Reflections From The Trip
Kenyan Friendliness: Our trip to Kenya was an awesome experience, not only because of the scenery and the opportunity to observe wild animas in their natural habitats, but because of the people. The people of Kenya are so genuinely kind and friendly. From the lodge staff to the guides and from the people of the villages to the school children, we were welcomed with a big smile and JAMBO.
The
Kenyans were so unbelievably friendly to us. Everyone bonded in one way
or another with the people we met and these friendships will stay with
us forever. This trip would not have been nearly as complete, memorable,
or enjoyable without the positive impact that the delightful people of
Kenya had on the trip and on our lives. (adapted from notes by Andrea
Koch, 2001;photo of Cass and Dipa from Marc Mecoli, 2001)
Kenyan
Enthusiastic Friendliness: The people of Kenya possessed an enthusiastic
friendliness unlike I have ever experienced in America. From the schoolchildren
to the Masaai warriors, we were welcomed with open arms to the country they
so dearly loved. In turn, this attitude prompted us to adopt the same feelings
of love for Kenya, creating an empowering, life-changing experience. Even while driving, children lined the streets, often times running alongside our vehicle shouting "Jambo." In one village, a small girl waved enthusiastically and
shouted Jambo as we walked by. Perhaps the most rewarding
portion of the trip involved the painting of the pre-school and the interaction
with these children. From the moment we pulled up to the school the children
playing outside immediately started waving and shouting hellos. My only
wish was that I had known more Swahili and could have interacted with the
younger children in their native language. These children were amazed by
us and intrigued by everything we had to offer, especially pictures. They
crowded around pushing one another out of the way, laughing and waving,
in an attempt to be captured on camera. It's amazing how easily these children
can be entertained and how much enthusiasm they put towards
everything they do. I was also amazed at how much they appreciate small
gifts, like water bottles, items we too often take for granted. The attitudes
of the Kenyan people opened my eyes to my own attitude in America, making
me grateful for everything I have. I am forever indebted to the Kenyans
and will never forget their friendliness. Sara Beard, 2006
Academic
and Cultural Learning. The Biodiversity of Kenya trip was an
excellent opportunity for learning both academically and culturally. We
had the opportunity to become immersed in an area completely foreign in
every way and see how people cope in order to survive. Nowhere was this
more obvious than in the Mara. It is such a unique environment. The wildlife
which is abundant presented an opportunity to see firsthand that which I
had only previously seen in zoos and documentaries. We were able to ride
right past such animals as lions, hyenas and giraffes on our way to Masai
villages where we were greeted with big smiles and allowed a glimpse into
their lifestyle. Kenya is filled with amazing landscapes with wonderful
wildlife and very friendly people. Kenyans have very big hearts and a vast
knowledge of their own country. These are the lessons I learned in Kenya.
(Grant Sizemore, 2006; photo by Sam Bugg)
I have carried sand in a bucket on my head and have felt the
chilly mist of a cloud forest on the way up a mountain. And that doesn't
even begin to cover the trip. From savannah to bushland and Acacias to Mangroves,
from Cheetah in the Masai Mara to the red African Elephants of Tsavo, and
between talking to a Maasai warrior or a Mt. Kasigau student, evident becomes
Kenya's wealth of diversity, biological as well as cultural. The understanding
of this diversity was guided by interaction with the Kenyan tour guides,
Maasai people, researchers from centers
like the Taita Discovery Center, insight from the Kasigau graduates that
stayed with us in Taita, as well as by conversations amongst our group itself.
From the first-hand experiences, valuable lessons on the complexity of conservation
issues, the intricacies of distinguishing ecosystems, and the determination
of upholding tribal traditions are gathered to take home. Kenya opens its
arms to an eager student and rewards him/her with lasting memories. No classroom
experience is comparable to living what you're learning, and this course
offered a chance to do just that. It is a trip not to be missed. (Peyton
Williams-Young, 2006)
The
People and their Livelihoods:
The people of Kenya are as varied as their wildlife. Kenyans come from
different ethnic groups and make their living in different ways. During
our trip we had the opportunity to 'get to know' the Maasai, a pastoral
group that lives on lands surrounding the Masai Mara reserve, and the
Taita, an agricultural group that lives around the base of Mt. Kasigau.
Colorful is one way to describe the reds of the Masaai women selling crafts
near their homes and the purples, yellows, greens, and blues of the Taita
women resting from their work. (adapted from notes by Meghan Galvin, 2000).
Humbling
and Filled with Wonder. My interactions with the Maasai were both humbling
and filled with wonder. Our guides through the Masai Mara gave me
a deeper appreciation of both their culture and human-animal interactions;
something that one cannot truly understand until they are caught in that
powerful moment of complete submersion and vulnerability in this environment.
The tours through the Mara with the Maasai allowed me to see their vibrant
and proud culture, and an understanding of survival as a way of life. One
night in particular four of us were escorted by the Maasai warriors guarding
the camp to show us a pachyderm of elephants standing only 40 feet away
across the river, including one calf! This night, and that breathtaking
moment, is the first I recount of my adventurous trip to Kenya. I am still
in awe of the warriors and their lack of fear towards the lion that terrified
me at night with their roars in the darkness. Our trip to their manyatta,
or village, allowed the women in our group to sing and dance with the women
there - definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Being a natural redhead,
I was called "morani" by the chief of the village; as that is
the name given to the young Maasai who dye their hair red for special occasions.
In this picture we are singing a song that is a prayer for protection from
lion, hope for rain, the safeguard of cattle, and increased fertility for
the women of the village. One word that I would use to describe the way
I think of the Maasai is respect - for their culture, their strength, their
determination and their perseverance as a people. Heather Bell, 2006
Wildlife
Biodiversity: There is no better way to grasp the sheer magnificence
of Kenya's biodiversity than to observe the country's wildlife inhabitants,
especially at the Masai Mara. The rolling hills of the Mara offer a relatvely
open landscape where you are sure to see herds of elephant, giraffe, wildebeest,
gazelle, and zebra. We discovered lion prides daily, spotted the massive
cape buffalo, found ostrich cavorting playfully in pairs, and in surprise
saw the elusive leopard and endangered black rhinoceros. (adapted from
notes by Kelly Frank, 2000)
Wildlife
Ecology: The savanna and bushland of Kenya are home to a great diversity
and abundance of large mammals and birds. When we arrive in Kenya, the long
rains should just be ending, the savanna grasses are tall and flowering,
and the trees are green. In 2000, the rains in the Mara were short and the
dry conditions were already concentrating animals to a limited supply of
forage. When this happens, animals begin to concentrate and they will begin
to move as a group. We were fortunate to see a most amazing crossing of
the Mara by thousands of zebra; a small migration toward greener pastures.
Chris Babuich, photo by K. Medley)
Elephant
Conservation: Learning
about the conservation of Kenyan wildlife was a significant part of the
Biodiversity of Kenya program. We found ourselves discussing many issues
such as animal population sizes in and out of reserves as well as the
resource needs of humans. Elephants are the center of the conservation
dispute in Kenya. The effects they exert on their environment while meeting
their basic needs is exceeded only by humans. This puts the survival of
elephants in a very precarious position because their needs must be balanced
with those of humans. (adapted from notes by Chris Babiuch, 2000).
Ethnobotany:
From the earliest
times, societies have prized plants for their various pain-relieving and
healing abilities, and today the curative properties of plants comprise
about 75% of modern medicines. This course on the Biodiversity of Kenya
provided me with the opportunity to identify more than 65 different genera
and 100 species of plants with medicinal uses throughtout Kenya. Our guides
and the local people that we met shared the traditional uses of plants by
their respective ethnic group (Maasai, Taita, Kamba, Kikuyu,...). I gain
a clearer appreciation of the fact that the ultimate goal of medicine, whether
here in the United States or halfway around the world is the genuine attempt
to overcome illness and suffering, and to enhance the quality of life. (adapted
from notes by Kathryn Sparger, 2000)
Western
Influences:
For all of the foreign delights of Kenya - the Great Rift Valley, the soft
white beaches, and the abundant wildlife - I never felt completely removed
from the Western world. The reason for that feeling is simple. Kenya isn't
removed from the Western world. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama first
sailed into Mombasa five centuries ago, and Western visitors, from British
colonists to American tourists, have been altering Kenya ever since. The
juxtaposition of tradition and advancement is harsh in Kenya. Even at Masai
Mara, the home of the very traditional Maasai, I couldn't escape America.
The "Florida Hair Salon" stood next to dung and mud houses, and Coca-Cola
signs, and even 10-foot tall Coca-Cola bottle-statues, were surprisingly
common. A Maasai warrior wearing a traditional red blanket for clothing
stood next to a fellow tribe member sporting jeans and a Hard Rock Café
t-shirt. Kenya is now striving to survive in a "Western world," but I don't
know if I can say that a "Western Kenya" is best for Kenyans. One of our
guides said that he thinks Kenyans, disillusioned by Western life in the
cities, will try to return to traditional ways like pastoralism and tribal
life. But it may very well be too late for them to go back to the way they
were. Kenya of the future will no doubt be a very different Kenya. (adapted
from notes by Jill Inkrott, 2000).
A
Transect of Plant Diversity: The
trip crosses the ecosystems of southern Kenya: from the savanna plains of
the Masai Mara, to the Commiphora bushland of Tsavo, and to the tropical
forest along the Indian Ocean Coast. The change in vegetation parallels
distinct differences in seasonal rainfall from about 900 mm in the Mara,
to the semi-arid <500 mm characteristic of the Tsavo plains, and the >1000
mm and much more humid coastal conditions. Savanna is by definition a mixture
of grasses, especially the tall red oat grass of the Mara, and trees, with
the prominent umbrella-shaped Acacias. Bushland can vary from a thick, nearly
impenetrable mass of shrubs and vines, to a more open woodland of trees
that are green for just a short time following the rains. The coastal rain
forests are closed and certainly more green than the other vegetation types,
but still show their adaptations to seasonal drought. When you add to this
remarkable gradient of vegetation change the local changes that occur in
response to disturbances (elephants, humans, fire), geologic substrate and
soils (black-cotton soils, red laterites, crystalline and coral rock), and
topography (the hill forests of Mt. Kasigau)-we really saw a lot, and some
very different ecosystems than those present in the United States. (adapted
from notes by Brian Dunn and Lindsay Zenker)
Coral
Reef Diversity: The Malindi-Watamu Marine National Park (40°00 E and
3°20' S) is, in the words of conservation biologist T.R. McClanahan, one
of the world's "ultimate ecosystems." The reefs contain a high number of
species (among the most species rich in the world), high productivity, and
complex species interactions. My personal fascination at Malindi was focused
on the array of coral fish and integral symbiotic relationships at the reef.
Snorkling in waters about 20 m in depth, we saw a wide variety of fish from
the common damselfish to the highly diverse wrasse. Many of the wrasses
are endemic or totally unique to the Watamu reefs. However, the most fascinating
scene was the highly studied symbiotic relationship between clown damselfish
and various sea anemones. 
The
preservation of biodiversity at the Watamu reef depends on the preservation
of mangrove forests at Mida Creek. The mangroves provide a breeding ground
for fish and crustaceans. These breeding grounds complement the Watamu area
to create a diverse coastal environment along the Indian Ocean. (adapted
from notes by Andrew Masiaz, 1999). 
Working
with Communities: One of the most fulfilling days we spent at the Taita
Discovery Center was the day we went to work. We piled cement and tools
in the bus and headed for a working day with the Taita people of Makwasinyi,
a small village at the base of Mt. Kasigau. The Makwasinyi Women's Group
consisted of about 17 women who work together for the betterment of their
lives and community. We came to help them with their plans to complete a
small shop (duka) that would be used as a general store and provide a couple
rental rooms for the primary school teachers. We spent our day trying to
turn one room's dirt floor into a ready for business concrete floor-carrying
water, smashing rocks for the floor base, mixing the cement, laying the
floor, cutting window frames-it was a group effort. (adapted from notes
by David Holt, 1999)
Conserving
Communities and Ecosystems:
It's all a question of story. We are in trouble just now because we
do not have a good story. We are in between stories. The old story is
no longer effective. (Thomas Berry, cited in Ecology of Hope by Ted Bernard
& Jora Young, 1997, p. 7)
We do not deny the
complexity of conservation in Kenya as a struggle for access to land resources
between humans and animals. What the field experience does show is a lot
of reasons for hope-things to work for instead of against, and people
to work with. Community-based initiatives within communities and for human
livelihoods are an important element of nature conservation for wildlife.
We will continue to look for strategies that promote positive change.