Dorobo (or ''Ndorobo'', ''Wadorobo'', ''dorobo'', ''Torobo'') is a derogatory
umbrella term
In linguistics, semantics, general semantics, and ontologies, hyponymy () is a semantic relation between a hyponym denoting a subtype and a hypernym or hyperonym (sometimes called umbrella term or blanket term) denoting a supertype. In other ...
for several unrelated
hunter-gatherer groups of
Kenya
)
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and
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
. They comprised client groups to the
Maasai and did not practice cattle
pastoralism
Pastoralism is a form of animal husbandry where domesticated animals (known as " livestock") are released onto large vegetated outdoor lands ( pastures) for grazing, historically by nomadic people who moved around with their herds. The ani ...
.
Etymology
The term 'Dorobo' derives from the
Maa expression ''il-tóróbò'' (singular ''ol-torróbònì'') 'hunters; the ones without cattle'. Living from hunting wild animals implies being primitive, and being without
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...
implies being very poor in the pastoralist Maa culture.
Classifications
In the past it has been assumed that all Dorobo were of Southern
Nilotic
The Nilotic peoples are people indigenous to the Nile Valley who speak Nilotic languages. They inhabit South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. Among these are the Burun ...
origin; accordingly, the term ''Dorobo'' was thought to denote several closely related ethnic groups.
Groups that have been referred to as Dorobo include:
*Kaplelach
Okiek Okiek or Ogiek may refer to:
*the Okiek people
*the Ogiek language
Ogiek (also Okiek and Akiek)The initial vowel varies by dialect. The first consonant is , but is pronounced or between vowels. is a Southern Nilotic language of the Kalenjin fa ...
and Kipchornwonek Okiek (Nilotic;
Rift Valley Province, Kenya)
*
Sengwer
*Mukogodo-Maasai (the former
Yaaku, sometimes Aramanik) (
Yaaku language;
Laikipia District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya)
*
Aasax (
Aasa language; northern Tanzania)
*
Akie (sometimes Mosíro, which is an Akie clan name) (Nilotic, northern Tanzania)
*
Mediak (
Kalenjin, northern Tanzania)
*
Kisankasa (Kalenjin, northern Tanzania)
*
Aramanik (Kalenjin, Tanzania)
*
Mosiro (Kalenjin, Tanzania)
*
Omotik
Relations with neighbours
A historical survey of 17 Dorobo groups in northern Kenya found that they each maintained a close rapport with their surrounding territory through their foraging. Speaking the same language as their nomadic pastoralist neighbours, they would maintain peaceful relations with them and accepted a lower status. Occasional intermigration and intermarriage between the two groups was even possible. If the political landscape shifted and new pastoralists entered the area, then the local Dorobo would switch to the new language and build up new relations, while clinging to their territorial niche.
[Spencer, Paul, 1973, ''Nomads in Alliance: Symbiosis and Growth among the Rendille and Samburu of Kenya'', Oxford University Press, London. (pp. 199-219, “The Dorobo and Elmolo of Northern Kenya.”)]
See also
*
Dorobo language
*
Degere
Notes
References
*Distefano, John A. (1990) 'Hunters or hunted? Towards a history of the Okiek of Kenya', ''History in Africa'', 17, 47–57.
*Hobley, C.W. (1903) 'Notes concerning the Eldorobo of Mau, British East Africa', ''Man'', 3, 33-34 (with a 100-item vocabulary on page 35).
*Hobley, C.W. (1905) 'Further Notes on the El Dorobo or Oggiek', ''Man'', 5, 39–44.
*Hobley, C.W. (1906) 'Notes on the Dorobo People and other Tribes; gathered from Chief Karuri and others', ''Man'', 6, 119–120.
*Huntingford, G.W.B. (1931) 'The Taturu, Mosiro, and Aramanik dialect of Dorobo', ''Man'', 31, 226–228.
*Kenny, Michael G. (1981) 'Mirror in the forest: the Dorobo hunter-gatherers as an image of the other', ''Africa'', 51, 1, 477–495.
*Maguire, R.A.J. (1948) 'Il-Torbo', ''Tanganyika Notes & Records'', 25, 1–27. ''
'
*Rottland, Franz & Vossen, Rainer (1977) 'Grundlagen für eine Klärung des Dorobo-Problems', in Möhlig & Rottland & Heine (eds.) ''Zur Sprachgeschichte und Ethnohistorie in Afrika''. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, 213–238.
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