The Rendille Tribe is a community which primarily herds camels and sheep. They occupy the region in Northern Kenya south of the Chalbi Desert. They number about 64,000 in Kenya. In this dry climate and harsh environment, life expectancy is only 40 years.
There are nine primary clans within the Rendille tribe, each having several family sub-divisions. When there is an issue to be addressed, the leaders of each clan come together to form a committee. However, there is no official leader over the entire tribe itself.
The language of the Rendille is similar to the Somali language. This suggests that they were related with the Somali culture prior to migrating to the Lake Turkana region in 1000 BC. Today in Kenya, the tribe members primarily speak …show more content…
For example, they strongly resisted conversion to the Muslim religion, despite several other tribes who willingly joined.
In the traditional religion of the Rendille, the Supreme Being is called “Wakh”. They have no auxiliary gods, and share a clearly monotheistic conception of religion. This suggests that this tribe may have evolved, through Cushite roots, from the Jewish religion. This is particularly the case of the Rendille ritual celebration called “Sorio”, in which a sheep is slaughtered, and its blood is used to smear the forehead and chests of the males in the home, as well as the doorways and entry. This appears to relate to the ritual and account of the Jewish Passover.
Also, on the occasion of the new moon, the oldest son blows a horn, and the family smears red ochre paint on their faces. This appears to correlate in some respects with the “Birkat HaLevana” invocation or “Blessing of the New Moon” in Photo # 4 Jewish practice. This recognizes God’s presence as the Shekinah, manifest at the time of the new moon. The horn may the equivalent of the Jewish …show more content…
The man must provide a bride price called a “gunu”. The typical bride price is eight camels. Lineage in the family is determined through the father’s side of the family. The Rendille marriage celebration is an event that is celebrated over a number of days. On the first day of the marriage, the woman is circumcised. While circumcision is a practice in other African tribes, it is almost never part of the marriage ceremony itself. Ordinarily it has been performed at a much earlier age. This circumcision involves both the removal of the clitoris and external labia. This is currently defined by the United Nations as FGM, or female genital mutilation, and is currently a matter of controversy.
In Kenya, where the Rendille live, the government discourages the practice of female circumcision. It can lead to serious infection, contamination by the knives or razors used for the procedure, or extreme blood loss resulting in death. Current laws in Kenya states that if circumcision causes the death of a girl, the legal penalty for those involved is imprisonment for
There are nine primary clans within the Rendille tribe, each having several family sub-divisions. When there is an issue to be addressed, the leaders of each clan come together to form a committee. However, there is no official leader over the entire tribe itself.
The language of the Rendille is similar to the Somali language. This suggests that they were related with the Somali culture prior to migrating to the Lake Turkana region in 1000 BC. Today in Kenya, the tribe members primarily speak …show more content…
For example, they strongly resisted conversion to the Muslim religion, despite several other tribes who willingly joined.
In the traditional religion of the Rendille, the Supreme Being is called “Wakh”. They have no auxiliary gods, and share a clearly monotheistic conception of religion. This suggests that this tribe may have evolved, through Cushite roots, from the Jewish religion. This is particularly the case of the Rendille ritual celebration called “Sorio”, in which a sheep is slaughtered, and its blood is used to smear the forehead and chests of the males in the home, as well as the doorways and entry. This appears to relate to the ritual and account of the Jewish Passover.
Also, on the occasion of the new moon, the oldest son blows a horn, and the family smears red ochre paint on their faces. This appears to correlate in some respects with the “Birkat HaLevana” invocation or “Blessing of the New Moon” in Photo # 4 Jewish practice. This recognizes God’s presence as the Shekinah, manifest at the time of the new moon. The horn may the equivalent of the Jewish …show more content…
The man must provide a bride price called a “gunu”. The typical bride price is eight camels. Lineage in the family is determined through the father’s side of the family. The Rendille marriage celebration is an event that is celebrated over a number of days. On the first day of the marriage, the woman is circumcised. While circumcision is a practice in other African tribes, it is almost never part of the marriage ceremony itself. Ordinarily it has been performed at a much earlier age. This circumcision involves both the removal of the clitoris and external labia. This is currently defined by the United Nations as FGM, or female genital mutilation, and is currently a matter of controversy.
In Kenya, where the Rendille live, the government discourages the practice of female circumcision. It can lead to serious infection, contamination by the knives or razors used for the procedure, or extreme blood loss resulting in death. Current laws in Kenya states that if circumcision causes the death of a girl, the legal penalty for those involved is imprisonment for