|
Tribe Snapshots Pokot |
| Location: |
West central Kenya;
also northern and southwestern Kenya |
| Population: |
220,000 |
| Language: |
Pokot (Nilo-Hamitic) |
| Neighboring
Peoples: |
Maasai,
Turkana |
| Types
of Art: |
Most Pokot art is associated with body ornamentation,
including beadwork and intricate coiffures and
wigs that are worn by young men to signal their
membership in a given age-grade. Other forms of
art include richly patinated gourds and containers
used by women for storage. |
| History: |
Pokot history is difficult to sketch. Linguistically,
they seem to be related to numerous peoples who
live in the region with ties to both the Nilo-Hamitic
peoples who come from the north and to Bantu peoples
who come from central Africa. For purposes of
the Kenyan census Pokot are placed in the Kalenjin
group, which consists of many diverse groups of
people who share Nilo-Hamitic ancestry and history.
There are two main subgroups among Pokot. The
nomadic way of life that most Pokot live has allowed
them to come into contact with numerous different
peoples throughout history. This interaction has
allowed them to incorporate social customs that
in some circumstances included marriage with other
communities. Many specific Pokot customs seemed
to be borrowed from their Turkana and Karamojong
neighbors. |
| Economy: |
About one quarter of Pokot peoples are cultivators
("corn people"), while the remaining are pastoralists
("cow people"). Among both groups, however, wealth
is measured by the number of cows one owns. Cows
are used for barter, exchange, and most significantly
as a form of bride wealth. A man is permitted
to marry more than one woman, as long as he has
sufficient number of cows to offer to her family
in exchange. This is the primary way for wealth
and resources to change hands in Pokot society.
Cows are rarely slaughtered for meat because they
are much more valuable alive. They provide milk,
butter, and cheese, which provide an important
component of Pokot dietary needs. |
| Political
Systems: |
Pokot society is governed through a series of
age-grades. Group membership is determined by
the age at which one undergoes initiation. For
young men this occurs between ages fifteen and
twenty, while for young women it usually occurs
around age twelve at the onset of menarche. After
initiation, young people are allowed to marry
and are permitted to begin participating in local
economic activities. Young men and women form
close bonds with other members of their initiation
groups, and these bonds serve for future political
ties. When a man or woman reaches old age among
Pokot, he or she is accorded a certain degree
of status and respect. Responsibilities of elders
include presiding over important community decisions,
festivals, and religious ceremonies. |
| Religion: |
Tororot is considered the supreme deity among
Pokot. Prayers and offerings are made to him during
communal gatherings, including feasts and dances.
Such ceremonies are usually presided over by a
community elder. Diviners and medicine men also
play a significant role in maintaining spiritual
balance within the community. Pokot believe in
sorcery and use various forms of protection to
escape the ill will of sorcerers. Pokot also revere
a series of other deities, including sun and moon
deities and a spirit who is believed to be connected
with death. Dances and feasts are held to thank
the god for the generosity and abundance, which
he bestows upon Pokot communities. |
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