Tana River is the longest river in Kenya, stretching for about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from its source in the Aberdare Range in central Kenya to its delta on the Indian Ocean. We have arrived in Hola Town closer to the Indian Ocean but still a bit from the coast.
We took an early trip to the river in the morning. seeing all the mango trees growing and spotting some crocodiles sleeping in the river, before we went to the recordings. One question that we never seem to get an answer to is why the villages are situated far from the water and on very hot and dry land. Does anyone know? Due to animals?
The Tana River basin is also a cultural and historical region, with various ethnic communities living along the river and practicing traditional ways of life. However, the region has faced numerous challenges, including conflict over land and resources, environmental degradation, and the impacts of climate change. And culture is rapidly disappearing in these conflict which really makes our work important. Today we visited a village that is home of pokomo tribe musicians.
The Pokomo are one of the largest ethnic groups in Tana River County and their music is very lively and rhythm based with drums and dancing. Pokomo music is often accompanied by traditional instruments such as .Pilingwa. Mwaribe. Chapua. Misewe. Tange. Let the day begin:
