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COMMUNITY

traditional Sakuye rituals have been age up from 12 years. This is done Religion: Traditionally the Sakuye
replaced by Islamic prayers. especially through negotiations with worshiped one God, Waaq, by put-
the parents. ting sacrifices in special trees. Over
Identity: Tradition says that before If a young marriageable girl accused the last century, aspects of Islam
the Sakuye attached themselves to a boy of even greeting her, that have come into their culture, largely
the Borana, they lived with the Ren- person would have a case to answer due to their association with the
dille in the Mt. Marsabit area. The even if it was only greetings. Only Somali. Most Sakuye, however, still
Sakuye and the Rendille are said to married females were supposed to hold on to their traditional beliefs
have broken away in the 1500's from speak to men. Anybody who reaches and practices. They follow tradition-
the early Somali group from which the age of FGM and circumcision al Islam that is mixed with animism;
the Garre also developed. Tradition and is not married is scorned and they even have a shrine in Dabel,
also says that the Gabbra Miigo, rejected. though as they moved they would
the Sakuye Miigo and the Gabbra make family shrines and they would
of Kenya's Eastern Province later Language: The Sakuye speak rather speak of other things, due to
originated directly from the Garre Borana, an Eastern Cushite language their Islamic roots.
Somali. adopted from their Borana-Oromo
patrons. Dabel is the center of the Ayaana,
Today there are two sections of the a strong Oromo Satan appeasement
Sakuye people, living in two areas. Customs: The Sakuye live among and worship cult. Ayaana followers
The northern group are semi-per- the Borana and they are ritually believe it is necessary to appease
manent at Dabel and the southern allied to them for political purpos- Satan, because he brings harm to
group is in Isiolo District. Clan es in their history. Many identify them, while it not necessary to ap-
structure and traditions are no lon- themselves as Borana. However, pease God, Since he does not harm
ger as important as in the past. the Sakuye herd camels primarily, people.
The majority can't read and speak whereas the Borana are mostly a
only Borana. Even the Muslim cattle people. With Islamic influence, this is
teachers can't read although they They have also adopted the pre-Is- becoming a hush-hush thing that's
want to learn. However, the school lamic religious institution of the now done in hiding because its a
children are learning to read. Most priest-diviner called Qallu. Since form of Shirk.
families exist on famine relief but the re-establishment of the social
the fortunate ones are those who structures in 1965, the Sakuye do Christianity: There is some con-
still have camels or cattle and fare not allow Sakuye girls to marry out- siderable Christian influence among
better. side the Sakuye group. The Sakuye the Sakuye. There are three or four
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is have much social interaction with known churches around their area.
a rite of passage as well as circum- the neighboring Somali peoples, and Geographically as well as socially,
cision for boys at seven, besides when asked, will sometimes identify isolation is a major factor in their
marriage at teenagehood, although themselves as Somali. lack of access to the gospel.
young girls could be married at any

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Sakuye or Saguye are a semi-nomadic Oromo people living in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties, Eastern
Province, Kenya. The 1979 Kenyan census reported this group had 1,824 persons, but Günther Schlee be-
lieves this number "is definitely too low". The 1969 census gave 4,369 as their number, and the apparent de-
crease is not due to biological factors. In the 2019 census, they numbered 27,006. Because of their language
and their inter-locking settlements, many Sakuye must have given 'Borana' when asked for their 'tribe'.
According to Ethnologue, Sakuye is a dialect of the Borana language, though it has some significant dif-
ferences. Their name comes from the name of one of the traditional divisions of Borana territory, Saaku,
which is the area north of Marsabit. Thus, Saaku-ye means "from Saaku" or "of Saaku" in Afaan Booranaa.
When a group of Rendille moved north from Marsabit, their Borana neighbors referred to them as the
"Saakuye".
Source: Wikipedia

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