User:Esther Neema

Kambe is part of the large Mijikenda group situated at the Kenyan coast. MijiKenda people are Bantus whose main origin according to Kenya history of migration is Cameroon and Tanzania a place known as Shungwaya.

The Kambe are not many as such, the group comprises of about thirteen thousand people, boareded by Ribes, Jibanas, Rabais and Giriamas. Over the years their main economic activity is subsistence farming and trading. They speak the Kambe language, and just like all the other MijiKenda groups, they too have their own ''Kaya' Known as Kaya Kambe. Here is where the elders pray and gather for meetings. A place stricltly for religious purposes. according to history though, the Mijikenda used to live within the Kayas to protect themselves from Oromos who were said to consatly raid them. It is also said that they would hide in the Kayas during the time when slavery was preverlent, and they would not easily be found during hunts.

The Kaya is now a preserve of the Kenyan museams as a historical heritage and preservation of many indeginous trees. These trees have been preserved for many years due to the many taboos and stories of strange occurences in the Kaya. Women are not to enter the Kaya, and those who are permitted eneter cannot enter with shoes. Over years, these horror stories of occurences have been passed on. Basically the Kaya is associated with spirituality.

In the past the Kambe people were ruled by a council of elders, they determined so much and instilled values amongst people that are still held until today. The Views of elders are taken seriously as they are accorded with respect. However, their strong postions have been taken over by chiefs and modern systems of governement whom have more influence than council of elders.

The believe in whitchcraft is also common on this end, just like the other mijikenda Communities. The witches are said to casue hram to the local, casuing early deaths and diseases, causing misfortunes. The coming in of religion at the Kenya coast has not managed to reduced the fear of witchcraft to some extend, witch craft still instills fears among many.

Majority of Kambe people are christians, though the Coast province is heavily influenced by Islam. This because early missionaries came and settled at the kenyan coast in the early 19th century. The first church was started in Rabai and Ribe. Here was the first church in the whole of Kenya. Afterwhich churches spread to the rest of Kenya. Many of this historical evidence is still available at the Rabai church which is also a museam and a custodian of the history of slave trade at the Kenyan Coast.

The Kambe language is very much like the Swahili language with numerous words identifiable. They still preserve alot of their cultures, though they are affected by modernization as much as other rural homes in Kenya. Their weddings, funeral, beliefs still maintain the richness of traditions that once were.