Whites in Kenya – White Men and Women in Kenya
Though small in number, the white community in Kenya is important because of the effect it has had on the country’s development and culture.
Whites in Kenya
Referred to by Kenyans as Muzungu (singular) or Wazungu (plural), a Swahili word that roughly translates as “European” but can also mean “something strange and startling,” the whites in Kenyaare largely synonymous with the British settlers, who began arriving in Kenya after it was declared a British protectorate in 1895.
An eclectic mix of landless aristocrats, big – game hunters, and ex-servicemen, they rapidly acquired much of Kenya’s best farming land. They also achieved notoriety thanks to the riotous lifestyle of a very small group of wealthy sybarites who settled in the “Happy Valley” area of central Kenya, and inspired the book (and later film) White Mischief Unlike the previous migrants, most of whom had intermingled with the local population, the British came with the intention of introducing Cultural change, rather than participating in cultural exchange.
White Men and Women in Kenya
Resourceful and industrious, they had a profound effect on the indigenous Kenyan culture. British dress, language, architecture, farming, manners, religion, and leisure pursuits were imposed, whether the Kenyan people liked it or not. Today the dwindling Muzungu community is a blend of third-generation “white Kenyans,” temporary business folk, and members of international aid organizations, many of whom are actively engaged in preserving or celebrating Kenya’s traditional cultural heritage.
Approximately half of Kenya’s white population lives in Nairobi, many of them in the select suburb of Karen, named after Karen Blixen, author of the famous novel (and later film) Out of Africa.