Cultural Perceptions Of Elephants By The Samburu People In Northern Kenya (2001)

The Samburu people of northern Kenya have co-existed with elephants since time immemorial. The Samburu-elephant co-existence is facilitated by local knowledge gained through real experiences from direct interactions with, and actual observation of the elephant’s natural behaviour. The experiences are interpreted and coded through existing traditional belief systems and permeated to the community and descending generations through the vibrant oral system in the society. The knowledge is an integral part of the co-existence. The Samburu perceive elephants in terms of individuals and individual groups rather than a population. Individual elephants have meaningful and significant characters. The Samburu perception is different from that of other organizations, past and present, interested in the elephants inhabiting Samburu District.