Culture & Tourism

Tourism can be used to preserve culture in terms of the places and people due the diversity of their differences. In Kenya, there is the famous Mombasa coast that all in Kenya love to visit; It holds beautiful beaches and various places such as the Fort Jesus. However, there are many other areas that hold even much more cultural heritage in Kenya. An example is Lamu, though fast growing to be a tourist destination, it is likely that foreigners know more about that island that locals. It is a beautiful place and holds a lot of our heritage especially in the period of the Portuguese and the Arab invasion and consequently ruling of the coast.

Another place not frequented is the Central Highlands. This holds breath-taking places that tell us more about our forefathers. Such as Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare ranges a source of water for many homes in the environs. It tells us a lot how our forefathers used to live and we can borrow a lot of this knowledge and put into our daily use. It is such knowledge and ways of living that distinguishes us from other culture and the uniqueness is the core of tourism, the reason why many travel to see new places and peoples. Otherwise, if we were all the same there would be no need to travel and tour other places.

Mount Kenya, formerly Mt. Kirinyaga named so by the Kikuyu tribe was known as the place of God, they believed that was where God resided and would make prayers towards the mountain. It was a revered place and not many treaded near not wanting to corrode it. However, now it is tourist attraction and many travel far and wide to come and climb the mountain and also enjoy the surrounding environment.

It is not only places that preserve our culture but also people. An example is the Maasai who are rich in their culture. Culture is dynamic and the Maasai are not exceptional to that rule. The shuka-clad (a red cloth that the Maasai wrap around themselves) Maasai man is at home with a Coke as the urbanised man from Central...