south coast, or take a hike to enjoy the flora and fauna. Many enjoy their freetime going to shopping malls, watching movies, bowling, going for a swim, and more. Kenyans especially have a strong appreciation for music, so many love to party and dance - traditional and modern. In the city, many people live in apartment buildings, but the countryside has a more traditional lifestyle with different housing styles (zaramo, rundi, chagga, nyamwezi) and a strong family kinship.

Art

The art produced in Kenya is a strong reflection of their culture, with jewelry, wood-carvings, tribal masks, pottery, baskets, music, dance, and more. The art contains bright and vivid colors that reflect the values of their traditions. The wearable art, like the amulets, headdresses, masks, etc., represent things like animals and spirits and intertwine with their love of music, worn during traditional dances. Kenya also has support and appreciation in those interested in fine and contemporary arts with famous galleries in Nairobi and the University of Nairobi.

Cuisine

Kenya is also known for its range of exotic delights, many of which contain corn. They include dishes like cornmeal porridge (ugali), grilled goat/sheep (nyama choma), boiled vegetables (mboga), and much more. What is interesting is that Kenya also takes influence from popular dishes from other countries in Africa, India, and Arabic countries. This includes curry, samosas, chapati, and more. This reflects not only the diversity in the culture that Kenya has, but reflects the migrational patterns in Kenyan history.

Fashion

Kenya has a unique fashion style that is easily identifiable and packed with their cultural values. In traditional societies, the apparel that one wears can reveal a lot about their social status: with headdresses and jewelry having the ability to reveal stages in life or marital statuses. In nomadic tribes, they can wear things like sheepskin/goatskin (gorfa), but urban areas have more elements of western culture in their fashion. Color is a strong element in their clothing, with kangas (a colorful piece of cloth wrapped around the body), headwraps, and shawls. Now, Kenya has many top-end fashion designers that have made Kenyan fashion stand out in the fashion industry, with designers like Sally Karago and Vivienne Tea.

Music

As mentioned in the “Art” section, Kenya has a deep appreciation for music. It’s involved in religious ceremonies, parties, etc. with a variety of instruments, including drums, lutes, and string instruments. The most popular music style is called “Benga”, which incorporates elements of Kenyan and Western culture, which became popular in the 1950’s. Kenya also has a music style that is influenced by the Arabs and Indians, called Taarab. Kenyan music and dance focuses strongly on the rhythm, with a polyrhythmic pattern from instruments and voices, with different types of music (Kikuyu, Luhya, etc.) having different types and complexities of rhythms unique to them.

Transportation

Kenya has urbanized their cities with roads and railways connecting their urban and major cities. Citizens can travel to major cities with passenger trains, with long-distance travel usually only traveling between major cities and lasting overnight. Kenyan air flights are a quick and convenient way to travel between major cities for vacations, business, emergencies, etc. From the airport, you can take a shuttle bus, rent a car, or pay for a taxi. You can get around Kenya with public transportation systems like buses and matatuses (privately owned minibuses), taxis, or by foot. Usually higher class citizens of Kenya travel by car, while lower class take the public transportation system or travel by foot.