El Molo Tribe Cultural Tour Experience, Northern Kenya Wildlife Safaris
Things To Tour In El Molo People Community: Travel to the North of Kenya and embark on a cultural tour with us, and get a rare opportunity to delve into the history, traditions, and captivating cultural practices of the El Molo tribe in northern Kenya. Lake Turkana area in northern Kenya is a must-tour destination when touring Kenya. Aside from the Maasai, Samburu, Rendille, and Pokot tribes, the El Molo people also call the Lake Turkana shores home.
On this tour, you will be able to understand the El Molo an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the northern Eastern Province of Kenya. The El Molo tribe is the smallest ethnic group in Kenya, numbering about 300 people. the El Molo are originally settled in the north of Lake Turkana but were forced by the other tribes to move south to the small islands. They are concentrated in Marsabit District on the southeast shore of Lake Turkana, between El Molo Bay and Mount Kulal. In the past, they also dwelled in other parts of the Northern Frontier District.
The El Molo people are always referred to as "the people who eat fish" by the livestock-rearing tribes of northern Kenya, and there are a few El Molo today who speak a word of their mother tongue, and ancient customs have evolved or vanished entirely through generations of intermarriage with neighboring ethnic groups. The lake's unexpected rise fragmented the remaining El Molo still following the old ways of life.
The El Molo are believed to have originally migrated down into the Turkana Basin around 1000 BC from Ethiopia in the more northerly Horn region. Owing to the arid environment in which they entered, they are held to have abandoned agricultural activities in favor of lakeside fishing.
Historically, the El Molo erected tomb structures in which they placed their dead. A 1962 archaeological survey in the Northern Frontier District observed hieroglyphics on a number of these constructions. The El Molo were mainly found near springs or wells of water.
The El Molo got their name from their then-new Maasai neighbors. El Molo, meaning ‘the people who feed on things other than cattle’ helped distinctively separate the new community from the already existing group.
Language of El Molo Tribe
The El Molo belong to the Cushitic linguistic group and are today nearly extinct. The El Molo historically spoke the El Molo language, which is regarded as endangered by UNESCO.
According to research, the El Molo language is nearly extinct and there may already be no remaining speakers of the idiom. Most group members have now adopted the Nilo-Saharan languages of their neighbors. The El Molo language has no known dialects. It is most similar to Daasanach
Religion of El Molo Tribe
Many El Molo practice a traditional religion centered on the worship of Waaq/Wakh. In the related Oromo culture, Waaq denotes the single God of the early pre-Abrahamic, monotheistic faith believed to have been adhered to by Cushitic groups. Some El Molo have also adopted Christianity.
What Are El Molo Tribe Lives Like?
Fishing is the core of El Molo's livelihood. They use rafts made of palm logs to sail on the lake, and they catch fish with spears, nets, and harpoons. El Molo people also hunt hippopotami, crocodiles, and turtles to use their skin for bags, bones for objects, and food. Unlike their neighbors, El Molo people are not pastoralists and rarely eat meat. They are known as the most skillful fishermen among the mostly semi-nomadic pastoral tribes around Lake Turkana.
El Molo men are known for making iron objects, fishing boats, and woodwork. The women make beautiful baskets, pots, and jewelry.
It is noteworthy that the Kenyan government protects the El Molo people. Their decreasing population is possibly due to inbreeding, and a single diet of fish. El Molo is perhaps Africa`s smallest ethnic group.
Settlement of El Molo Tribe
The El Molo live in the southeastern shores of Lake Turkana where they built their homes from palm leaves and wood from the scattered acacia trees. Currently, far less than 300 individuals can be considered pure El Molo. The rest might practice within the community’s way of life, but carry blood from other ethnic groups.
Economic Activities El Molo Tribe
The El Molo group was a close-knit community with specific rules of living. Among them included feeding self and family first before engaging in other activities. Therefore, the El molo usually engage in fishing and occasional hunting to bring food back home. They mainly eat freely available foods such as fish from Lake Turkana, and crocodile, turtle, and hippo meat. Up until the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) placed bans on the last 3, the El molo did not have to work for food or shelter. They, therefore, had no economic activities. However, due to the recent widespread death and destruction of the people, a few individuals fish and sell their catch for monetary profits.
Community and Traditions of El Molo Tribe
The El Molo has a strong set of ethics. Pre-marital sex for one is a taboo that can lead to the banishment of individuals. Historically, women were also not allowed to marry from outside the tribe. If they did, they were automatically considered no longer part of the community. All families practiced monogamy. They also practice circumcision for their adolescent males and celebrate marriage with song, dance, and body art.
Recent times have seen the El molo pick up practices from their Maasai and Samburu neighbors. These include mode of dressing, beadwork, body painting, and even language. It is believed that presently, there are a handful of El Molo people who can’t speak the language purely. Most speak a lingua franca of it or just plain Samburu.
Reasons for the extinction of El Molo Tribe
The El Molo are believed to be declining in number thanks to a few factors including poverty, disease, climatic conditions, etc.
As earlier mentioned, El Molo does not believe in monetary value. They, therefore, live in the most basic of ways. With no source of clean or freshwater, a protein-based diet, and high levels of illiteracy, the El Molo are vulnerable to disease and attacks from neighbors.
The remaining few individuals also believe in marrying and reproducing among themselves. This means that a lot of recessive genes are preserved and passed on.
If you happen to visit Lake Turkana take time and visit an El Molo village. The group is known to be friendly and welcoming.
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