Okiek people

"Akiek people" redirects here. For other uses, see Akiek.

The Okiek (Okiek: [oɡiɛk]), sometimes called the Ogiek or Akiek, are a Southern Nilotic ethnic group native to Tanzania^{[citation needed]} and Southern Kenya (in the Mau Forest), and Western Kenya (in the Mount Elgon Forest). In 2019 the ethnic Okiek population was 52,596,^[1] although the number of those speaking the Akiek language was as low as 500.^{[2][dubious – discuss]}

Okiek people

Ogiek
An Ogiek man from Kenya
Total population
52,596[1] (2019, census)
Languages
Ogiek and Swahili
Related ethnic groups
Kalenjin peoples Especially Akie

History

In 1903, C.W.Hobley recorded eleven Okiek communities, a hunter-gatherer society, living in western Kenya. He noted that a number of entire sections were bi-lingual, speaking either Maasai, Kipsigis or Nandi in addition to their own languages.^[3]

Hunter-gatherer communities also lived on the eastern highlands of Kenya where they were known in local traditions by the names "Gumba" and "Athi".^[4]

Beekeeping and honey culture

The Ogiek people are noted for their traditional beekeeping practices, which have been central to their livelihood, culture, and ecological knowledge for centuries. Living in and around the Mau Forest in Kenya, the Ogiek have developed detailed knowledge of forest ecology, particularly in relation to wild bees and honey harvesting.^[5] Ogiek honey is valued for its purity, medicinal properties, and unique taste, which is influenced by the forest's biodiversity.Traditionally, the Ogiek place beehives high in the forest canopy using techniques designed to avoid disturbing the natural environment. These hives are often crafted from hollowed logs or bark and positioned in specific trees known to attract bees.

Beyond its nutritional value, honey plays a vital role in Ogiek cultural and spiritual life. It is used in rituals, as a healing substance, and as a gift during social gatherings and ceremonies. Honey harvesting is typically carried out by men, often requiring skilled climbing and knowledge of bee behavior and forest flora.

Beekeeping has also become a focal point around land rights and environmental conservation. The Ogiek seek recognition of their ancestral land claims, their honey production is cited as evidence of long-standing, sustainable interaction with the Mau Forest. Conservationists and human rights advocates have increasingly acknowledged the role of Ogiek beekeeping in preserving biodiversity and Indigenous ecological knowledge.^[6]

Language

Many Ogiek speakers have shifted to the languages of surrounding peoples: the Akiek in northern Tanzania now speak Maasai and the Akiek of Kinare, Kenya now speak Gikuyu.^{[citation needed]} The Ogiek are one of various groups of hunter-gatherers in Kenya and Tanzania to which the term Dorobo or Ndorobo (a term of Maasai origin now considered derogatory) has been applied.

Land disputes

The Ogiek have made numerous claims against the government of Kenya alleging unfair treatment, especially that they have been illegally dispossessed of their land.^[7] Timsales Ltd is active in deforestation in its area for long.^[8] It is partly owned by relatives of former presidents Kenyatta and Moi.^[8]

On June 23, 2022, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights ruled that the Kenyan government must pay the Okiek 157,850,000 shillings for decades of material and moral damages, recognize their indigeneity and help get them official titles to their ancestral lands.^{[9] [10][11]}