7
UNESCO Heritage Sites In Kenya That You Need to Visit
Kenya is home to seven
world heritage sites as categorized by UNESCO. These sites have been set aside
by UNESCO for preservation because of their importance to the nation and world
as whole.
Lamu
Old Town
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| Lamu Old Town |
Lamu
Old Town was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.It serves as
the cradle of civilization for the Swahili people of the Kenyan coast. Many
cultural festivals are commemorated on the island every year. It has been
inhabited for over seven centuries.
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
These
sacred forests comprise of 11 forest sites that are located along the coast of
fortified villages by the Mijikenda people. The villages are known as kayas and
are maintained by a council of elders. They are regarded as sacred sites among
the Mijikenda people.
Fort Jesus
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| Fort Jesus in Mombasa |
Fort
Jesus was classified as a world Heritage Site in the year 2011. Fort Jesus was
built by the Portuguese in the 16th century to protect the port of
Mombasa. It is an iconic landmark. The fort covers an area of 2.36 hectares.
The design of the fort, with its imposing walls and five bastions reflects the
military architectural theory of the Renaissance Period.
Lake Turkana National Parks
This
UNESCO Site is comprised of three national parks: Sibiloi Natianal Park, Lake
Turkana and Central Island. Apart from being considered important as a stopping
point for migratory birds, it is also the breeding ground for various species
of animals including hippopotamus, crocodiles and snakes. It is also home to
Koobi Fora archaeological site in Kenya. Lake Turkana was recognized as a
UNESCO Heritage Site in the year 1997.
Mt Kenya National Park
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| Mount Kenya |
Mt
Kenya National Park and Natural Forest were declared UNESCO sites in Kenya in
the year 1997. This beautiful ecosystem is critical to the many animal species
that live here. Furthermore it acts as a water catchment area that provides
water to many parts of the country. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The Kenya Lake system in the Great
Rift Valley
The
Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley was recognized as a UNESCO Heritage
Site in 2011. It is a natural landscape consisting of three lake basins that
are located at the flower of the rift valley. The three lakes are: Lake
Bogoria, Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru. This site is famous for its rich
migratory birds, especially the pelicans and flamingoes.
Thimlich
Ohinga Cultural Landscape
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| Thimlich Ohinga Cultural Landscape |
Located
46 kilometres north –west of Migori town, in the Lake Victoria region, Thimlich
Ohinga is massive dry- stone walled settlement that was probably built in the
16th century. It is an example of the traditional of massive
dry-stone walled enclosures, typical of the first pastoral communities in the
Lake Victoria Basin. The Ohinga appear to have served as security for
communities and livestock.
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Lost
African Tribe: 7 Things You Didn’t Know About The Sidi Of India
While
people of African origin have been recognized and have played a key role in the
development of their countries in North and Latin America, this has not been
the case in Asia. The culture of the Sidi, an Afro-Asian group, spread across
India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is fast disappearing.
The
Siddi people are Africans of Bantu descent, taken away from East Africa to
India and Pakistan by Arab and Portuguese slave traders in the 16th
century. Thousands of others went as mercenaries and merchants.
Pakistan
is home to the largest community of African descendants, who number around
50,000. Many of these of them live in abject poverty without access to
education or employment. In Pakistan they are known as Sheedi.
In
Gujarat and Karnataka where most Sidis live, music remains the enduring link to
Africa. In 2003, Karnataka State included Sidis on the list of ‘Scheduled
tribes’ a status which helps them access reserved quotas of government jobs,
quotas in schools, bursaries and subsidized housing.
The Sidi people consider themselves as part of
the Indian Ocean diaspora. Despite being Indian for centuries, they constantly
face racial discrimination where their identities are not fully understood. The
community has established the African Diaspora in Asia, a society of
African-Indian descendants and international scholars in their search for
identity.
Although
they have lost much of their culture due to assimilation, they have retained
their very distinct African music. They play the goma, an African drum which is
a feature of African music across the continent.
They
dress in the same way as other locals and speak local languages. Men work as
drivers, mechanics or security guards while women work as domestic help. Their
food consists mainly of rice, dal and pickles. But unlike the other Afro-
Americans across the Atlantic the Sidi have a long way to go and need
affirmative action to preserve their culture.
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