One afternoon at the Bomas and you’ll soon get to grips with Kenya’s varying cultures. Here, the major tribes that make up the origins of this incredible country are showcased in series of Bomas – for those of you who don’t speak Swahili, we’re talking miniature villages of differing tribal homesteads. Duh. Here, just a short drive from Nairobi’s concrete jungle, you’ll be transported to a traditional Kenya.
It’s a tourist village that owns what it is. After all, built to teach visitors about the country’s various tribes, there’s no way that this cultural centre can be anything but touristy. But, quite surprisingly, this fact doesn’t take away from the village’s “authenticity”. The Bomas are built using the original, traditional methods and all music, dancing and folklore is drawn from the 42 different tribes that make up the country’s varied heritage – this attraction does the job that it’s meant to do, there’s no denying that.
It was a project initiated in 1971 to keep the traditions of the country alive for the world to see. And, its very existence marks Kenya’s pride in the various cultures that make up its past.