The Nandi Community of Kenya

Farming

This farm tool was known as a Mokombet. It was made from an iron blade strung on a wooden handle, and was used for digging and cultivating the farm.

Pastoralism

These cow bells (Twolio) were made from scrap metal by a local blacksmith. The metal was heated over burning charcoal and hammered into shape. They would have been hung around a bull's neck to enable the herdsmen to keep track and locate their herd.

Honey harvesting

This large hairy skin bag (Lolet) was sewn from a heifer skin. It would have been used when fetching and carrying honey from the forest. Men often placed and carried this kind of bag on their backs while transporting honey home.

Hunting

This spear head was made by a blacksmith using scrap metal, which is heated and beaten into the desired shape. It was then fitted on a long wooden shaft and used by men during ceremonies, hunting wild animals and for defense in case of an attack on the community.

Working in the fields

This long handled sickle was made from hammered iron and whittled wood. A hole was cut at the top of the handle and the blade hammered in. It was used only by men for chopping wood, cutting grass, millet or any other plants.

The family

The family was the basic political unit among the Nandi. A collection of between 20 to 100 homesteads formed a koret. A dozen or more koret formed a pororiet, a larger political unit that produced men to join military camps.

The pororiet was regulated by the council of elders, where leaders from every koret attended. Leaders assumed these positions by virtue of their social status, wealth and personality, and settled disputes through consensus.

The Nandi also had a spiritual and military leader called Orkoiyot, who made security and war decisions.

Taking care of the household

This is a milk gourd (Kimusarit) made and used by women to store milk in their houses, and also used to carry milk whenever a woman was moving around with her child.

Child-naming ceremonies

This beer gourd (Mwentet) was used by elders to serve traditional beer from clay pots during child naming and marriage ceremonies.

When a child was born, a 'spirit' name would be decided upon and given to it after four days. That name would be related to a particular ancestor. After three months, when weaning, the child would be given a personal name replacing that of their ancestor.

Circumcision

This ceremonial head ornament (Nariet) was made by women from leather, and sewn with beads and cowrie shells. It was worn by young initiates when coming out of seclusion.

The Nandi conducted a circumcision ceremony every seven and a half years for both boys and girls. Prior to the operation, boy initiates wore girls' garments and vice versa, in an interesting ritual inversion.

After circumcision all initiates went into seclusion, where they were taught their responsibilities. Girls in seclusion wore leather hoods while boys wore grass masks. Boys circumcised at the same time made an age set.

Female circumcision is no longer permitted in the country, hence alternative initiation practices are now encouraged.

Marriage

This single coiled metal bracelet was worn by married women, round the wrist, to show their status. It would have been given to a bride at the time of marriage.

Traditionally, marriages were arranged and bride-wealth was paid to the bride's family. Once married, the man provided a house and a piece of land for his wife or wives to cultivate. Customarily, barrenness was the only reason for a divorce.

Kimnyole Arap Turukat

Kimnyole Arap Turukat was the fourth Nandi Orkoiyot in the early 1800s. The Orkoiyot was a spiritual and military leader who was consulted on decisions regarding security particularly the waging of war. Kimnyole is remembered for his powerful prophecies, which forever altered the lives of the Nandi.

His exact year of birth is unknown, but he was the son of Turukat and father of Koitalel Arap Samoei. At his prime, he stood regal, animal skin draped over one shoulder and a stick in hand. His earlobes extended from the weight of the metallic traditional earrings he wore. The colour of his skin was dark as ebony and the muscles underneath were still taut with youth.

He was both warrior and leader, commanding fear and respect alike. Kimnyole had two prophecies to his name, the coming of the “white tribe” (the whites) and “the Iron Snake” (the construction of the Kenya Uganda railway).

Koitalel arap Samoei

Koitalel arap Samoei was born to Kimnyole arap Turukat around 1860. As the last born he was closest to his father, and had a greater ability to understand prophetic signs compared to his three older brothers.

At the age of 25 he succeeded his father as the Orkoiyot. Samoei prophesied about a black snake passing through the land of Nandi. Not long after that, the Kenya-Uganda railway came along with the British.

Samoei led a 12-year rebellion against the British for encroaching on their land. Through trickery, he killed by the British Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, and had his head cut off and taken to Britain.

He is remembered to date for his great leadership and a monument has been erected in his name.

Protecting initiates

This is a metal neck ring made by a blacksmith and worn round the neck by the new initiates. It was kept in a special place in the house awaiting use by the next initiates. It was seen as a charm for to protect the initiates protection against any evil shortcomings.

Dancing and recreation

An illustration of a Nandi warrior in his dancing outfit.

Snuff

This is an ivory snuffbox (Kibraut), made and used by old men for keeping snuff.

Straws for drinking beer

These drinking straws with fibre sieves were made by old men from a plant's branch, and used by elders to drink traditional beer. A pot containing beer would often be placed in the middle, and the elders would sit around it, each sipping from the pot using these straws.

This communal way of drinking brought people together and encouraged peace. It was said a witch and the elders could not drink from the same pot.