Naming East Africa’s Culture and Adventure Trail

In search for the best name for East Africa’s Culture and Adventure Trail – We seek your input to develop an unforgettable and responsible tourism experience for travellers and host communities in East Africa’s less travelled cultural corridor stretching from northeast Uganda (Karamoja sub-region) to eastern South Sudan (Eastern Equatorial) , northwest Kenya (West-Pokot and Turkana county) and southwest Ethiopia .

Peace and infrastructure improvement has made East Africa’s less traveled areas a trending destination for travellers seeking an off-the-beaten path authentic cultural experience and untamed outdoor adventure.

Geographical area

The objected trail

 is a cultural corridor that connects the nomadic pastoral people living in the Eastern Rift Valley from northeastern Uganda to northwestern Kenya, eastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia.

History

Before colonial influence, the nomadic pastoral people of East Africa lived together in harmony and with respect to their traditional religion and politics. Colonialism was a first infringement on their lifestyles as it imposed national boundaries and emphasised ethnic differences. Thereafter (Ivory-)traders introduced guns and ignited decades of armed-conflict that escalated after the fall of Idi Amin.

Nomadic Warriors

The objected trail goes through the cultural corridor that connects the semi-nomadic pastoral people living in the Eastern Rift Valley from northeastern Uganda to northwestern Kenya, eastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia.

These nomadic pastoral people drew much attention of researchers and scholars in colonial days. Part of the fascination is due to a romantic stereotype, which viewed nomadic pastoralists as brave, independent, fierce men, freely moving with their herds.

The young men of the pastoral communities were known as warriors, the Maasai men were particularly romanised by the first explorers and missionaries up to the tourist today. A warrior, traditionally, demonstrates feats of bravery and skill such as jumping higher in dance, throwing their spears, wrestling, fighting mock battles and raiding cattle.

While all of these accomplishments bolstered the reputation of individual warriors, they also contributed to the overall prestige of their family and their community at large.

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Marginalisation

As an ethnic group, they have been marginalised from both political power and economic resources, starting from the colonial up to postcolonial days.

With independence, development was appropriated; the African elites who took power embraced the modern narrative with its agenda of progress. Form them, the nomadic pastoral people represented all they had tried to leave behind, and persisted as icons of the primitive the savage, and the past. For years, most thought of East Africa’s pastoral people as an embarrassment better obscured from view. Measures were imposed like wearing of clothes.

Uniting factors

The trail moves through the lands of a cluster of ethnic groups that share similar languages and cultures, live in similar arid and semi-arid ecosystem and who pursue pastoralism as livelihood.

Uganda Karimojong Jie Dodoth Pokot Teuso(Ik) Mening Nyangia Napore Tepeth Kadama Labwor/Nyakwai

South Sudan Toposa Nyangatom Jiye   Ethiopia Merille Dassanech   Kenya Turkana Pokot Dassanech

Ethnicity

The trail embodies the intercultural corridor that’s inhabited by the ‘Eastern Nilotic’ speaking group of people (Maasai, Ateker, Lango clusters) and partly the ‘Southern Nilotic’ speaking people (Kalenjin cluster). The majority of the inhabitants of this geographical area are historically known as nomadic-pastoralist and a smaller group (Tepeth, Ik, Nyangia) as hunters-gatherers.

Most Nilotes occupy savanna country that is alternately subject to flooding and drought. They pursue a mixed economy of pastoralism and hoe cultivation, supplemented by fishing, hunting, and a little food gathering. Although Nilotes may cultivate out of necessity, almost all are pastoralists with a great love of cattle. Milk, milk products, and grain are staple foods. Cattle are not slaughtered indiscriminately for meat; they are paid in compensation and bride wealth, and their ownership determines status and wealth. Nilotic peoples have a rich cattle vocabulary; they spend much time caring for the herds and erecting large stables, or kraals, for their protection. A man commonly trains his favourite ox and decorates its horns, and in many cases he is addressed by the animal’s name. Cattle assume ritual importance, being dedicated and sacrificed to ancestors or spirits.

From conflict to prosperity

The people have been in armed-conflict for decades but peace is returning, infrastructure is improving, government is easing cross-border movement and tourist interest is growing rapidly. This initiative aims at developing East Africa’s final frontier in tourism for peace, prosperity and conservation.

What’s the best the trail name?

Share your opinion and ideas:

> SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

1. Warrior Nomad Trail
2. Eastern Nilotes Trail
3. Ateker Trail