Kenyan Tribes & Maasai Portrait Painting

Kenya has over 42 different tribes all with their own unique cultures. The tribes fall under three main ethnic groups Bantu, Nilotes, and Cushites. Some of the tribes have rejected nearly all western lifestyle and are nomadic or semi-nomadic.

The Maasai are semi-nomadic and are part of the Nilotic ethnic group in Kenya and Tanzania. They are one of the most well-known tribes in Kenya due to their proximity to the game parks and safaris. They have rejected nearly all western culture to this day, continuing their unique customs and traditions. Often you will see photos of people in the tribe jumping. This is called “Adamu” and showcases their strength and when performed during a ceremony it symbolized the graduation from a boy to a warrior. The color red represents a warrior or an act of bravery so it only seemed fitting to make this the dominant color of my portrait. We will dive more in depth into some of the other tribes and traditions in Kenya over the upcoming weeks. Thanks for joining!