Kenya Ameru Tribe :: essays papers

Kenya Ameru TribeKenya is a country that has nine provinces. It lies on theequator on the slopes of Mount Kenya and the Nyamben Mountain Range. Itcovers an land of 3,850 square miles. The climate of Kenya is one of shortrains between March and May, with a long rainy season between October andDecember. Temperatures range from 68 degrees in the high altitudesaround Mt. Kenya, to 90 degrees in the arid Semiaro lands. The people of Kenya hold a proud tradition of farming. Ninetypercent of the people are farmers. The population is bouffant and spread outcovering both the dry, arid lands as well as the fertile areas. Cropsgrown fit the type of area of land in which they are cultivated. Livestock and beekeeping are other methods of farming popular in easternAfrica. Wheat is grown in the upper and lower Highlands. Pyrethrum,potatoes, maize, beans and tea leaf are other crops that grow in the area. Farmers grow substance crops to feed their family as well as to sell forcash. The livestock are kept for dairy products used in the home. Maize,fodder beets, and napiergrass are grown to feed livestock. In 1880 changes were brought to Kenya from British Columbia. In1963, Kenya won its independence. Their independence brought about achange in the economy. Prior to the separation, Kenya was forced to giveprofits to Britain. Independence provided changes in the relationshipbetween the people and their land. The introduction of cash crops changedthe Meru farming systems. The Ameru people could not fetch enough ofthe cash crops and still have enough left to support their families. Forthe first time, they were forced to pay taxes. To prevent the exhaustionof the land, the people developed cutting methods of farming. By rotating thecrops, larger profits could be made. The people of the Kenya/Ameru tribe came from the area around theNiger River in West Africa. They traveled through the Congo Basin up toKantanga, where they moved toward the eastern part of Ken ya. The Ameruarrived at Mt. Kenya as a single group. Originally they settled aroundMt. Kenya. When the people began to migrate into eastern Kenya, theKoomenjave or unearthly Leader divided the Ameru into three groups. TheKoomenjave was responsible for keeping law and order. He was in politicalcontrol of all of the groups within the Ameru Tribe.