The Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya and are a sub tribe of the Maasai. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd mainly cattle but also keep sheep, goats and camels. On our visit to the Samburu Village, Bailey got to try herding the goats just like the young Samburu girls do too.
We were welcomed by the village elders and women with dance and song; and visited inside one of their houses: rectangular shaped “huts” with sticks for walls and hides for a roof!
We also made our way to their Wednesday market where it was interesting to see all the wares for sale: vegetables, maize, beads and evey shoes made from old tyres!
On our way back we popped into their primary school, where the young children are being educated as well as the lodge sponsors a feeding programme.
Here below, our guide Daniel explaining the difference between the Samburu and Masai spears.
On our last evening, we were fortunate to see one of the Samburu’s celebrations held on the banks of the river as the sunset and replaced by a burning bonfire. My girls surprised me as they were too shy to dance with the girls, but were happy to go and watch the slaughtering of the goat and the drinking of blood!
The Samburu dress is similar to the Maasai. Both Samburu men and women dress in brightly colored traditional shukas, which they wrap loosely around their bodies. Samburu warriors dye their hair with red ochre, and keep their long hair in braids and dress in more colourful attire than other members of the tribe. The women adorn themselves in beautiful, multi-beaded necklaces and other traditional jewellery.
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