Korr: The Rendille Tribe

I want to begin by saying that Kenya is BEAUTIFUL: its people, landscape, and wildlife.  I recommend a visit to this country for people everywhere! The locals are genuinely friendly so waving has become an every day occurrence. I'd be seen as a weirdo back in Canada if I waved at everyone I saw... but here the gesture is returned! I feel very at peace in this place.

So Korr: Our journey there was beautiful in itself. We flew on a Cessna 206 (for all you plane lovers our there), which is a tiny 6 seater plane. The view was spectacular, sailing over waterfalls, lush green mountains,  and dusty barren deserts. It was so fascinating to get a bird's eye view of northern Kenya. Upon arrival we had a huge group of school children (nursery and elementary aged) singing songs to greet us. And believe me, we heard and participated in a lot of singing in Korr, as my good friend Josiah predicted after hearing that I would be in Kenya. They are certainly a singing culture! Mamas, warriors, children... everyone uses their voices here, and most of the songs we listened to, if not all, were songs dedicated to praising God. Our ears were treated with traditional Rendille worship, merrying vocals and hand gestures, every bus or truck ride we would take. These people blessed us throughout the entire trip. Getting a glimpse into their lives and building relationships with them was ultimate highlight of the trip for me. Their lifestyle is so vastly different from my own. I know that each culture is different, but these people really intrigued me.

Here are some cool facts about this phenomenal tribe:

- The village they live in is known as a 'goob' (pronounced gobe) which is comprised of many 'mins', which is their home essentially. A min is made out of sticks and covered in hides, furs, cardboard, and whatever else can be found to block the constant winds in Korr.

- Camel are the prized possessions of the Rendille. They drink their blood, collect their milk, and base their wealth on the amount they have. They do not slaughter them because they are very precious. Camels are how these people survive because there is little to no vegetation and water is scarce.

- Males go through 3 stages in Rendille culture: boyhood, warriorhood, and elder. The transition to a warrior requires the circumcision of a boy. After this is done, the new man must move out of his family's min and go out with the other warriors to tend to the camels and other livestock since there is usually no grazing grounds where they live. After warriorhood for 14 years and some killing of lions and other wild animals (these dudes are TOUGH), they marry and become an elder. Consenus decision making is used among the elders.

- Females are not thought to have an identity until they are married. Before marriage however, women are circumcised. Unbeknownst to me, this practice is carried out all over the world. I was astounded. After being wed, they are seen as a woman and they receive a red and white beaded necklace that has the same meaning as our wedding ring. They are then part of their husband's clan, which is the bases of identity for a Rendille; knowing the clan is more important than knowing one's name when making first introductions.

- Duties: Men are the protecters, shepherds, and decisionmakers while women are responsible for the children, homebuilding, cooking, firewood collecting, and water fetching. Children do a lot of firewood and water collecting, helps their moms with the workload.

- Dress: Kids wear whatever can be found if they were anything at all. Mamas (which is a name that encompasses all married women with children) and adolescent girls wear skirts with a bare torso or long dresses paired with intriquite beaded necklaces and a headdress. Warriors wear long skirts and feathered headdresses. They each carry a spear, a beaded staff, and birlep which is essentially a long knife with a handle. Women have short hair and warriors have long hair, so in some of the goobs we visited the girls would laugh me and be touching my hair since it was so strange for them to see!

- Food: Unfortunately, food is scarce in the desert. That is why there SP is providing a feeding program for the children. They drink a lot of camel and goat milk and sometimes add camel's blood for nutrients. They eat beans and maize, usually made into a watery drinkable porridge. They drink a lot of tea with an incredible amount of sugar. Tea is a staple in their diet. For instance, if a child has had tea in the morning, they can go to school. That is a sufficient breakfast. Fat is also a big need for Rendille. They require the energy found in fat since they do not find vegetables and fruits, so if they have slaughtered an animal (which is rare), they will cover the meat in fat. Niriniri was a very greasy dish of goat's meat... not sure if I liked it.

These are only the basics, but it gives you an idea of the way in which these people live. They are truly one of a kind.