A great part of Kenyan culture is jewelry. Necklaces and bracelets made from beads are widely available at shops and markets. But, interestingly, women are not the only ones using jewelry—quite the opposite. For example, soldiers of the Samburu people of north-central Kenya use hairstyles, jewelry, and ochre body painting to exquisitely delicate effect - highly valued among the Samburu, who put a premium on physical beauty and decoration (which in turn leads them to be dubbed “Butterflies” by neighboring tribes). Beaded jewelry is especially prevalent, especially among the Maasai, Rendille, Samburu, and Turkana tribes of the Great Rift Valley, and some of it quite elaborate and intricate, with colors and patterns conveying various kinds of symbolism.

Read more in Tripatini contributor Dan Kariuki´s post A Look at the Traditional Arts and Crafts of Kenya.