One of the most visited African countries is Kenya. Kenya is at the top of many travel itineraries of travelers going to Africa because it is the most industrialized of all East African nations. At the same time, it is the best place to see first-hand a number of animals that you can only read about. A trip to Kenya will literally take your breath away. Our Travel Guide Kenya will serve as the most ideal travel companion to one of the most exciting countries in Africa. Take a look at the Maasai tribe of Kenya. Also, you can learn more about Kenyan tea, as the country is one of the leading producers of tea leaves in the world. Travelers can also learn about their most popular traditional dish, nyoma choma.

The Maasai People of Kenya

The Maasai people are considered a semi-nomadic group of people and are probably one of the best known ethnic groups from Africa. Many travelers recognize them from their bright red garments called shúkà and the intricate jewelry that is worn around their necks. Other bright colors are also worn by the Maasai people, including blue, green and even pink. Most travelers to Kenya want to take their pictures during their warrior dance ceremony where they chant and jump up and down competitively and landing on the balls of their feet. While the Maasai used to drink fresh cattle blood in the past, their regular diet now consists of maize-meal and cow’s milk, which they drink fresh or mixed with tea.

It is estimated that there are about one million Maasai people that are in Kenya as well as in Tanzania. In Kenya, a 2009 census listed the Maasai at 840,000 in Kenya alone. They occupy about 160,000 square kilometers of land and comprise 12 different geographic sectors.

This Nilotic group of people has a reputation for being brave warriors and good cattle rustlers. The Maasai believe that they originally came from the lower Nile valley in Northwest Kenya. It was in the 15th century when they started to migrate to northern Kenya. By the 19th century, they had occupied a large portion of the Great Rift Valley, areas of Dodoma and Mount Marsabit. However, at the turn of the century, many of the people faced hardships brought about by droughts and the spread of the plague, resulting in the deaths of about a third of the population. Today, many of the people reside on the fringes of reserve parks.

The people follow a patriarchal society and depend on the wisdom of the elders to lead the tribe. A laibon is also responsible for prophecies, divination and shamanistic healing for the tribe. They believe in their god called Enkai or Engai.

Bartering is still practiced and the people continue to follow their oral traditions. Circumcision for males and females is practiced and the role of a person in society depends on his age. Polygamy and polyandry are also common. It is believed that young warriors must kill a lion before they come of age, although lion killing has been banned in the country. Cattle are of great importance to the Maasai, as it is the measure of wealth for the people. Having many children is also considered wealth.

Music plays a key role for the Maasai. Singing and dancing are performed during courtship rituals. It is also done for coming of age rituals and other celebrations. At the same time, they practice body modification. Many men and women practice ear piercing and stretching of the earlobes using a variety of materials. Head shaving is a tradition that is done as part of the many ceremonies that an individual will go through in his lifetime – when a child reaches three months of age, circumcision and coming of age and before marriage. Only warriors are allowed to grow their hair, which are then braided in thin sections before being gathered together and tied with leather.

Many Maasai have become influenced by modern ways, moving away from a nomadic lifestyle and have found ways to integrate themselves to Kenyan society by gaining employment and participating in other economic activities.

Travelers can see their homes, called Inkajijiks, which are built from mud, sticks, grass, ash and other materials. Cow dung is used to waterproof their roofs. Able-bodied women are the ones that build their circular or star-shaped homes. Each enkaj is quite small, about 1.5 meters high and measures around 3 meters by 5 meters. Within that small enclosure is where the family cooks, eats and stores their belongings, fuel and food. It is also where they socialize and retire for the night.

Some small animals may also be brought inside the enkaj in the evenings to keep them safe from predators. Small villages are enclosed in an enkang or fence made from thorned acacia. Their animals are usually kept in the middle of the village at night to keep them safe. The Maasai people allow visits to their villages so travelers could take a peek at their lifestyle, as well as to get a taste of their culture and traditions.

Kenyan Tea

Travelers may be surprised to know that tea is one of the leading exports of Kenya. Kenya happens to be one of the top producers of black tea in the world and is the largest tea producer in the African continent. In fact, Kenyans are tea drinkers rather than coffee drinkers.

Of the many tea varieties, the tea of choice for Kenyans is chai tea. This is tea that is served with milk and sugar. It is oftentimes served in the morning along with the breakfast meal, during the afternoon teatime, or during and after meals. Black tea is one of the main exports of Kenya.

The tea drinking culture of Kenya is the influence of its British colonizers. At the same time, opting for chai tea is the influence of the immigrants from India who went to Kenya to work as laborers.

G.W.L. Caine was responsible for bringing tea and introducing it to the people of Kenya in 1903. Within 30 years, commercial planting was started. The plantations are called smallholdings. The main process used in the cultivation of the tea is the CTC or cut, tear and curl method, which has been shown to be the most efficient and produce the best-tasting tea as the brew is brighter, h3er and more brisk. To maintain this high quality, tea growers ensure that only the bud and top two leaves are picked regularly in a cycle that can be one week or two weeks apart.

To date, there are 62 licensed smallholder-owned tea factories in the country, 39 private estate companies, and over 500,000 small holder growers. There are also large-scale manufacturing companies that not only grow the tea but also process, market and export the product. About 80% of the tea grown in Kenya is handled by small-scale farmers. These are regulated by the Kenya Tea Development Agency. To be granted a license to produce tea in the country, a manufacturing company must have at least 250 hectares of mature tea bushes.

The ideal climate in Kenya makes it the perfect place to grow tea, which includes dry periods and well-scattered heavy rainfall. Aside from this, the soil itself is very fertile, as it is volcanic red soil. The tea grown in Kenya also doesn’t depend on the use of pesticides and other agrochemicals. However, clonal planting is being researched and practiced.

The tea growing regions in Kenya are located around Mount Kenya, Aberdanes, Nyambene Hills, Kericho Highlands, Kisii Highlands and Cherangani Hills. These regions are all located at least 1,500 meters above sea level and are not within the equator area. About 110,000 hectares of the country’s lands are used for tea growing. Out of the 345.8 metric tons of tea produced, 325.5 metric tons of black tea are exported.

The tea industry accounts for as much as 20% of Kenya’s exports. In 1995, it generated US$342 million for the country, making it the largest exporter of black tea in the continent, and placing it as the third largest tea manufacturer in the world. Kenya grows about 245 million kilos of tea a year, which are exported to the UK, Egypt and Pakistan.

Nyama Choma

One of the delights of traveling is having a taste of the cuisine of the country. In Kenya, nyama choma is a must-have as it is the nation’s national dish. It is traditional barbequed goat meat. Nyama choma can also be any other piece of meat, such as beef or chicken, although goat is the most flavorful and most popular. While it may seem unusual for travelers to eat meat, this tasty meat dish is one of the specialties of Kenyan cooking.

Kenya is traditionally an agricultural country, and many tribes raise cattle, goats and other animals for food. Cattle herding in Kenya dates back to 1000 AD, introduced by the North African Hima tribe. The Maasai tribes are also known to be meat eaters, feeding on the animals that they raise themselves. Kenyan cuisine is simple and easy to make and nyama choma is no exception. In fact, the meat is seasoned while eating, rather than before the cooking process.

Travelers who wish to taste this delectable meat dish should first choose their meat from the butcher in a restaurant. Options include a leg of lamb, goat, mutton, a slab of beef or even a whole chicken. In restaurants, it is slow roasted over a spitfire. The meat is then cut into bite-size strips. You dip the meat in salt for added flavor. The freshly roasted meat is best served warm and can be eaten with flat bread called chapati. A mix of boiled stinging nettles, potatoes and peas mashed together called mukimu, ugali or thick cormeal porridge and vegetable salad called kachumbari are side dishes that go well with barbequed meat. Nyama choma is best eaten with your hands. To cool down, a bottle of Kenyan beer Tusker is a must.

Nyama choma is often served during special occasions, such as special holidays, weddings, birthday celebrations and during Christmastime.