Rendille people

The Rendille are an ethnic group in northern Kenya, south-east of Lake Turkana in the Kaisut Desert, as belonging to more than 60,000 people. They are related to the Somali, allied with the neighboring Samburu and culturally influenced also by the Borana.

History

Until about 1500, the forerunner of today's Rendille Gabbra, Garre and Sakuye formed a common, linguistically and culturally related group, which is called "Proto - Rendille - Somali " or " somaloid ". From the 16th century the Proto - Rendille - Somali were in the area between the rivers Juba and Tana by the expansion of the Borana Oromo displaced in part, separately or assimilated to the Oromo. Here, the Rendille to have the earliest separated from the other proto- Somali - Rendille and have remained in their ancestral territory; the Gabbra also stayed behind and the Borana joined in, while other proto- Rendille - Somali groups moved away to avoid the Borana. The Rendille took over certain cultural elements of the Borana, but remained politically independent from them and were able to maintain relatively intact as the southernmost somaloiden groups their language and culture.

The Sakuye emerged from Rendille and other proto- Rendille - Somali, who allied themselves together with the Borana. Emigrants from the Rendille also joined the Gabbra and Borana.

Neighboring Muslim ethnic groups such as the Somali and Rendille, who converted to Islam, took the view that the Rendille of Somali brothers descended, which were separated from the other Somali, Samburu women married and were forced by the Samburu to abandon Islam.

Current situation

The Rendille are divided into different groups / clans. As actual Rendille the northern or " white Rendille ," being traditionally nomads with camels and goats and sheep next to apply. They are divided into nine clans and next to the clan of Odoola, who holds a special position and probably later joined the band to them.

The southern Rendille or Ariaal are generally counted among the Rendille, but to talk about today besides belonging to the Cushitic languages ​​, related to the Somali Rendille language well or better the Maa, the Nilotic language of the south adjacent Samburu, from which they also culturally strong are affected. Besides camels and sheep, the Ariaal also keep cattle, which are the most important livestock in Samburu. They are divided into five clans with Samburu names, four of which also occur in the Samburu; the name of the fifth, Ilturia means to Samburu " mixture ". Wearing lush jewelry from colorful beads and the painting of the body with red ocher for decoration are common in all Rendille.

Due to drought and cattle thefts, much of the Rendille, meanwhile, settled down and become dependent on food aid in part.