Mijikenda Kaya Forests

Mijikenda Kaya Forests
Photo by Michael Novins.

The Mijikenda Kaya Forests comprise the remains of numerous fortified villages (kayas) considered sacred by the Mijikenda people.

The kayas, created in the 16th century but abandoned by the 1940s, are now regarded as the abodes of ancestors and are revered as sacred sites and, as such, are maintained by councils of elders. Access is restricted, which has had a positive impact on the biodiversity of the forests.

Community Perspective: these consist of 10 kayas across 8 components, spread over some 200 km along the coast. Local tour operators from Mombasa can take you to a nearby kaya, such as Kaya Kinondo.

8 Locations 2 Reviews 8 Ratings 9 Connections 18 Visitors

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Michael Novins

United States - 12-Sep-16 -

Mijikenda Kaya Forests by Michael Novins

I flew from Zanzibar to Mombasa, where I stayed at the Castle Royal Hotel, which dates from 1909 and is centrally located between the Moi Avenue tusks and Mombasa Old Town. I made a day trip from Mombasa to Kaya Kinondo, one of the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests UNESCO World Heritage Site (http://www.kaya-kinondo-kenya.com). The kindest thing that I could write about Kaya Kinondo is that its universal value escaped me; perhaps I need to consult a dictionary to get a clearer definition of the word "universal." To me, it seemed like I was walking around an ordinary wooded area, although I did see some wildlife (black-and-white colobus monkeys, horn bills and footlong millipedes). Kaya Kinondo was, very likely, the least interesting WHS that I have visited.

Rita Maria Johnson

England - 13-Aug-09 -

The Mijikenda Kayas are a beautiful environmental and cultural sanctuary. The sacredness of the sites is incredible and visitors are not allowed to venture into certain areas but the birds and the trees make you see nature at its best. The serenity and religious awe of the sites is thrilling and I was very privileged to partake of it. There are no entry fees but a guide has to come from the nearby villages. Once in Mombasa Kenya, one can find their way to the sites which are scattered in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa through a local tour operator. I recommend visiting the Fort Jesus museum for more information. You will definetly appreciate the calmness of the Kayas after the hustle and bustle of typical tourist zones.

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Site Info

Full Name
The Mijikenda Kaya Forests
Unesco ID
1231
Country
Kenya
Inscribed
2008
Type
Cultural
Criteria
3 5 6
Categories
Cultural Landscape - Associative
Link
By ID

Site History

2008 Advisory Body overruled

ICOMOS advised referral, noting number of improvements to be made

2008 Inscribed

Site Links

Unesco Website
The Mijikenda Kaya Forests
Official Website

Sacred Land

In the News

After centuries of keeping the Mijikenda sacred forests out of bounds, the forests will now open up to the public through eco-tourism projects (2009.12.21)

Locations

The site has 8 locations

Mijikenda Kaya Forests: Kaya Giriama
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: Kaya Jibana
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: Kaya Kambe
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: Kaya Kauma
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: Kaya Ribe
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: The Rabai Kayas
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: The Duruma Kayas
Mijikenda Kaya Forests: Kaya Kinondo

Connections

The site has

Architecture
Vernacular architecture
Religion and Belief
Sacred Forests or Groves
Living indigenous religions: "The Kayas provide focal points for Mijikenda religious beliefs and practices, are regarded as the ancestral homes of the different Mijikenda peoples, and are held to be sacred places. As such they have metonymic significance to Mijikenda and are a fundamental source of Mijikenda's sense of "being-in-the-world" (Crit iii)
Timeline
Built in the 16th century: "The sites all contain remains of kayas (or makaya), fortified villages inhabited by the Mijikenda people from around the 16th to the 19th century until their gradual abandonment between the early to mid 20th century" (AB ev)
Trivia
Minority communities: Mijikenda (nine ethnic groups)
Translated Toponyms: "A kaya (plural makaya or kayas) is a sacred site of the Mijikenda people in the former Coast Province of Kenya. Often located within sacred forests, a kaya is considered to be an intrinsic source of ritual power and the origin of cultural identity" (Wiki). "A Kaya contains the remains of fortified villages that were inhabited by the Mijikenda from the 16th century to the 1940s when they were abandoned ....because of social and economic changes ....(affecting the Mijikenda people (E.g).... colonial rule, the introduction of cash crops, the migration to urban areas, and the influence of Christianity and Islam. The kayas became less suitable for living and farming, and the Mijikenda moved to other places" (Bing AI)
Visiting conditions
Discriminatory Entry Policies: Sacred parts aren't open to 'strangers'
WHS on Other Lists
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists: 2009

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