Lodwar Town People and their culture in Kenya

To understand Lodwar Town People in particular, you must learn about its culture. On this site therefore, I’m happy to give you a brief introduction about people and culture of Lodwar.

Massive dependency on nature and the use of underdeveloped production tools means Lodwar is an impoverished area. Environmental degradation and changes in climates have diversely affected the lives of Lodwar people.

The area around which Lodwar district is located has a beautiful wave of hills and rivers with evergreen forests.

The town itself is built on a small stream. There are tall savannah grasses, which are normally dry in the period of in the dry season. Wild fires then erupt from subsistence farmers clearing farms and from local hunters.

The Kasulu area has been for a long time a host to a big number of refugees from warring neighbours (see the map). The influx of refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been a recurrent problem.

There are several transit and permanent refugees’ camps around this area. Kasulu town in particular has become a base for large numbers of NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations).

All operations related to the running of refugee camps are based from Kasulu and are overseen by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Emergence of the Kenya Nation

• The Great Rift Valley is thought to be one of the places where human beings originated, and archeologists working in the valley have found remains of what they speculate are some of the earliest human ancestors..

Kenya Culture and Food in Daily Life .

• Corn (or maize) is the staple food of Kenyans. It is ground into flour and prepared as a porridge called posho, which is sometimes mixed with mashed beans, potatoes, and vegetables, to make a dish called irio.

• Boiled greens, called mboga, are a common side dish. Banana porridge, called matoke, is another common dish.

• Kenya Culture and the Relative Status of Men and Women .

• For the most part, women are treated as second-class citizens in Kenya. Despite the disproportionate amount of work that women do, men usually control the money and property in a family.

• Wife beating is common, and women have little legal recourse. Another women's issue is clitoridectomy, or female genital mutilation, which leaves many women in continual pain and vulnerable to infection.

Kenya Culture on Marriage . Polygamy is traditional, and in the past it was not uncommon for men to have five or six wives.

The practice is becoming less typical today as it has been opposed by Christian missionaries, and is increasingly impractical as few men can afford to support multiple partners.

Kenya Culture on Domestic Unit . In the traditional living arrangement, a man builds a separate hut for each of his wives, where she will live with her children, and a hut for himself.

In a family with one wife, the parents often live together with girls and younger boys, while the older boys have smaller houses close by

Kenya Culture on Inheritance .

According to the tradition, inheritance passes from father to son. This is still the case today, and there are legal as well as cultural obstacles to women inheriting property.

Kenya Culture on Infant Care .

Mothers usually tie their babies to their backs with a cloth sling. Girls begin caring for younger siblings at a very early age, and it is not uncommon to see a five- or six-year-old girl caring for a baby.

Kenya Culture on Child Rearing and Education .

Child rearing is communal: responsibility for the children is shared among aunts, uncles, grandparents, and other members of the community. Boys and girls have fairly separate upbringings.

Kenya Culture on Etiquette Kenyans are generally friendly and hospitable.

Greetings are an important social interaction, and often include inquiries about health and family members.

Visitors to a home are usually offered food or tea, and it is considered impolite to decline. Elderly people are treated with a great deal of respect and deference.

Do you have what to say about Lodwar people and their culture in Lodwar? Many Kenyans and first time visitors in this area will be happy to hear about you.

If you have anything you would like to write about this area, feel free to add it here. I promise to add it on you page for free.