| Mijikenda Kaya Forests* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| State Party |  Kenya |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, v, vi |
| Reference | 1231 |
| Region** | Africa |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. |
|
The Mijikenda ("the nine cities") are the nine ethnic groups along the coast of Kenya from the border of Somalia in the north to the border of Tanzania in the south. Historically, these ethnic groups have been called the Nyika or Nika by outsiders. It is a derogatory term meaning "bush people". Of the nine ethnic groups it is the Digo who are found also in Tanzania due to their proximity to the common border. They all have a sacred forest called the Kaya a place of prayer conducted by selected elders of the specific ethnic. The forest is a World Heritage Site.[1]
The Mijikenda include the Digo, Chonyi, Kambe, Duruma, Kauma, Ribe, Rabai, Jibana, and Giriama. Each have unique customs and language, although the languages are similar to each other and to Swahili.
References
Mijikenda on World Culture Encyclopedia
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