Kuria people

The Kuria people (also known as the AbaKurya,[2] are a Bantu community in Tanzania and Kenya. Their homeland is bounded on the east by the Migori River and on the west by the Mara River estuary. Traditionally a pastoral and farming community, the Kuria grow maize, beans and cassava as food crops and coffee and maize as cash crops.

Kuria
Total population
313,854 (in Kenya)[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Tanzania,  Kenya
Languages
Kuria
Religion
Traditional religions, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Kisii, Luhya, other Bantu peoples

Overview

The homeland of the Kuria is between the Migori River on the east and the Mara River estuary on the west, extending from Migori County in Kenya on the east to Musoma Rural District in Tanzania on the west. On the south, their land borders Transmara District in Kenya and the Nguruimi area of Tanzania. On the north is Lake Victoria, with a small corridor occupied by the Luo and other Bantu peoples.

The Kuria are found in Kenya and Tanzania. In Kenya, they live in the Kuria East (headquartered in Kegonga) and Kuria West districts (headquartered in Kehancha). In Tanzania, they live in Serengeti and Tarime Districts, Musoma Urban and Rural Districts, and Bunda District. The Kuria have recently settled in Tanzania's Mara Region.

Their neighbours are the Maasai, Kalenjin (the Kipsigis in western Transmara), Ikoma, Luo and Suba. The Kuria are divided into several clans, which live in Kenya and in Tanzania. In Kenya, there are four clans: the Abagumbe, Abairege, Abanyabasi and Abakira. Tanzania has 13 (the Abapemba, Ababurati, Abakira, Abamera, Simbete, Abanyabasi, Watobori, Abakunta, Wiga, Kaboye, Abakenye, Abagumbe and Wasweta, Abatimbaru), in addition to other minor clans.

The Kuria are traditionally a farming community, primarily planting maize, beans and cassava as food crops. Cash crops include coffee and maize. The Kuria also keep cattle.

Etymology and demographics

The name "Kuria" seems to have been applied to the whole group by early colonial chiefs, mainly to distinguish them from the other Luo peoples along the southern shore of Lake Victoria (who were known as Abasuba). According to major Kuria clan tradition (including the Abanyabasi, Abatimbaru, Abanyamongo, Abakira, Abairegi, Abakenye, Abanchaari, and Abagumbe), their ancestor was Mokurya. His descendants migrated from Misiri, and after many years of wandering along Lake Victoria they reached present-day Bukurya. According to this tradition, the Kuria have been divided into two families: the Abasai (from Mokurya's elder wife) and the Abachuma, from his younger wife.

In another view of the name's origin, between 1774 and 1858 Kuria people lived on Korea Hill (north of the Mara River in the Musoma district of present-day Tanzania). The region's inhabitants became known as "Korea people" after the hill, which evolved into "Kuria hill". During the colonial period, the Kenyan Kuria called themselves Abatende (after the Abatende clan in the Bugumbe region); the Tanzanian Kuria continued to be known by their totems. Around the 1950s, the name Kuria gained wide usage. Mijikenda, Abaluyia and Kalenjin also became generally accepted as ethnic names during the 1940s and 1950s, when they sought political recognition from Kenyan colonial authorities.

The Kuria people may not have a common origin, although a number of clans claim to have come from Egypt. Kurian culture is an amalgam of several heterogenous cultures. Among the Kuria are people who were originally from the Kalenjin-, Maasai-, Bantu- and Luo-speaking communities. Between AD 1400 and 1800, during migrations into Bukurya, the foundation was laid for Kuria cultural and political development. Early inhabitants of Bukurya were Bantu and Nilotic speakers, who brought their distinct cultures; the predominantly-agricultural Bantu came into contact with Nilotic pastoralists. This combined agriculture and pastoralism, with nomadic tendencies. Kuria agriculture resembles that of the Abagusii and Luo, and their cattle-keeping has borrowed practices from the Maasai, Zanaki and Nguruimi.

The 2006 Kuria population was estimated at 909,000, with 608,000 living in Tanzania and 301,000 in Kenya. Anthropological research in 2012 estimated the population of the Kuria in Kenya at about 650,000, and the Tanzanian population at about 700,000.

The Kuria people were primarily pastoralists during the pre-colonial era. The Kenyan Kuria lean towards crop production, and the Tanzanian Kuria tend towards pastoralism.[3]

Tools

Wooden tools
English Kuria Use
Stooligitumbechair
Bedobhoreesleeping
Pestleihurithrashing millet, cassava
Bowligitubhautensil
Hoeinkuroweeding and digging
Bowobhothaweapon
Arrowsimigwiweapon
Shoesimityambwidancing
Woven-straw utensils
English Kuria Use
Storage basketegetongstoring flour
Harvest basketirikangharvesting Millet
Serving basketekehe, ekegaroserving food
Door shutteregesakushutter
Granaryiritaragrain storage
Ornamentsobhogekaworn by girls and women
Containerekerandi, egesenchoserving water, milk
Straworokore beerdrinking
Leather, skin, and clothing products
English Kuria Use
Cowhideirihobedding
Goat- or calfskinegeseroclothing
Decorated cowhide or goatskinengemaita, embotoraceremonial women's clothing
Treated goatskinigisiritigirls' and women's clothing
Shredded skinamacharyaworn by boys during initiation
Thongurukini, irichitying cattle or firewood
Shieldingubhawarfare
Hood, crownekondowarfare
Pottery products
English Kuria Use
Water potesengo ya amanchewater storage
Milk potekenyongomilk storage
Ugali potinyakarugacooking cornmeal porridge
Smoking pipeighikwabhesmoking tobacco
Flour potenyongo ya bhosestoring flour
Vegetable potiririghiracooking

Names

Animals or birds
KuriaEnglish
Nyamburigoat
Nyang’ombecow
Gainibull
Nyangoko/magokochicken
Wangweleopard
Wanduilion
Nyanswifish
Tyenyianimal
Machagezebra
Nchoka/waichokasnake
Ngutidove
Sariroeagle
Mang’erabuffalo
Nyanchuguelephant
Wankurutortoise
Kehengurock rabbit
Ngochoparrot
Ng’wenacrocodile
Magigelocust
Kinyunyibird
Action or fortune
KuriaEnglish
Mokamimilkman
Motegandi/mohagachibuilder
Murimifarmer
Nyantahefrom container
Muyabeauty
Mohonisalesman
Motongorifirst harvester
Mtundifood provider
Matindeland tiler
Waitaragranary
Mataro/machera/mogenditraveller
Mosetihunter
Mbusiroseeding grain
Clans or tribes
KuriaEnglish
Mwikabhe/IkwabheMaasai
MtatiroTatoga
MogayaLuo
MgusuhiKisii
Nyabasifrom Nyabasi
Mtimbarufrom Butimbaru
Mystical/abstract names
KuriaEnglish
NyanokweGod
WainaniJinni
Mgosifrom the north
Wanyanchafrom west/lake
Mirumbemist/fog
Saburegod of the Wanchari
Melengalisunlight
Nchota/nsatomystical snake
Matiko/butikonight
Ryoba/riobasun
Events
EnglishKuria
Earthquakekirigiti
Lightningnkobha
Rainwambura/nyambura
Faminewanchara/nyanchara
Harvestmagesa/mogesi
Floodnyamanche

Common words

KuriaEnglish
Amang'anageneral greeting
Mbuya ohoyereHow was your day?
Tang'a amanche ghakunywaCan I have (drinking) water?
Nuuwe ngw'iWhat is your name?
Omosanifriend
Omogheniguest
Omokhebharaa pagan
Umwitongoa foreigner
Omosachamale
Omokarifemale
Umwisekheyoung lady
Umumurayoung man
Kharibhuwelcome
Okoreebhuyathank you
Umurisiauncircumcised male
Iritokacar (from English "car")
Isukhuurischool (from English "school")

Kuria is related to the Gusii language.

gollark: Where's that, anyway?
gollark: ... probably...
gollark: Really, anything blueish would work.
gollark: As I said, change the color scheme if you must.
gollark: Yes, so do I.

References

  1. "2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics". Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  2. "Ethnic groups in Kenya". memtrick.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. Bwiyere, Frahiday. "Mara People Community Organization". Crime Expert. Frahil Publishers, Nairobi. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
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