Turkana Beauty
The original painting measured 35 cms. x 45 cms.
The Turkana people are an offshoot of the Jie tribe of Uganda, and their name tells of their spiritual affinity with Mt. Aturkan and Lake Turkana. Once regarded as some of Kenya’s most warlike people, they are traditionally cattle herders, small scale farmers and fishermen. The Turkana are related to the Maasai and have similar age set rituals but are generally quite different in their appearance and dress. I met this beautiful young woman when she came with a small group of Turkana dancers to entertain the tourists at Samburu Serena Lodge. The group had walked 20klms. and I was the only tourist to watch them that day. Nevertheless, they graciously insisted in doing their whole programme for me. As you can see, this young woman was very tall, slim and had an elegantly long neck around which she had piled masses of beaded necklaces.
The Turkana woman’s traditional attire is dictated by her marital and maternal status, and gives the knowledgeable a glimpse of their rank. Most of the Turkana women I met wore these distinctive shield or spear shaped earrings. She also wore a long leather apron decorated with beads and cowrie shells, a beaded belt and bangles. The aluminum ‘bird’ decoration in her hair is similar to the ones the Samburu wear on their forehead. The Turkana often wear Ostrich feathers as decoration in their hair.
