Kenyan Australians

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Kenyan Australians
Total population
13,832 (by birth) [1]
3,786 (by ancestry) [1]
Regions with significant populations
Western Australia 4,397 [1]
Victoria 2,850 [1]
New South Wales 2,764 [1]
Queensland 2,062 [1]
Languages
English  · Swahili  · · Kalenjin  · Gujarati  · Kikuyu  · Dinka  · Luo  · Languages of Kenya
Religion
Christianity  · Islam  · Hinduism  ·Other
Related ethnic groups
African Australians, Ugandan Australians, Tanzanian Australians, South Sudanese Australians, Ethiopian Australians, Somali Australians

Kenyan Australians are Australian citizens and residents of Kenyan origin and descent. They may be of indigenous African, European, or Indian heritage. [2]

Contents

Background

Uncertainties about the future of colonial-run Kenya prompted many Kenyan-born settlers of both European and Indian backgrounds to migrate to other countries, including Australia. There are also many Swahili-speaking Kenyans of indigenous African ancestry. [2] The majority of such migrants had no difficulty getting work and settling into the Australian community. [2]

The majority of Kenyan Australians are skilled and educated, with 72.5% of the Kenyan-born aged 15 years and over possessing higher non-school qualifications, compared to 55.9% of the Australian population. [2]

Population

The 2016 Census noted there are 17,652 Kenya-born people in Australia. [3] [2] About one in five Australians who claim Kenyan ancestry live in Sydney. [4]

Languages

The languages most commonly spoken at home by Kenyan-born Australians are English and Swahili, however Kikuyu, Luo, Kalenjin, Gujarati, Dinka and other languages are not uncommon. [2] Kikuyu is a Kenyan language spoken by over one hundred Australians at home, and Luo is also spoken by about one hundred Australians. [5]

About 5,000 Kenyan-born Australians speak a language indigenous to Africa at home. [6] Some of the over 10,700 Australian-born who speak an African language may also speak a language of Kenya. [6]

The 74 languages the Special Broadcasting Service broadcasts in includes Swahili and Dinka, both languages spoken by many Kenyan-born Australians. [7]

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Kenya</span>

A part of Eastern Africa, the territory of what is known as Kenya has seen human habitation since the beginning of the Lower Paleolithic. The Bantu expansion from a West African centre of dispersal reached the area by the 1st millennium AD. With the borders of the modern state at the crossroads of the Bantu, Nilo-Saharan and Afro-Asiatic ethno-linguistic areas of Africa, Kenya is a multi-ethnic state. The Wanga Kingdom was formally established in the late 17th century. The Kingdom covered from the Jinja in Uganda to Naivasha in the East of Kenya. This is the first time the Wanga people and Luhya tribe were united and led by a centralized leader, a king, known as the Nabongo. Kenya's economey is very competitive causing for a very small retail market. There are currently 2 Walmarts in Kenya which shows how competitive the market is.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Kenya</span>

The demography of Kenya is monitored by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics. Kenya is a multi-ethnic state in East Africa. Its total population was at 47,558,296 as of the 2019 census.

The Nilotic peoples are people indigenous to the Nile Valley who speak Nilotic languages. They inhabit South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, the northern border area of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. Among these are the Burun-speaking peoples, Teso people also known as Iteso or people of Teso, Karo peoples, Luo peoples, Ateker peoples, Kalenjin peoples, Karamojong people also known as the Karamojong or Karimojong, Datooga, Dinka, Nuer, Atwot, Lotuko, and the Maa-speaking peoples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Australia</span>

The population of Australia is estimated to be 27,508,400 as of 13 November 2024. It is the 54th most populous country in the world and the most populous Oceanian country. Its population is concentrated mainly in urban areas, particularly on the Eastern, South Eastern and Southern seaboards, and is expected to exceed 30 million by 2029.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luo peoples</span> Ethnolinguistic Nilotic groups inhabit to central and Northeastern Africa

The Luo are several ethnically and linguistically related Nilotic ethnic groups that inhabit an area ranging from Egypt and Sudan to South Sudan and Ethiopia, through Northern Uganda and eastern Congo (DRC), into western Kenya, and the Mara Region of Tanzania. Their Luo languages belong to the western branch of the Nilotic language family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suba people (Kenya)</span> Bantu group of people in Kenya

The Suba (Abasuba) are a heterogeneous Bantu group of people in Kenya with an amalgamation of clans drawn from their main tribes Ganda people, Luhya people, and Soga who speak the Suba language that is closely similar to the Ganda language spare some lexical items borrowed from Luo. Their population is estimated at 157,787, with substantial fluent speakers. They migrated to Kenya from Uganda and settled on the two Lake Victoria islands of Rusinga and Mfangano, others also settled on the mainland areas including Gembe, Gwassi, Kaksingri of Suba South and Migori and are believed to be the last tribe to have settled in Kenya. The immigrants to present-day Subaland trace their ancestry among Ganda people, Luhya people, Soga people, and the Luo people. The evidence supporting this is the fact that some Suba groups speak languages similar to Luganda, Lusoga and the Luhya. The Suba groups tracing ancestry among the Kenyan tribes preceded those groups from Uganda in present-day Subaland and are the numerous and influential ones. Those groups from Uganda are mostly concentrated in Rusinga and Mfangano islands with small pockets of them being found in mainland Kenya. Linguistically, the Suba are highly influenced by the neighbouring Luo, to the point of a language shift having taken place among large portions of the mainland Suba. As a result, their own language has been classified as endangered. Despite this language shift, the Suba have kept a distinct ethnic identity. The Rusinga Festival is held in December of every year as a cultural festival to celebrate and preserve Suba culture and language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of Uganda</span>

In Uganda the most spoken language in the capital city is Luganda, followed by English, as all schools in Uganda use it in their studies due to the introduction of English during the colonial period. English is also the language of business and judicial matters. Most spoken after Luganda and English is Swahili. This language is more common in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. Swahili is taught in schools as an optional additional language and it is mostly spoken by the Ugandan army. In 2005, there were talks to include Swahili as the second official language as it was seen as neutral, however this is still not ratified by the government. Swahili is used among some communities bordering South Sudan and Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyanza Province</span> Province of Kenya

Nyanza Province was one of Kenya's eight administrative provinces before the formation of the 47 counties under the 2010 constitution. Six counties were organised in the area of the former province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luo people</span> Nilotic ethnic group in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

The Luo of Kenya and Tanzania are a Nilotic ethnic group native to western Kenya and the Mara Region of northern Tanzania in East Africa. The Luo are the fourth-largest ethnic group (10.65%) in Kenya, after the Kikuyu (17.13%), the Luhya (14.35%) and the Kalenjin (13.37%). The Tanzanian Luo population was estimated at 1.1 million in 2001 and 3.4 million in 2020. They are part of a larger group of related Luo peoples who inhabit an area ranging from South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, northern and eastern Uganda, southwestern Kenya, and northern Tanzania, making them the largest ethnic group in East Africa.

Kenya is a multilingual country. The two official languages of Kenya, Swahili and English, are widely spoken as lingua francas; however, including second-language speakers, Swahili is more widely spoken than English. Swahili is a Bantu language native to East Africa and English is inherited from British colonial rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vietnamese Australians</span> Ethnic group

Vietnamese Australians are Australians of Vietnamese descent. Vietnamese Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Vietnamese diaspora.

The languages of Australia are the major historic and current languages used in Australia and its offshore islands. Over 250 Australian Aboriginal languages are thought to have existed at the time of first European contact. English is the majority language of Australia today. Although English has no official legal status, it is the de facto official and national language. Australian English is a major variety of the language with a distinctive accent and lexicon, and differs slightly from other varieties of English in grammar and spelling.

African Australians are Australians descended from any peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa, including naturalised Australians who are immigrants from various regions in Sub-Saharan Africa and descendants of such immigrants. At the 2021 census, the number of ancestry responses categorised within Sub-Saharan African ancestral groups as a proportion of the total population amounted to 1.3%. Note that Australian official statistics are based on country of origin not race, hence African immigrants of European descent and their descendants are included as African Australians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australians</span> Nationals of Australia

Australians, colloquially known as Aussies, are the citizens, nationals and individuals associated with the country of Australia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or ethno-cultural. For most Australians, these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being Australian. Australian law does not provide for a racial or ethnic component of nationality, instead relying on citizenship as a legal status, though the Constitutional framers considered the Commonwealth to be "a home for Australians and the British race alone", as well as a "Christian Commonwealth". Since the postwar period, Australia has pursued an official policy of multiculturalism and has the world's eighth-largest immigrant population, with immigrants accounting for 30 percent of the population in 2019.

Somali Australians are citizens and residents of Australia who are of Somali ancestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of South Sudan</span>

South Sudan is a multilingual country, with over 60 indigenous languages spoken. The official language of the country is English which was introduced in the region during the colonial era.

Kenyan English is a local dialect of the English language spoken by several communities and individuals in Kenya, and among some Kenyan expatriates in other countries. The dialect contains features unique to it that were derived from local Bantu languages, such as Swahili.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaian Australians</span> Ethnic group

Ghanaian Australians are Australian citizens and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. More than 50% of those who are Ghana-born live in Sydney.

Mauritian Australians are Australians of Mauritian descent, or who were born in Mauritius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Gichuhi</span> Australian politician

Lucy Muringo Gichuhi is an Australian politician who served as a Senator for South Australia from 2017 to 2019. Born in Kenya, Gichuhi worked as an accountant before entering politics. Gichuhi is a social conservative who has been vocally opposed to the legalization of same-sex marriage.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Kenya-born Community: Historical Background (2011 census)". Australian Government, Department of Immigration and Border Protection. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Community Information Summary: Kenya-born (2011 census)" (PDF). Department of Immigration & Citizenship. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2014.
  3. "2016 QuickStats Country of Birth". quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  4. 2006 Census
  5. The People of Australia: Statistics from the 2011 Census (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Immigration and Border Protection. 2014. ISBN   978-1-920996-23-9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2014.
  6. 1 2 "SBS Census Explorer". SBS Online. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  7. "SBS unveils new Radio Schedule". SBS News. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  8. "FFA Cup has Ochieng on course for second chance | Australia Cup". www.australiacup.com.au. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  9. "Former Senator Lucy Gichuhi". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  10. "Anxiety and falling out of love with football: Why Mahazi quit at 28". SBS Sport. Retrieved 20 July 2024.