Culture in Kenya: Traditions, Language, and Modern Identity

Kenya’s culture is a reflection of its diverse peoples, histories, and landscapes. The country is home to more than forty-four ethnic communities, each with distinct languages, traditions, and worldviews. Yet, despite this diversity, Kenyans share a strong sense of collective identity rooted in the ideals of Harambee — pulling together for the common good. Kenya’s … Read more

How Did Kenya Get Independence?

Kenya’s independence on 12 December 1963 marked the end of more than seventy years of British colonial rule. The road to freedom was long, violent, and complex, shaped by both armed resistance and political negotiation. It was not granted as a gift but won through generations of struggle — from the earliest uprisings against imperial … Read more

The Lost Art of the Vigango: Kenya’s Forgotten Sculptures

In the hills and coastal forests of Kenya’s south lived a tradition that quietly embodied the spiritual and artistic genius of the Mijikenda people. Long before colonialism and tourism reduced African art to souvenirs, the Mijikenda carved figures of remembrance called vigango—wooden memorial posts that stood as spiritual intermediaries between the living and the dead. … Read more

Exploring Religion and Spiritualism Before Colonialism in Kenya

Before missionaries arrived with Christianity and traders brought Islam inland, the people of Kenya already lived within rich, coherent systems of faith. Their religions were not codified in scriptures but woven into everyday life—embedded in land, family, birth, death, and the rhythm of the seasons. Each community, from the Kikuyu and Kamba of the highlands … Read more

Jomo Kenyatta: Power, Nationhood, and the Making of Postcolonial Kenya (1897–1978)

Jomo Kenyatta stands as one of the most consequential figures in African political history. To many Kenyans, he remains the “Father of the Nation,” the leader who guided Kenya from colonial rule to independence in 1963. Yet, Kenyatta’s life also reflects the paradoxes of decolonization—he was both a symbol of anti-colonial resistance and an architect … Read more

The History of Nanyuki

On the map, Nanyuki sits neatly astride the equator, but history placed it squarely on another dividing line — between empire and nation, race and belonging, memory and erasure. The equator sign at the edge of town draws tourists to pose for photographs, yet few realize that this flat line of latitude once marked the … Read more