Kenya

Home to more than forty ethnic communities, Kenya joins highland Kikuyu, Maasai pastoral and Swahili coastal cultures.

Crafts Textile & dress Music & dance Spirituality & rites Games & sport

Knowledge in this place

Kiondo basketry

Kiondo basketry

Hand-woven sisal and leather bags traditionally made by Kikuyu and Kamba women.

Maasai beadwork

Maasai beadwork

Colour-coded beaded collars and jewellery encode age, status and identity.

Textile & dress

Isukuti dance

Isukuti dance

An Isukha and Idakho drum dance performed at births, weddings and funerals.

Enkipaata initiation

Enkipaata initiation

A Maasai male initiation rite of passage inscribed by UNESCO in 2024.

Spirituality & rites

Long-distance running

Long-distance running

Rift Valley highland communities sustain a world-renowned distance-running tradition.