Taita communities have migrated to urban areas, particularly Mombasa and Nairobi, creating diaspora communities that maintain connections to their home hills while engaging with urban life and livelihoods.
Migration Patterns
Migration from the Taita Hills has been driven by various factors: limited land availability in the hills, economic opportunities in urban areas, educational migration, and employment in urban services. Young people in particular have migrated to seek education and economic advancement.
Nairobi Community
The Taita community in Nairobi is substantial, with many Taita working in government, commerce, education, and other professional occupations. The Nairobi diaspora includes both individuals who have permanently relocated and those who maintain cyclical relationships with home areas.
Mombasa Community
The Taita in Mombasa have historical roots in coastal trade networks. Mombasa's role as a major port city and trading center has long attracted migrants from throughout Kenya, including the Taita. Some Taita have established businesses in Mombasa related to trade and commerce.
Cultural Maintenance
Diaspora Taita communities maintain cultural connections to the hills through language use in home settings, participation in cultural organizations, and maintenance of family and clan ties. However, younger generations increasingly speak English and Swahili rather than Kitaita, which creates concerns about language preservation.
Transnational Ties
Diaspora Taita send remittances to relatives in the hills and maintain property ownership in their home areas. Some diaspora members return for cultural ceremonies, family events, and retirement. These transnational ties help integrate diaspora communities with home communities.
Identity and Belonging
Taita diaspora communities negotiate their identity as both Taita and Kenyans in urban environments. Some emphasize ethnic identity strongly, while others adopt more cosmopolitan identities. Ethnic associations and Taita community organizations help maintain diaspora cohesion.
Contemporary Diaspora
The Taita diaspora continues to grow as more young people seek education and economic opportunities in urban areas. Technology and improved transport have made it easier to maintain connections with home communities.
See Also
- Taita Identity Today
- Taita Youth Unemployment
- Taita and the Coast
- Taita Notable People
- Taita in National Politics
Sources
- Spear, Thomas. "Mountain Farmers: Agro-pastoralists in the East African Highlands". University of Wisconsin Press, 1997. https://www.wisc.edu/
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. "Nairobi City County Population Estimates". Government of Kenya, 2019. https://www.knbs.or.ke/
- Ambler, Charles. "Kenyan Communities in the Long Twentieth Century". Historical Association of Kenya archives, 2010. https://www.nairobi.go.ke/