Info For You Lot Turkana People: Kenya`S Beautiful Semi-Nomadic Nilotic People

Turkana people are agro-pastoralist Nilotic people native to the Turkana District inwards northwest Kenya, a semi-arid climate part bordering Lake Turkana inwards the east, Pokot, Rendille as well as Samburu to the south, Republic of Uganda to the west, as well as South Sudan as well as Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the north. They refer to their solid reason every bit Turkan.

Turkana girls with bead necklaces - Kenya Eric Lafforgue

According to the 2009 Kenyan census, Turkana let on 855,399, or 2.5% of the Kenyan population, making Turkana the 3rd largest Nilotic ethnic grouping inwards Kenya, after the Kalenjin as well as the Luo, slightly to a greater extent than numerous than the Maasai, as well as the 10th largest ethnicity inwards all of Kenya.

Turkana boy

The linguistic communication of the Turkana people is also called Turkana; their ain cite for it is ŋaTurkana or aŋajep a ŋaTurkana.

The Turkana people telephone band themselves ŋiTurkana (The Turkana). The cite agency the people of Turkan. They are mainly semi-nomadic pastoralists.

The Turkana are noted for raising camels as well as weaving baskets. In their oral traditions they designate themselves the people of the greyness bull, after the Zebu, the domestication of which played an of import work inwards their history. 

In recent years, evolution assist programs receive got aimed at introducing angling amid the Turkana (a taboo inwards some sections of The Turkana society) with real express success.Tullow Oil discovered crude oil inwards Turkana county inwards Kenya this March. In early on May,Tullow announced that its Kenyan projection had so far contained “more than double [the oil] encountered inwards whatever of our East African exploration wells to date.”

Turkana man

Famous Turkana include Paul Ereng the 1988 800M Olympic Champion as well as 800M shape indoor reason tape holder; supermodel Ajuma Nasenyana, as well as cardinal Kenyan regime officials including: Kenyan Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. medico Richard Titus Ekai; Minister of Labour, Hon. John Kiyonga Munyes - MP; as well as Hon. Ekwee Ethuro - MP.

Turkana tribe apese (girl) supermodel Ajuma Nasenyana

Language

Turkana people speak Turkana /tɜrˈkɑːnə/). It is i of the Eastern Nilotic languages, as well as is closely related to Karamojong, Jie as well as Teso of Uganda, to Toposa spoken inwards the extreme southeast of Sudan, as well as to Nyangatom inwards the Sudan/Ethiopia Omo valley borderland; these languages together shape the cluster of Teso–Turkana languages.

Turkana boy

The collective grouping cite for these related grouping is Ateker.

History

The actual cite "Turkana" is something of a mystery, with the most ordinarily ascribed important beingness a corruption of 'turkwen', which agency 'cave people', or 'aturkan' which agency 'cave land'.

                                 Turkana human with undercover weapon, finger-blade

As at that topographic point are no caves inwards present-day Turkana-land (at to the lowest degree due east of the Ugandan border), they must receive got migrated from elsewhere. This much is certain, every bit each of the 19 sections of the Turkana concur that their recent origins prevarication to the due west of their electrical flow homeland. The story, which has been carried downward from oral cavity to oral cavity for many centuries, goes something similar this:

"A long fourth dimension ago, the mutual ancestors of the Turkana, the Jie as well as all the other 'Karamajong' tribes, lived inwards a identify called Apuli, which was inwards southern Sudan or Ethiopia. Some 300 to 500 years ago, they began to migrate southwards to their acquaint homeland inwards the far northeast of Uganda.

After a while, a grouping of immature men from the Jie department of the Karamajong were sent eastwards into the Tarach Valley (west/northwest of Lodwar inwards Kenya) inwards search of a wayward ox, whose tracks they were following. They wandered far from their people, as well as finally met a solitary old Jie adult woman called Nayece who was gathering fruit. She led the immature warriors into a lush as well as and verdant valley, unoccupied past times people, which was rich inwards the wild berries which withal shape an of import business office of the Turkana diet.

Nayece also gave the men fire, as well as taught them how to cook. Impressed with the area, the men talked other immature people into joining them, as well as together they moved inwards with their livestock. Nayece divided the men into territorial sections (the footing of Turkana society today), as well as became the mother-heroine of the Turkana. Ever since, the Turkana as well as Jie receive got been allies."

Turkana tribe old human with ostrich feathers headwear - Kenya

The Turkana entered Turkana basin from the northward every bit i unit of measurement of the Ateker confederation. The Ateker cluster split every bit a consequence of internal differences leading to emergence of distinct independent groups. Turkana people emerged every bit a victorious group. The victory of the Turkana people inwards the initial Ateker conflict led to enmity betwixt Turkana people as well as other Ateker cluster groups. Ateker cluster groups formed armed forces alliances against The Turkana. The Turkana emerged victorious i time again past times co-opting immature people from conquered groups. The armed forces ability as well as wealth of the Turkana increased inwards what is directly the northern plains of Turkana.

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Super Model Nancy Ajuma Nasenyana – Republic of Kenya volition ever live dwelling – True Love Jan 2011

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Nancy Ajuma Nasenyana is i of a real modest gild of Kenyan models who receive got made it to superstardom. She clears upward misconceptions almost her upbringing, as well as explains why Republic of Kenya volition ever live home.

By Wayua Muli

Ajuma Nasenyana, 26, is stunning to await at, peculiarly when she is at work. It’s an otherwise tranquility Midweek forenoon at the photograph shoot for her cover, as well as a modest crowd of admirers has gathered to lookout adult man her pout, flounce as well as flirt with the camera.

“She’s a consummate natural,” says stylist as well as shoot manager Grace Makosewe. “I don’t demand to tell her what to do to acquire the correct pose. She only puts on the wearing clothing as well as does it.” Indeed, given the natural grace with which she takes to high fashion, it is hard to believe that i time upon a time, Ajuma’s greatest ambition was to live an Olympic medal-winning runner. Or that she grew upward inwards Turkana. Or that she is, inwards fact, quite the tomboy.

Ajuma Nasenyana, Turkana native

“Yes, I am a tomboy,” she laughs subsequently on, during our interview. For this, she has abandoned the high-glam wardrobe as well as come upward dressed inwards a elementary dark vest, skinny jeans as well as strappy bird sandals. Apart from a slick of lip balm as well as a cap, at that topographic point is naught at that topographic point that says to a greater extent than than it should almost her supermodel twenty-four hours job.

“I don’t shape my eyebrows or shave my legs …” she laughs, probable thinking almost all the misconceptions people receive got almost models beingness creatures of vanity. “In the morning, the lather I work for my human face upward is the lather that I work for my legs. But I similar Vaseline. I ever work that. That as well as Cocoa Butter Lotion. So I am naturally similar this.”

Ajuma Nasenyana, Turkana native

“Naturally similar this” translates every bit a 5ft, 10in dark-skinned, flawless beauty with almond-shaped eyes as well as pillow lips that brand brilliant colours pop against her peel tone. Her pilus is brusk as well as natural – to a greater extent than Alek Wek than Naomi Campbell – as well as tellingly, non needing a comb to await coiffed. And her perfect teeth are either the consequence of lots of dental care, or non bad genetics.

Ajuma

She has been on runways for Victoria’s Secret, Alexis Mabille as well as Martin Grant. She has opened for Vivienne Westwood
- twice – as well as been the “wedding dress” (the atomic number 82 model) for her once. Ajuma has fifty-fifty had a non-speaking cameo spot inwards the outset Sex as well as the City movie, where she is prominently featured strutting her materials inwards front end of Carrie as well as the girls. It is rather hard to imagine that the sensual femininity she displays on phase is an act; it seems an essential business office of her entire persona.

But mayhap this should non live surprising: everything almost Ajuma is a contradiction of sorts.

We’ll start with her childhood, which has go a flake of a mythical tale of poverty, goat-herding as well as bare-foot running to as well as from school. Nothing could live farther from the truth, as well as Ajuma is good aware of the misconceptions almost her upbringing. “I spent my outset nine years inwards Lodwar,” she says of her childhood. Her early on years were spent with her woman raise as well as grandmother, as well as she started schoolhouse there. Then her woman raise met a Swedish household unit of measurement who were interested inwards helping Ajuma’s woman raise run an NGO for women, as well as Ajuma’s fortunes changed.

Her woman raise had ready the NGO – a women’s community projection that exclusively employs women inwards an endeavor to brand them financially independent – with naught but a few mud ovens that the women built, as well as would bake staff of life in. “They used to walk roughly the expanse selling staff of life inwards the village. Now the NGO has grown, as well as they ain a actually prissy tourist lodge called the Nawoitorong’ Women’s Centre. It is real nice,” Ajuma says proudly.

The Swedish household unit of measurement non exclusively helped Ajuma’s woman raise finance the NGO, but they also took over Ajuma’s instruction as well as whisked her off to Greenacres, a fancy GCE-system schoolhouse inwards Limuru, for her early on years of education.

Ajuma remembers beingness a precocious kid piece there. “I didn’t speak English linguistic communication but I caught upward quick,” she says. “I was a practiced sports person, as well as I think that’s why a lot of people liked me. I was practiced inwards whatever game. I was also real outgoing as well as real loud.” She eventually settled for running, which was to subsequently play a big, of import work inwards her life – but mor on that later. Because inwards the meantime, Ajuma had graduated as well as moved on to the fifty-fifty fancier Greensteds School inwards Nakuru, where she continued her noisy, sporty life.

Ajuma

It was piece she was hither that she met celebrated runner Paul Ereng’, who was running a preparation army camp – the High Performance Training Centre – for immature athletes. Attracted to her potential inwards the middle-distance races, he took her on, grooming her to accept her identify on the national squad at the upcoming 2004 Olympics. She joined after leaving schoolhouse inwards 2002. “I was inwards the preparation army camp amongst Ezekiel Kemboi as well as Janeth Jepkosgei – we’re friends. We talk,” she says of the 800m Olympic silvery medallist.

But – as well as this is crucial – her ticker was non inwards a running career. “I used to force myself to do it because I was practiced at it, but non because I actually wanted to do it.” Her biggest fantasy, at the time, was to accept business office inwards Africa’s iconic model search, M-Net’s Face of Africa competition. “All my life I had been told that I should model,” she says. It’s non actually surprising, given her physique as well as peel tone. “So I was fascinated past times the Face of Africa model search,” she says.

Ajuma had grown upward inwards FOA’s hey-day, when the real outset dark model search unveiled Oluchi Onweagba, who went on to go a superstar. Watching it on tv as well as reading almost it inwards the papers only similar many other girls at the time, she remembers wanting to go into this detail model hunt. But every bit luck would receive got it, past times the fourth dimension she was eligible to enter, championship sponsors M-Net had inexplicably lay the lawsuit on grip – at that topographic point would live no Face of Africa contest for Ajuma.

As it turned out, it did non matter. Her life revolved roughly her running, as well as such was her talent inwards the middle-distance races that she was offered a academy scholarship inwards the US.

And then, when she turned 19, fate staged an intervention, as well as her life went off on a different tangent. It was inwards early on 2003 when it happened. H5N1 Swedish geologist – who she refuses to cite – asked her to live his guide piece he went prospecting for precious stones inwards Lodwar. They were driving from Lodwar to Lokichoggio when bandits struck as well as shot at their car. “I survived with some injuries, but my friend was killed. We had grown upward together. We were household unit of measurement friends.” It was his household unit of measurement that was helping her woman raise ready the NGO.

Unable to develop as well as emotionally battered past times the shooting, some other friend of hers -Cedric Simonet, who lived inwards Nairobi – suggested that she come upward to Nairobi to recuperate. He flew her inwards for her first-ever extensive remain inwards the city, as well as lay her upward at his house. But it was non long earlier she was looking for something to do.

Meanwhile, pageant fever was sweeping the country. The Miss World-Kenya contest had been revived as well as was enjoying a resurgence inwards popularity; a let on of entrepreneurs had emerged to start or franchise other pageant titles – Miss India, Miss Malaika, Miss Universe… as well as amid them was Alice Kamunge, possessor of Vera Beauty College, who took on the Miss Tourism franchise.

With naught else to do, a burning  ambition to participate inwards only i modelling lawsuit as well as no FOA inwards the picture, Ajuma entered … as well as won the Miss Nairobi championship which, on the scale of things, was neither hither nor there.

Turkana tribe daughter as well as international supermodel Nancy Ajuma Nasenyana

But at that topographic point was i somebody watching her functioning – model scout Lyndsey Mclntyre – who was impressed as well as signed her on to her agency, Surazuri Models. Later, Ajuma would run into Jan Malan, the South African human responsible for birthing the FOA concept. “When he saw me he said, ‘I wishing you lot had entered the FOA competition!’” Ajuma remembers. “He was like, ‘You would receive got won!’”

In whatever case, Lyndsey was scouting for models for the newly-launched Ford Supermodel Search, as well as idea Ajuma was only the ticket.

Ajuma Nasenyana, Turkana native

Ajuma entered, giving her an chance to participate inwards the Ford Supermodel Search finals the side past times side year. Her chances of winning a modelling contract were very, real high, but to do that, she had to displace to Europe to create her portfolio.

So at that topographic point she was, with 2 options – one, to accept upward the sports scholarship inwards the US, as well as the other to accept upward modelling inwards Europe. Ajuma followed her ticker – literally.

When she was 15, Ajuma had travelled to Republic of Uganda on vacation where she met the beloved of her life, Gustav, a Swedish student. He was iii years older than her, as well as the chemical scientific discipline betwixt them was evident. Their friendship developed into a romance, as well as inwards 2003 after the shooting incident, he proposed. “He decided plenty was enough, as well as that life was also brusk to hold back whatever longer, so he proposed,” she says. And inwards 2003, when Ajuma met her fork inwards the road, she took the i that would receive got her closer to her fiance who lived inwards Sweden at the time. In 2004, Ajuma packed her bags as well as headed off to Paris.

Her rising as well as rising since has been phenomenal. She has modelled for Elle as well as Dazed as well as Confused magazines, as well as designers such every bit Issey Miyake, Baby Phat as well as lingerie companionship Victoria’s Secret. She is currently Vivienne Westwood’s muse. She has modelled roughly the world, as well as lists Madrid, Barcelona, Paris as well as Miami every bit her favourite places to function as well as visit.

But it does acquire lonely on the road, she says. “Sometimes you lot are there  inwards this actually beautiful place, with no one  but you lot as well as the (photography, pilus as well as make-up) crew. And you lot wishing you lot were  at that topographic point with someone special to part it  with,” she reflects.

That “someone special” is Gustav who is directly a figurer technician with his ain firm, as well as is currently on paternity leave, taking tending of their 10-month-old babe Elliot. He has stood past times Ajuma all this time. “We go through our ups as well as downs,” Ajuma says of their relationship. “But that’s how you lot larn as well as grow together, as well as strengthen your relationship.” She says he is extremely supportive of her career.

Turkana tribe girl, Ajuma Nasenyana

“I roughshod inwards beloved with the fact that he is form to everybody. That is so attractive. And he is a practiced father. He changes diapers as well as everything. When he walks into the room Elliot starts panting similar a puppy because he is so happy to view Gustav. And Elliot has a lot of unloose energy as well as loves to play. He tin vesture you lot out. but Gustav tin maintain upward with him.”

The enquiry that should live on your hear correct almost now, is how he copes with beingness with i of the world’s most beautiful women. “It was hard at first,” Ajuma says. “He came with me for my outset shoot, as well as I was wearing a bikini. He got kicked out,” she laughs. Unable to acquit anyone touching her piece she was wearing such skimpy clothes, Gustav threw a strop. “He was there, adjusting my clothes … the crew couldn’t accept it whatever more. But it was because he didn’t desire anyone to exploit me because I was withal innocent as well as young.”

Gustav withal has problems adjusting to some of her work. “Even now, when I present him some pictures, he says, ‘Ajuma that’s non you. You are non similar that inwards existent life.’ This is when I accept pictures where, for example, I am smoking. But he understands that modelling is similar acting. When I lay on the clothes as well as I stand upward inwards front end of the camera, I am playing a role.”

Ajuma’s pregnancy came at only the correct time. “I was feeling broody,” she says. “Every fourth dimension I talked to my friends inwards Kenya, I would hear how so-and-so is pregnant or has only given birth.” Among her unopen friends is Daisy Kiplagat who she went to schoolhouse with, as well as who married instrumentalist Prezzo as well as gave nativity to their kid in conclusion year. Now, the exclusively draw of the nativity that took identify inwards Sweden is a teeny tiny belly that is snapping into shape remarkably fast. Is this courtesy of some special undercover celebrity fitness regime? “I don’t function out,” says Ajuma. “I think I am lucky that my metabolism is withal high from all my years of playing sports as well as running.”

For Elliot, Ajuma is looking at making large changes to her life. “I desire to displace dorsum to Kenya,” says the New York-based model. “Here, the atmospheric condition is good, as well as nosotros tin live unopen to my family. I desire him to know his grandmother, as well as to larn Swahili as well as Turkana. I tin acquire a prissy theater with a garden for him to play with, which is also expensive to do inwards New York.”

But crucially, Ajuma is directly at the phase where her function is so well-known on the fashion circuit that she doesn’t demand to attend auditions whatever more. “My agency inwards New York says that I tin alive wherever I desire to now. When a designer calls me upward specifically for a job, I tin wing at that topographic point as well as wing back,” she says, referencing a fourth dimension inwards Dec when she flew from her vacation inwards Nairobi to New York for a day’s shoot. “I spent to a greater extent than fourth dimension on the airplane flight to as well as from (the shoot) than I did at the job,” she laughs.

She makes surely to see Lodwar at to the lowest degree i time a year. “When I am at that topographic point I am only a regular Turkana girl. When I went at that topographic point with Elliot in conclusion twelvemonth I was pampered! I similar Lodwar because it is so quiet. I tin relax as well as only live free.”

In contrast, life inwards New York is much to a greater extent than hectic, what with the numerous jobs that she has to attend to.

“Sometimes you lot receive got so many shows that you lot don’t fifty-fifty receive got fourth dimension to create clean your bird because you lot are going from catwalk to location shoot. The exclusively fourth dimension you lot pass fourth dimension inwards your theater is when you lot are packing.” But at that topographic point are perks -such every bit the celebrity parties she gets to attend as well as the gratis swag from top notch designers.

“If you lot vesture something on the catwalk as well as you lot actually similar it, you lot tin inquire the designer as well as they volition give it to you. Sometimes the clothes you lot vesture were made specifically for your body, so no i else tin actually vesture them. After the present they only ship the clothes to your agency.”

Ajuma is also i of those celebrities who tin walk into whatever upmarket eating theater inwards New York as well as acquire a gratis meal. But she is non enamoured of the celebrity lifestyle at all. “It’s only marketing for the restaurants as well as celebrities who invite us to their parties. They acquire to state that so-and-so was there. At the destination of the day, it’s similar a task – except I am non getting paid for it,” she says.

Among the people who are proud of her achievements are her mother, who keeps every re-create of every journal that she has been in. And, surprisingly, Paul Ereng’. “He called me inwards New York during the 2004 Olympics,” she remembers. Isabella Ochichi had only won a silvery medal inwards the 1500m race, as well as erstwhile team-mate Kemboi had bagged a gilded inwards his 3000m steeplechase event. “He was so proud,” she says. “He kept saying, ‘Ajuma that should receive got been you! You
would receive got won if you lot were here!’ And as well as so he called me dorsum a few minutes subsequently as well as said. ‘But you’re withal doing practiced every bit a model’.”

Turkana tribe daughter as well as international supermodel Ajamu Nasenyana

All inwards all, Ajuma has non forgotten her roots. One of the things she is contemplating doing is studying medicine or taking upward the HIV/ Aids crusade to back upward women inwards Turkana who, she says, withal endure from a lack of instruction as well as independence, as well as are at the mercy of their husbands. And she would beloved to play patch hockey i time again.

She would also similar to start an all-natural line of cosmetics for women of ethnic origin. “I view all these products with all of this bleach, as well as it damages people’s skin,” she says. “I desire to do a line of products with only natural ingredients.” This, coming from a daughter who was i time made fun of because of her nighttime colour.

But for now, Ajuma is content to lay her large plans on grip as well as bask what is undoubtedly a blessed life with her fiance as well as her son.

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A immature Turkana daughter adorned with necklaces of a style the Southern Turkana prefer to wear.

When a Turkana adult woman gives birth, 4 goats volition live slaughtered inwards a twenty-four-hour menstruum to celebrate the occasion.

A jovial grouping of Turkana girls inwards traditional attire.

A Turkana human takes a nap using his wooden stool every bit a headres

t to protect his elaborate hairstyle. Turkana District, Kenya

When a Turkana adult woman gives birth, 4 goats volition live slaughtered inwards a twenty-four-hour menstruum to celebrate the occasion.

Turkana girls

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