Taking pride in the Umqhele

Prince Misuzulu Sinqobile (centre), now king, joined by members from the Swati royal families at Zulu Queen Mantfombi Dlamini- Zulu’s funeral ceremony. [Courtesy]

While in Kenya the Nilotic communities, mainly the Maasai, Samburu, Pokot, Turkana, and the Cushitic communities of Somali, Rendille, Borana and Oromo are widely identified by their cultural attires and ceremonies, most of the other communities do not have identifiable cultural attires.

A few groups like the Kikuyu, Meru and the Kaya Council of Elders are occasionally spotted donning traditional attires, but most are tied to ceremonies like initiating one into elder-hood, cleansing ceremonies and ruracio among others.