Mijikenda

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests


State Party = KEN
Type = Cultural
Criteria = iii, v, vi
ID = 1231
Region = Africa
Year = 2008
Session = 32nd
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1231The Mijikenda ("the nine cities") are the nine ethnic groups along the coast of Kenya from the border of Somalia in the north to the border of Tanzania in the south. Historically, these ethnic groups have been called the Nyika or Nika by outsiders. It is a derogatory term meaning "bush people". Of the nine ethnic groups it is the Digo who are found also in Tanzania due to their proximity to the common border. They all have a sacred forest called the Kaya a place of prayer conducted by selected elders of the specific ethnic. The forest is a World Heritage Site. [http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/451]

The Mijikenda include the Digo, Chonyi, Kambe, Duruma, Kauma, Ribe, Rabai, Jibana, and Giriama. Each have unique customs and language, although the languages are similar to each other and to Swahili.

References

[http://www.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Mijikenda.html Mijikenda on World Culture Encyclopedia]