Sabaot Kalenjin in Kenya

The Sabaot Kalenjin have only been reported in Kenya
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Sabaot people live on or near the slopes of Mount Elgon. The hills of their homeland gradually rise from an elevation of 5,000 to 14,000 feet. The area is crisscrossed by numerous mountain streams and spectacular waterfalls. Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano about fifty (50) miles in diameter. The Kenya-Uganda border goes straight through the mountain-top, cutting the Sabaot homeland into two halves.

In recent years, the Sabaot people have been forced to drastically change their lifestyle from cattle herding to planting maize (corn) and vegetables because of the scarcity of land. Economically this change was good for the people, because the frequent hunger spells have all but stopped. Socially it has been a hard and traumatic change as the former leaders in the society lost their power, old values were eroded, and drinking homemade beer grew to a destructive level. The Sabaot people are proud of their cultural heritage. The elders sing with sadness in their voices, using their six-stringed lyre, about the lost glory of their free life as warriors and cattle people. They remember their best cows by name. The Sabaot do not adapt to change quickly, but most of the children now go to school. That is why the majority of adults have never learned to read. The young, educated people have become the new elite.

Traditionally the Sabaot have always believed in a Creator God. He was good and provided sunshine, rain and life, but he was far away. It was the belief in the ancestral spirits that controlled the daily life of the people and brought them fortune or, more often, misfortune. If sickness struck, sacrifices had to be made to appease the angry ancestor who sent the sickness to avenge some wrongdoing against him.

When the first missionaries settled among the Sabaot in as late as 1981, they were asked, "Why have the missionaries forgotten us?".


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Kalenjin, Sabaot in Kenya.


Profile Source:   Anonymous  

People Name General Kalenjin, Sabaot
People Name in Country Kalenjin, Sabaot
Natural Name Sabaot Kalenjin
Alternate Names Elgon Maasai; Sebei
Population this Country 316,000
Population all Countries 316,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 14623
ROP3 Code 108488
Country Kenya
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties: southeastern slopes of Mount Elgon.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Kenya
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties: southeastern slopes of Mount Elgon..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 4.00 %)
90.00 %
Ethnic Religions
10.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Sabaot (316,000 speakers)
Language Code spy   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Sabaot (316,000 speakers)
Language Code spy   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Sabaot
Photo Source Gary Glahn 
Map Source Anonymous  
Profile Source Anonymous 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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