www.johntyman.com/africa

John Tyman's
Cultures in Context Series
AFRICAN HABITATS : 
FOREST, GRASSLAND AND SLUM 
Studies of the Maasai, the Luhya, and Nairobi's Urban Fringe
I. Photo Journal
II. Sound Effects Library
III. Kenyan Folk Tales
IV. Kenyan Country Foods
www.johntyman/africa
I. PHOTO JOURNAL
PART ONE : INTRODUCTION TO KENYA
PART TWO : THE LUHYA
PART THREE : THE SAMBURU
PART FOUR : KIBERA
. .
.
PART ONE : INTRODUCTION TO KENYA
. This study of three different habitats in East Africa is, at one and the same time, the most dated and the most recent of the studies of ”Cultures in Context” posted on the World Wide Web. This is because although almost all of the Samburu images, most photos of the Luyha, and all of the sound recordings, were collected in 1982, their story has been updated using photos and emailed information provided by faithful friends. My notes on the Luhya were checked and updated by Charles Mudanyi (now living in Busia) who has been a source of valuable information since I stayed with his family in 1982. He has also provided photos illustrating changes that have been made since then.

The unit detailing life on the urban fringe of Nairobi is essentially the work of Olita Ogonjo. He took all the photos and later explained them to me. All I contributed was a camera or two and a list of the images I needed. The photographs he was able to collect reflect the community’s trust in one who had long since identified himself with their just desire for improved living conditions. As a visitor from a very different world I could not have taken them myself. And Olita was also able to update my coverage of conditions in northern Kenya among the Samburu and their neighbours – and provide additional pictures.

I flew to Kenya in August 1982  -- when the residences of my university in Brisbane were commandeered for athletes competing in the Commonwealth Games. I spent two months among pastoral tribes in the north, courtesy of the Rural Development Centre at Maralal, and visited a number of Samburu settlements within walking distance of the town. In the account that follows the lines between the cultures of the Samburu in the north and the Maasai in the south have been blurred because they have so much in common.

I followed this up with two months in the Western District courtesy of Richard Ong’anda, principal of the school at Ingotse and a former student of mine in Canada. With his home as my base I was able to spend time with several different families, notably the Mudanyis. After that I invested several rolls of film and a great deal of energy in documenting the zonation of vegetation types on Mount Kenya (from tropical forest to snow-capped peaks) before I left Kenya for the Sahara.

1. Land and People : 001-008
2. Environmental Considerations : 009-012
3. Political and Economic Characteristics : 013-022
.
PART TWO : THE LUHYA
4. LAND AND PEOPLE : 023-029
5. CLOTHING : 030-035
6. FOOD : 036-050
6a. FOOD : 051-063
. AGRICULTURAL CASE STUDIES:
7.      The Adanje Shamba : 064-071
8.      The Onyimbo Shamba : 072-079
9.      The Okala Shamba : 080-086
10.      The Mumias Sugar Company : 087-097
11. SHELTER : 098-123
12. FAMILY : 124-143
. FAMILY CASE STUDIES:
13.
14.
     The Tsuma Family : 144-153
     The Mudanyi Family : 154-176
. BUSINESS ENTERPRISES:
15. Markets : 177-198  |  Pottery : 199-206   ~ 177-206
16. Working with Fibres : 207-213  |  Brewing : 214-216  ~ 207-216
17. Trapping Quails : 217-221 | Charcoal Making : 222-227 ~ 217-227
18. Working with Wood : 228-231 | Brick Making : 232-235 ~ 228-235
19. TRANSPORTATION : 236-250
20. EDUCATION : 251-275
21. HEALTH : 276-280 | RELIGION : 281-289
22. CHANGES UNDERWAY : 290-300
.
PART THREE : THE SAMBURU
23. The People : 301-304
24. Environment : Vegetation : 305-313
25. Environment : Wildlife : 314-332
26. Basic Values and Beliefs : 333-334 | Economic Aspects : 335-343
27. Maasai Villages : 344-352
28. Maasai Houses : 353-365
29. Clothing and Decoration : 366-382
30. Social Organization : 383-392
31. The Life of a Moran : 393-405
32. Women’s Work : 406-420
32a. Women's Work : 421-438
33. Village Schools : 439-455
34. Women as Agents of Change : 456-468
34a. Women as Agents of Change : 469-482
35. Health Issues : 483-486 | The Role of the Church : 487-492
36. Future Prospects : 493-500
.
PART FOUR : KIBERA
37. Introduction : 501-508 | Kibera : An Overview : 509-518
38. Housing and Basic Services : 519-528
39. Health and  Sanitation I : 529-544
39a. Health and  Sanitation II : 545-557
40. Income and Employment I : 558-571
40a. Income and Employment II : 572-586
41. Educational Facilities : 587-599
41a. Educational Facilities : 600-616
. Glimpses of Family Life:
42. Lillian and Yvonne : 617-624 | Belita Katela : 625-630
43. Sam's Aunt Cheryl : 631-646
44. The Australian Connection : 647-662
45. Community Initiatives : 663-676
46. Conflict and Resolution I : 677-687
46a. Conflict and Resolution II : 688-700


II. SOUND EFFECTS LIBRARY

KENYAN  SOUND EFFECTS
108 Sound Bytes 
with Descriptive Text
STUDIO ENTRANCE

III. KENYAN FOLK TALES

  • The Origin of Cattle
  • The Women's Cattle
  • Elephant and Hare
  • Two Brothers Who Were Friends
  • The Girls of the Knee
  • A Woman's Prayer Song
  • Why People Have to Dig
  • Why Zebras Have Stripes
  • The Story of Kalisanga and Kaliteyo
FOLK TALES ENTRANCE

IV. KENYAN COUNTRY FOOD

  • Chai (tea)
  • Uji (porridge)
  • Njugu Karanga (peanuts)
  • Viazi Vitamu (sweet potato)
  • Githeri (maize and beans) 
  • Chapati (pancake)
  • Ugali (a stiffer form of porridge)
  • Wali (rice)
  • Mchicha (spinach)
  • Maboga Machanga (pumpkin)
  • Maharagwe Makavu (dry bean stew)
  • Nyama Chemsha (meat stew)
  • Nyama Karanga (fried meat)
  • Samaki Chemsha (fresh fish stew)
  • Muduya Mix (mashed potatoes with beans)
FOOD ENTRANCE

COLLAGE POSTERS
Click for full-size images


Dr. John Langton Tyman's
Cultures in Context Series
INTRO AND CONTENTS
ARCTIC | NEW GUINEA | AFRICA
NEPAL | SAHARA | BALI | PERU
.


Back to Cultures in Context Intro: Photos & Recordings


Text, photos and recordings by John Tyman
Intended for Educational Use Only.
Contact Dr. John Tyman at johntyman2@gmail.com
for more information regarding licensing.

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