Behind the Photo - Christmas in Kenya

Members of the Samburu tribe in Kenya, December 2017.

In 2017, my mom and I spent Christmas in Kenya. We were in Africa on Friendly Planet’s The Best of Kenya and Tanzania. Traveling over Christmas and New Year’s was a new experience since we traditionally spent the holiday with friends and family, and in a colder climate. But there are many great and unique reasons to embark on an adventure over the holiday.

We spent Christmas at the Samburu Simba Lodge, where there were other visitors from all over the world. There was great wildlife. We spotted elephants, lions, and cheetah.

The most unique part of being in Kenya on Christmas was visiting with the Samburu tribe to explore their culture and lifestyle. We were guided by an elder of the tribe who spoke English. He explained the tribe’s semi-nomadic lifestyle in northern Kenya, took us into one of their small huts, and showed us how they construct pens to confine their cattle at night.

The Samburu are known for their singing and high jumping where they propel themselves into the air, which we got to watch and paricipate in. Both men and women wear beautiful bright clothing and beaded jewelry. After our tour before we departed, a few Samburu women displayed hundreds of the beaded bracelets and necklaces they have for sale.

I chose one that had plenty of color, but what really appealed to me was that one of the “beads” was the back clasp of an earring. I loved that a simple functional part of jewelry that is normally hidden from view was repurposed and featured in a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.

Before we left, my mom who had worn a light up Christmas necklace to celebrate the holiday, gifted the necklace to the tribe elder. It made me wonder if parts of the necklace would one day be repurposed into another piece of jewelry that other visitors to the Samburu tribe would be admiring.

Want to see more about our trip to Kenya, don’t miss the virtual safari.