Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
KenyaSouthern & Coastal AreaMombasaDetails
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
Ten different forested locations, largely on low hills, ranging in size from 30 to roughly 300 hectares, are spread out along around 200 kilometers of Kenya's coast province, where the ruins of walled communities, Kayas, of the Mijikenda people can be found. They represent over thirty Kayas who have survived.
The Kayas, which fell by the wayside in the early twentieth century, are today treasured as repositories of the Mijikenda people's spiritual beliefs and as the hallowed dwelling of their forefathers.
The Mijikenda community has cultivated the forest surrounding the Kayas to protect the sacred tombs and groves, and it is now nearly the only remnant of the previously large coastal lowland forest.
The Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
(Source UNESCO)
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- KenyaSouthern & Coastal AreaMombasa