HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

:''Keiyo may also refer to Keiyo, a district in Kenya, '' Keiyo Line'', a railway line in Japan, or Elgeyo escarpment.'' The Elgeyo (also known as Keiyo) are an ethnic group who are part of the larger
Kalenjin Kalenjin may refer to: * Kalenjin people of Kenya ** Elgeyo people (Keiyo people) ** Kipsigis people ** Marakwet people ** Nandi people ** Pokot people ** Terik people ** Tugen people ** Sebei people * Kalenjin language Kalenjin may refer t ...
ethnic group of
Nilotic The Nilotic peoples are peoples Indigenous people of Africa, indigenous to South Sudan and the Nile Valley who speak Nilotic languages. They inhabit South Sudan and the Gambela Region of Ethiopia, while also being a large minority in Kenya, Uga ...
origin. They live near
Eldoret Eldoret is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. Located in western Kenya and lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about at the Eldoret International Air ...
, Kenya, in the highlands of the former
Keiyo District Keiyo District (also known as ''Elgeyo district'' or Elgeiyo) is a defunct Districts of Kenya, administrative district in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The district was formed in 1994, when the Elgeyo-Marakwet District was split into tw ...
, now part of the larger
Elgeyo Marakwet County Elgeyo-Marakwet County is one of Kenya's 47 counties. Located in the former Rift Valley Province, its capital and largest town is Iten. It borders the counties of West Pokot to the north, Baringo County to the east, southeast and south, Uasi ...
. The Elgeyo originally settled at the foothills of the Elgeyo escarpment, in the area between Kerio river to the east and the escarpment to the west. Due to drought and famine in the valley, the Keiyos climbed the escarpment and started to settle on the highland east of Uasin Gishu plateau. When the British came, the Keiyos were pushed to settle in clusters called reserves. The Keiyos are avid long distance marathon runners and have produced elites such as Ezekiel Kemboi,
Vivian Cheruiyot Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (born 11 September 1983) is a Kenyan Long-distance running, long-distance runner. She represented Kenya at the Athletics at the Summer Olympics, Summer Olympics in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016, winning the silver medal i ...
.
Kelvin Kiptum Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot (2 December 1999 – 11 February 2024) was a Kenyan long-distance runner who currently holds the marathon world record. , he holds three of the seven fastest marathons in history, and was ranked first among the world's ...
, the recent world record holder also comes from the tribe.


Economy

The Keiyo subsist mainly on grain, milk, blood, and meat provided by their cattle, sheep, and goats.


Etymology

The names Keiyo and Elgeyo have been used interchangeably. The former name is disputed as a corruption of the latter, which was coined by the Uasin Gishu
Maasai Maasai may refer to: *Maasai people *Maasai language *Maasai mythology * MAASAI (band) See also * Masai (disambiguation) Masai may refer to: *Masai, Johor, a town in Malaysia * Masai Plateau, a plateau in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India *Maasai peopl ...
, who were the neighbors of the Keiyo in the mid-19th century on the western side of the expansive Uasin Gishu plains.


History

Like the rest of the Kalenjin, the Keiyo originated from a country in the north known as Emetab Burgei, which means the hot country. The people are said to have traveled southwards, passing through
Mount Elgon Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, north of Kisumu and west of Kitale. The mountain's highest point, named "Wagagai", is located entirely within Uganda.
or Tulwetab Kony in Kalenjin. The Sebeii settled around the slopes of the mountain while the others travelled on in search of better land. The Keiyo and Marakwet settled in the present Uasin Gishu plateau,
Kerio Valley Kerio Valley lies between the Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo Escarpment in Kenya. It sits at an elevation of 1,000 meters in the Great Rift Valley. Geography The isolated Kerio Valley is situated in a narrow, long strip that is approximately 80&nbs ...
, and Cherangani Hills. The arrival of the warring Uasin Gishu
Maasai Maasai may refer to: *Maasai people *Maasai language *Maasai mythology * MAASAI (band) See also * Masai (disambiguation) Masai may refer to: *Masai, Johor, a town in Malaysia * Masai Plateau, a plateau in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India *Maasai peopl ...
in the present day Uasin Gishu plateau forced the Elgeyo to move away into the present day
Kerio Valley Kerio Valley lies between the Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo Escarpment in Kenya. It sits at an elevation of 1,000 meters in the Great Rift Valley. Geography The isolated Kerio Valley is situated in a narrow, long strip that is approximately 80&nbs ...
during the expansion of the tribe. The loss of much of their grazing lands forced them to reduce their herds and rely more on agriculture. Due to population growth over time, the Keiyo community gradually moved and settled in urban areas to do work in major urban centers including Eldoret town, where they actively engage in businesses alongside the Marakwets, Nandis, and other non-Kalenjins.


Culture


Language & Linguistics

Elgeiyo people speak a
Kalenjin Kalenjin may refer to: * Kalenjin people of Kenya ** Elgeyo people (Keiyo people) ** Kipsigis people ** Marakwet people ** Nandi people ** Pokot people ** Terik people ** Tugen people ** Sebei people * Kalenjin language Kalenjin may refer t ...
/Kutiit language that falls under the Kipsigis - Nandi - Keiyo - Southern Tugen - Cherang'any' cluster.


Social groups

The Keiyo dialect has four predominant subdialects. These are Irong, Mutei, Marichor and Metkei. Territorially, the Elgeiyo People divided their land into 21 east-west stretches to control intermarriage and displacement of a clan by other clans and a system of totems was acquired. The land was divided so that each group had access to the banks of
Kerio River The Kerio River is a river in Turkana County, Kenya. It flows northward into Lake Turkana. It is one of the longest rivers in Kenya (about ), originating near the equator. Course The Kerio River rises on the north slopes of the Amasya Hills to t ...
and thus the totems ran perpendicular to the river. From the south to the north the clans are Metkei, Kapkwoni, Maoi, Tumeiyo, Kowochi, Mwen, Choop, Morop, Samich, Kapsiro, Kenenei Kipking'wo, Sego, Epke, Chang'ach, Rokocho, Mutei, Maam, Irong', Kaptany, and Kapchemutwa. The land was sub-divided to members of the same clan marked by a series of stones referred to as Koiwek.


Age-set (Ebenda)

The Elgeiyo social organization centers on the age set, or . There are eight age-sets () which are rotational, meaning after the end of one age set (after approximately 120 years), a new age set begins. Unlike the Nandi and the Tugen, who have only seven age sets (due to loss of an entire age set in battle), the Keiyo retained eight. The order is given below. was given out during initiation. The age set system is organized in such a way that a father and a son cannot be of the same or sequential age sets. That is, there must be one between a father and a son. For example, a Kipkoimet cannot beget a Kaplelach. The Elgeiyo do not consider a woman to have an age set. Hence, she can marry any age set except that in which her father belongs. The age sets are: * Maina * Chumo * Sawe * Korongoro * Kipkoimet * Kaplelach * Kipnyigei * Nyongi A member of an age set for example kipyigei, identifies himself in Keiyo as "A'ii Kipyigei", meaning he is of Kipnyigei age-set. On the other hand, a married woman identifies herself using the age-set of her husband. For example, a woman married to a kipnyigei will identify herself as "Aabo Kipyigeii", meaning she is of a kipyigeei.


Notables

*
Nicholas Biwott Nicholas Kipyator Kiprono arap Biwott (22 February 1940 – 11 July 2017) was a Kenyan businessman, politician, and philanthropist, who worked in the governments of the fathers of Kenyan independence, Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi. He held ...
, businessman, politician and philanthropist * Henry Rotich, former cabinet secretary of the National Treasury, Head of Macroeconomics at National Treasury, deputy director of Economic Affairs. * Jackson Kiptanui, Chair of KVDA and former MP Keiyo South *
Esther Koimett Esther Koimett is a Kenyan public-servant experienced in investment promotion, banking, privatisation, public enterprise and public policy. She has served as the Principal Secretary State Department Of Broadcasting And Telecommunication, Minist ...
Director General Public Investment and Portfolio Management at Nation treasury of Kenya. * Chris Kiptoo Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry * Joseph Boinnet, former
Inspector General of Police An inspector-general of police is a senior police officer in the police force or police service of several nations. The rank usually refers to the head of a large regional command within a police service, and in many countries refers to the most ...
of the
Republic of Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. K ...
*
Vivian Cheruiyot Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (born 11 September 1983) is a Kenyan Long-distance running, long-distance runner. She represented Kenya at the Athletics at the Summer Olympics, Summer Olympics in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016, winning the silver medal i ...
2018 London Marathon winner * Edna Kiplagat 2017 Boston Marathon winner *
Rhonex Kipruto Rhonex Kipruto (born 12 October 1999) is a Kenyan Long-distance running, long-distance runner. Kipruto won the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2019 World Athletics Championships and was the List of world records in athletics, world reco ...
2019 10000m World Bronze medalist *
Paul Chelimo Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo (born October 27, 1990) is a Kenyan born American track and field athlete. He is the 2016 Olympic silver medalist and the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist in the 5000 meters and is known for his success at the highest level o ...
2020 Olympics 5000m Bronze Medalist. * Geoffrey Kamworor Cross country champion. * Gladys Boss Shollei Uasi ngishu women member of national assembly. * Daniel Komen 3000m world record holder. *Kelvin Kiptum marathon record holder. *Rtd Lt Gen. John Malan Sawe, was army commander, Chief of General Staff in the army, helped to quash 1982 coup attempt, first Kenyan ambassador to Israel, served as Kenyas high commissioner in Canada,


References


External links

*
Who are the Keiyo (Google cache page)
* {{Authority control Kalenjin