The El Molo tribe is one of the smallest tribes in Kenya. This community that occupies the shores of Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya has a population of only 300.
The El Molo are among the bravest people in the world. From time immemorial members of this tribe have been surviving on crocodile and hippo meat, which they hunt and kill themselves. However, recent anti-poaching laws have forced them to change their diet and survive on fish. Their life expectancy is only 45 years old.
Hunting hippo is one of the most dangerous tasks one can undertake. In the past the hippo hunter was a celebrated hero who wore a special earring and necklace. Although The Kenyan Government has safeguarded crocodiles through anti-poaching laws, they are still hunted occasionally as the preferred meal for favored guests.
The El Molo utilize an ancient fishing technique, over 3000 years old, using small rafts made from doum palm trunks and harpoons. They catch catfish or tilapia.
The El Molo eat a high protein diet lacking in fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates. This has led to health problems. They survive on semi salty water from Lake Turkana and as such most of them have discolored teeth due to high fluoride intake. Drinking from the lake has also led to bone deformities even in small children. The tribe intermarries which contributes to inbreeding. A 45 or 40 year-old El Molo tribesman/woman is likely to look like a 70 year-old, and most likely can’t walk due to ailing bones.
Their environment is harsh, consisting of volcanic rocks and a hostile climate with souring temperatures of up to 45° C (113° F). Due to the arid conditions the El Molo spend most of their time removing dust from their eyes.
Farming or animal rearing isn’t an option. It is not like the El Molo to raid animals or practice violence so they don’t participate in cattle squabbles like their neighbors the Turkana and Samburu. Presently, the tribe only lives in two villages, Anderi and Illah. Their homes are still traditionally made from doum palm leaves and dried reeds.
The El Molo culure is threatened. Their language was declared extinct in 1974, when the last man who knew it passed away. It has been replaced with Swahili and the languages of their neighbors. Some members of the tribe now dress in modern clothes and are shunning their tradition. Their clan systems and taboos are also being lost. Some have converted to Christianity, but some are still animists.
Perhaps the most damaging contribution to the bleak chances of the El Molo’s survival is their intermarrying with neighboring tribes.
{photos courtesy of theweek.com, Bruno Zanzottera, Jeffery L. Rotman}
