Culture Value

Culture guides continuity of traditions of a people from generations to generations and benefits them with social and economic values. I come from an Eastern Nilotic language family whose origin is said to be the Jie plateau – a place in southern Sudan.

Turkana is a nomadic pastoralist community moving from place to another in search of fresh pastures and water for their livestock. They occupy the north western part of Kenya in an unfriendly environment marred with cattle rustling and drought. The movement done four times a year is one of the unique practice to be observed by all generations. A believe in one God, called AKUJ in native language whom they believe as the creator of heaven and earth is a second practice.  Akuj is associated with the sky which is where it lives.

They believe to work through a collective of diviners (witchdoctors) called Ngimurok, who are addressed by ancestors.  These are men only selected from a particular family. The Ngimurok contact God through ancestors and only during – after or before some important rituals like; Asapan (an initiation) becoming a man, marriage when a woman goes to her home and drought or wars among many. All these have to be performed by a special chosen members from same diviners like those specialized in intestines interpreters who can translate and de-cord a message from animal carcasses intestines. These group in turn, take the message to the witchdoctors who will find the appropriate action to remedy the calamity.