[H-GG02] Dialogues on natural resources and environment between earth and social sciences

[HGG02-08] Changes of Somali camel pastoralism in north-eastern Kenya

*Kazunobu Ikeya¹ (1.National Museum of Ethnology)

Keywords:camel, sedentarization, pastoralism, Somali

The Somali of the Horn of Africa are said to be the pastoralists in the world, rearing the largest number of dromedary camels in the world. They migrated to north-east Kenya in the 19th century after their ancient migration from the Arabian Peninsula to the Horn of Africa. This study aims to understand the changes of Somali camel pastoralism in the Northeastern Province to Tana river Province of Kenya. The author has conducted a series of short-term field studies from 1993 until the early 2000s, when the security situation in the region deteriorated. The results revealed that Somali nomadic groups migrated long distances with camel herds along the Tana River, and that the form of camel herding changed in the mid-2000s when people began to settle near settlements where water was easily available.