The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, near the African Great Lakes region. The Maasai speak the Maa language, a member of the Nilotic language family that is related to the Dinka, Kalenjin and Nuer languages. Except for some elders living in rural areas, most Maasai people speak the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania, Swahili and English.
An adornment is generally an accessory or ornament worn to enhance the beauty or status of the wearer. They are often worn to embellish, enhance, or distinguish the wearer, and to define cultural, social, or religious status within a specific community. When worn to show economic status, the items are often either rare or prohibitively expensive to others. Adornments are usually colourful, and worn to attract attention.
The Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya. They are semi-nomadic pastoralists who primarily herd cattle but also keep sheep, goats and camels. They refer to themselves as Lokop or Loikop, a term varied interpretations among the Samburu. Some believes it means "owners of the land" while others have a different interpretations.
The Kalenjin are a group of tribes indigenous to East Africa, residing mainly in what was formerly the Rift Valley Province in Kenya and the Eastern slopes of Mount Elgon in Uganda. They number 6,358,113 individuals per the Kenyan 2019 census and an estimated 273,839 in Uganda according to the 2014 census mainly in Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo districts.
African dance refers to the various dance styles of sub-Saharan Africa. These dances are closely connected with the traditional rhythms and music traditions of the region. Music and dancing is an integral part of many traditional African societies. Songs and dances facilitate teaching and promoting social values, celebrating special events and major life milestones, performing oral history and other recitations, and spiritual experiences. African dance uses the concepts of polyrhythm and total body articulation. African dances are a collective activity performed in large groups, with significant interaction between dancers and onlookers in the majority of styles.
The Gisu people, or Bamasaba people of Elgon, are a Bantu tribe and Bantu-speaking ethnic group of the Masaba people in eastern Uganda, closely related to the Bukusu people of Kenya. Bamasaba live mainly in the Mbale District of Uganda on the slopes of Mount Elgon. The Bagisu are estimated to be about 1,646,904 people making up 4.9% of the total population according to the 2014 National Census of Uganda.
American Indian Dance Theatre is a professional performing arts company presenting the dances and songs of Native Americans in the United States and the First Nations of Canada.
Kilgoris is a town in Narok County, Kenya. The town has a population of 70,475. Kilgoris is one of two major urban centres in Narok County, the other being Narok Town.
A rungu is a wooden throwing club or baton bearing special symbolism and significance in certain East African tribal cultures. It is especially associated with Maasai morans who have traditionally used it in warfare and for hunting. It is a commonly encountered tourist souvenir in that part of the world.
N'golo is a traditional Bantu martial art and game from Angola, that combines elements of combat and dance, performed in a circle accompanied by music and singing. It is known as the forerunner of capoeira.
Heritage commodification is the process by which cultural themes and expressions come to be evaluated primarily in terms of their exchange value, specifically within the context of cultural tourism. These cultural expressions and aspects of heritage become "cultural goods," transformed into commodities to be bought, sold and profited from in the heritage tourism industry. In the context of modern globalization, complex and often contradictory layers of meaning are produced in local societies, and the marketing of one's cultural expressions can degrade a particular culture while simultaneously assisting in its integration into the global economy. The repatriation of profits, or "leakage", that occurs with the influx of tourist capital into a heritage tourist site is a crucial part of any sustainable development that can be considered beneficial to local communities. Modern heritage tourism reproduces an economic dynamic that is dependent upon capital from tourists and corporations in creating sustained viability. Tourism is often directly tied to economic development, so many populations see globalization as providing increased access to vital medical services and important commodities.
TeamGym is a form of competition created by the European Union of Gymnastics. The first official competition was held in Finland in 1996. Originally named EuroTeam, TeamGym received its current name in 2002. From 1996 to 2008, the European Championships was an event for clubs; since 2010 the competition is contested with national teams representing different countries. TeamGym events consist of three sections: women, men and mixed teams. Gymnasts perform skills in three different disciplines: floor, tumbling and trampette. In common for the performance is effective teamwork, good technique in the elements and spectacular acrobatic skills.
Rhodia Mann is a writer, researcher, bead and jewelry designer, and historian of several traditionally-pastoralist tribes in Kenya, including the Samburu and Borana tribes of northern Kenya. She has published six books and is the creator of a documentary, The Butterfly People.
The Maasai Cricket Warriors (MCW) is a Kenyan men's cricket team formed in 2007 by semi-nomadic people from Laikipia County. Consisting of 25 players and a counterpart women's team, it participates in semi-professional tournaments aboard, including in London primarily focused on raising funds and awareness through charity cricket and uses its athletic fame for the promotion of women's rights, campaign against female genital mutilation, child marriage, substance abuse, and Environmental Conservation In Kenya in Kenya.
Waist beads is a type of jewelry worn around the waist or on the hips originating from West Africa, they are traditionally worn by women as a symbol of beauty, sexuality, femininity, fertility, well-being or maturity.
Moribayassa is a traditional dance that the Malinke people of West Africa first performed. Women generally engage in the dance to express their emotions and seek spiritual purification.
Ukusina is a type of traditional dance that has its roots in South Africa's coastal region. For the Zulu people, it is an expressive and rhythmic dance form with deep cultural importance. The Ukusina requires dancers to kick their legs in any direction up and out, and then stamp each foot into the ground. The majority of the time, this dance is performed for entertainment during social occasions such as wedding ceremony. Ukusina dances, as a result, are socially created and center on the song leader singing interlocking word phrases. Traditionally, it was thought that no religious event would be complete without at least one ukusina dance performance. Ukusina dance is a fundamental component of the social, religious, and cultural life of the Zulu people, as evidenced by the descriptions of traditional dances in South Africa. Everyone in attendance is drawn into a coherent action atmosphere by the intimate relationship between body movement and music.
Anuang'a Fernando, Kenyan choreographer and dancer, born on October 12, 1972. Growing up in Kitengela and Magadi, he developed interest in Maasai dance and tradition. He is dedicated to the preservation and development of traditional Maasai dance and the fusion of Maasai dance with contemporary styles.
Orunyege-Ntogoro is a traditional dance from the Bunyoro and Tooro kingdoms in western Uganda. It is a courtship dance that involves the use of rattles (ebinyege) and rings (entogoro) to produce rhythmic sounds and movements. The dance is performed by young men and women who seek to attract and impress potential partners for marriage.
Edonga Dance, also known as Edonga, is a traditional cultural dance originating from the Karamajong people, an ethnic group of the Nilotic community residing in the northeastern region of Uganda especially in Kotido and Moroto districts. This dance form is performed by both men and women, accompanied by melodious songs sung in the native Karamojong language. Edonga Dance holds significant cultural importance within the community and heritage of the Karamajong people.
