Titilayo Ajose

Name: Titilayo Ajose Content Area: Non-Fiction Genre: Travel writing Topic: African Style in Kenya Notes: Here's an excerpt from my non-fiction book "African Tourist Encyclopedia' AFRICAN STYLE IN KENYA Have you ever been to Kenya? If you have, then you would probably have noticed that Kenya has a variety of colours and designs in their choice of clothing as well as well as their distinctive culture. If you haven’t been there, then this write-up will enlighten you more about tradition in Kenya. Traditionally, clothing in Kenya is as varied as there are a number of tribes and each of these tribes is unique in the sense that they have their own dress and clothing which distinguishes them from another tribe. This makes it difficult to ascribe a particular dress to the people of Kenya. The clothing pattern in Kenya is one that covers almost the entire body and is usually wrapped around the wearer. The tribe you can easily come across in Kenya are the Maasai people. Their own clothing called Shuka is red in colour representing their love for mother earth. Then there is another traditional dress called Kitenge which resembles a sarong and is worn traditionally in several occasions by the Kenyan people. These are the dresses most popular throughout Kenya. It is also common for the Maasai people to pierce their ear and stretch the earlobes in which metal hoops are worn by both the females and the males. Apart from dresses, dancing is a vital aspect of Kenya’s unique culture. The traditional music and dance is associated with the varied number of tribes and their dance culture. Maasai people have a dance tradition which is a lot different from the other tribes you can come across in Kenya. Again, the Maasai tribe have an impressive dance which is often performed after a hunting expenditure. It is almost like a ritualised ceremony to demonstrate valour after a lion hunt. Other common musical instruments used among the tribes include drums, whistles, long horns, bells, flutes etc. Among the popular dances in the western part of Kenya particularly Luhya is a peculiar type of dance called Sikuti and is based absolutely on the use of drums. Kenya song has been regarded as an inevitable part of the community life. There are several special instances which warrant singing of songs such as childbirth, naming ceremonies, marriage, circumcision funeral ceremonies, harvests etc. Nowadays, these traditions have been preserved as well as improved upon. So next time you are visiting Kenya make sure you look out for the various souvenirs and gift items to package for your loved ones.