| Kenya is a land of kaleidoscopic contrasts. Much of its | | | | today everything is concentrated on collaboration and |
| recorded history centres on the Coast. Ptolemy, the | | | | Kenya's motto of Harambee, which means 'Let's all |
| great geographer, wrote in the second century AD | | | | pull together'. The Harambee concept has come |
| about Mombasa under the name of Tonike, and the | | | | under a lot of fire recently and politicians have been |
| long white coral beaches, verged with palm trees | | | | barred from officiating in any such ventures. |
| were familiar to Indians, Arabs and Portuguese, as | | | | Traditional dances and costumes are cherished as |
| well as later travelers. But now most visitors' first | | | | part of the country's cultural heritage. They are |
| impression is of the the utterly different scenery | | | | brimful of vitality too and the Chuka drummers, for |
| outside Nairobi, of the sweeping Athi plains and game | | | | instance, have drawn crowds to overseas |
| straying among the thorn bushes of the Nairobi | | | | performances in London and elsewhere not to |
| National Park. | | | | mention the famous Muungano choir and the Kamba |
| North-west of the capital again, with upland farms | | | | dancers. Broadly, there are three ways of getting to |
| reminding one of a sunlit England, while higher still the | | | | see traditional dances: |
| thick rain forest of Mount Kenya and the Aberdares | | | | If there's a celebration such as on one of the National |
| are as mysterious as the perpetual snow on the | | | | holidays of the country, there are likely to be public |
| Equator is paradoxical. Finally, the arid semi-desert of | | | | performances. |
| the north, bordering on Ethiopia and Somalia, seems in | | | | If you are on a tour, you may find an exhibition |
| yet another world. | | | | arranged at some point, for instance at the Bomas |
| Kenya fires the imagination of everyone who comes | | | | of Kenya in Langata. Perfomances can be seen here |
| here. It is not surprising that over the years since | | | | from monday to Friday starting 2.30pm-4.00pm, |
| independence it has become internationally recognised | | | | Saturday-Sunday from 3.30pm-5.15pm and public |
| as one of the most magnificent and exciting holiday | | | | holidays from 3.30pm-5.15pm. |
| areas anywhere. | | | | Many Hotels also have their own organised |
| Geographically the country covers 582,647 sq km | | | | performances. Indeed the fierce dancer wielding a |
| (225,000 sq miles) and lies across the Equator. Its | | | | spear may be the same man who earlier carried your |
| Indian Ocean coastline is 608 km (380 miles) long, | | | | suitcase to your room! |
| while its centre is cut by the Great Rift Valley, | | | | One word of caution here. If you happen accidentally |
| running north to south and containing a variety of | | | | upon a local Ngoma which is Swahili for a dance or |
| lakes. The largest river is the Tana, which flows in a | | | | celebration, make sure to ask if you may stay and |
| wide curve eastwards from the slopes of Mt. Kenya | | | | watch, especially before taking photographs. These |
| (17,058 ft) to the Indian Ocean. | | | | are private affairs. |
| Kenya is home to Arabs, Asians and Europeans as | | | | When the British colonised Kenya they introduced |
| well as more than 48 main African tribes. Some like | | | | both Asian and European minorities. The Asians came |
| the Masaai, are famous as warriors. Others like the | | | | mostly to work on the railway, then branched into |
| EL Molo up at Lake Turkana or the Waliangulu | | | | trade. Since independence the Asian community has |
| Elephant hunters near Tsavo Park, are few in | | | | continued to grow in number and in prosperity. |
| number, shy and still backward. The largest are the | | | | Public holidays, when banks, shops and government |
| Luhya (24%); followed by the Kikuyu (21%) where | | | | offices close are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New |
| the head of state comes from; the Luo (20%) on | | | | Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day |
| the famous Lake Victoria; the Kalenjin (17%); the | | | | (May 1), Madaraka Day (June 1 or the following day if |
| Kamba (10%) centred on Machakos and Kitui; the | | | | June 1 falls on a Sunday), Kenyatta Day (October |
| Meru (10%) and the Kisii (6%). The non-African | | | | 20), Jamhuri or Independence Day which may soon |
| community who include the Asians, Europeans, | | | | be christened Mashujaa Day (December 12). |
| Americans and Arabs comprise 2% of the population. | | | | Additionally the Moslem holidays of Id-ul-Azha are |
| The total population stands at 29.3 million. A century | | | | observed by all people of the Islamic faith. |
| ago there was great rivalry between the tribes, but | | | | |