Kenya

Luhya Tribe

The Luhya tribe of Kenya represents about 14% of Kenya's population, or around 5.3 million people. They are the second largest distinct ethnic group after the Kikuyu tribe. Though not as large as the Kikuyu tribe, the Luhya tribe is much more wide-spread and diverse. There are around 16 to 18 sub-groups to the tribe, many of which speak their own dialect of the Luhya language. Some of the dialects are so different from one another that they are considered by some linguists to be separate languages altogether. The traditional territory of the Luhya is in western Kenya, positioned between Lake Victoria, the Nandi Escarpment and the border of present day Uganda. The Luhya people likely migrated into the Kenyan area from the north, from probably what is now Egypt. Agriculture was the main means of support for the Luhya tribe, with different groups specializing in different crops depending on their regions. The traditional family unit in the Luhya tribe is polygamous, though the practice of taking multiple wives isn't followed in the cities today. Among the women, the first wife was in control. Villages were made up of 10 to 15 families living together, usually connected by relation and part of the same clan. The villages were led by a headman, or shaman.

The traditional god of the Luhya was called "Were", who was worshipped along with the spirits of dead ancestors. Most Luhya have converted to Christianity. Even as Christians, many old beliefs still persist, such as the fear of witches and spirits.