The El Molo: The People of the Lake
The history and livelihoods of the El Molo are deeply intertwined with the waters of Lake Turkana, known locally as Anam Ka’alakol. Often called the "Jade Sea" for its mesmerizing green hue, Lake Turkana stretches like a tranquil jewel across Kenya’s arid expanse. Framed by rugged hills and the distant silhouettes of volcanic mountains, its serene waters shimmer under the African sun, offering a breathtaking contrast to the surrounding desert landscape. This ancient lake, cradled by vast, untouched wilderness, is a sanctuary for unique wildlife and a testament to the enduring beauty and mystery of Kenya’s natural splendor. The El Molo, who refer to themselves as Gurapau, meaning "people of the lake," speak a language called OO Gurapau. Fishing is their sole economic activity, and they spend their days hunting giant Nile perch, hippos, and Nile crocodiles in the alkaline waters of Lake Turkana. Their fishing boats are crafted from palm logs tied together, and their huts along the lake's shores are furnished with doum palm fronds. The lake provides them with everything they need.

Origin Story
The tale of Sepenya, the great heroine of the El Molo people, adds to the lake’s mystique. According to legend, long ago, the area around Lake Turkana was merely a desert with scattered springs. One day, a pregnant woman named Sepenya came to drink from a local spring. After quenching her thirst, she left the spring uncovered, causing it to overflow and flood the entire area, creating Anam Ka’alakol—Lake Turkana. Sepenya and her son Melissa became the ancestors of the El Molo people.

Migration and Related Peoples
The El Molo belong to the Lowland East Cushitic language group, an Afro-asiatic language family primarily spoken in the Horn of Africa, covering parts of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. The closest relatives of the El Molo in Kenya are the Rendille, Dassanech (Merille), and Gabbra. The speakers of Lowland East Cushitic languages are believed to have originated in the Horn of Africa, with historical linguistics suggesting their gradual dispersal from an area likely around present-day southern Ethiopia or northern Kenya.

Recent History
During the period of British imperial dominance, the British Empire exercised significant control over global affairs, including in Africa. This hegemony came at a steep price, with resources exploited primarily for British industries and minimal reinvestment in local economies. Lake Turkana, despite its beauty and bounty, was of little importance to the British colonialists, who focused on developing only “commercially viable regions.” This exclusion was later entrenched by the independent government, leaving the El Molo bay and surrounding areas remote and underdeveloped.

The El Molo Today
The El Molo, once a distinct and vibrant community on the shores of Lake Turkana, now face a profound threat to their existence. Over centuries, they have undergone significant acculturation, with many adopting the language, customs, and lifestyle of their larger Nilotic neighbors, particularly the Turkana and Samburu. This cultural assimilation, driven by intermarriage and survival pressures in a challenging environment, has diluted their unique identity. Compounding this threat, the rising waters of Lake Turkana, fueled by climate change, have submerged much of their ancestral land, displacing the few remaining El Molo from their traditional homes and sacred sites. With their population dwindling and cultural practices fading, the El Molo are on the brink of extinction, facing the real possibility of ceasing to exist as a distinct people.

Economy and Cuisine
The El Molo's livelihood revolves around fishing, using spears or harpoons, fishing rods made from acacia roots with doum palm fiber and forged iron hooks, and nets crafted from doum palm fiber. Modern boats, being expensive and difficult to maintain, are scarce, so the El Molo continue to rely on traditional rafts made from doum palm logs tied with rope. These rafts are used to brave the waves of Lake Turkana, where they hunt crocodiles, hippos, and Nile perch with hand harpoons. Once caught, the fish is either roasted or cut into long strips and dried in the sun on hut roofs or fiber mats. The dried fish is later soaked in the lake to soften it before being boiled and eaten. The El Molo consume very little meat, with the 'loka'—the nut or date of the doum palm—being a significant part of their diet, especially for children. Handicrafts made from palms and ostrich eggshells are also part of their economy.

Culture and Ceremonies
The El Molo believe in a Supreme Being called Waq, whom they regard as the creator and father of all people. Like other Cushitic peoples, they have an age set system with four distinct age sets. Body painting is done using natural colors made from soil and stone. The El Molo practice circumcision as a rite of passage, and although they once practiced clitoridectomy, this has largely been abandoned due to the efforts of community activists. Wedding ceremonies are vibrant events, featuring a ceremonial wedding necklace called aliano. This necklace, made by men, is tied around a bride’s neck by her husband during marriage as a symbol of their union. Upon childbirth, the father removes the necklace from the mother and places it around the neck of their baby boy, while the mother does this for a baby girl.

The Hippo Hunt
Every two or three years, the El Molo hold a special ceremony called ngwere, where the hippo takes center stage in their traditions. This ritual is held in the small village of Moite, located about 65 kilometers from the main El Molo settlements. The ceremony honors their ancestors through dancing and singing, with songs accompanied by the rhythmic shaking of two sticks instead of hand clapping. Since only a few still speak the El Molo language fluently, the dance leader explains the deeper meanings of the songs to the participants. A key part of the ngwere involves organizing a hippo hunt. To spur the young warriors into action, elders ceremonially slash them, symbolizing the bravery required to pursue the animal. Once the hippo is found, the chosen hunter must confront it fearlessly; any hesitation could result in further slashing as encouragement. The hunter who successfully kills the hippo earns a revered status, becoming a "taboo" person. Throughout the ceremony and the journey back, he is prohibited from eating the hippo's meat, signifying his sacred role in the ritual. This hunter becomes the hero of the feast and, for the rest of his life, wears a special ornament made from the hippo’s bones in the form of an earring, marking his achievement and bravery.

A Sister Tribe
The nearly extinct El Molo are closely related in language, customs, physical features, and ancestry to the Arbore people of the Omo Valley in Ethiopia. Efforts are currently underway to revitalize the El Molo as a people, drawing on the language and cultural practices of the Arbore tribe.

References
Bassi, Marco. 2011. Primary identities in the lower Omo valley: migration, cataclysm, conflict and amalgamation, 1750-1910. Journal of Eastern African Studies 5/1. 129-157.

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Hayward, Dick. 1984. The Arbore Language: A First Investigation. Hamburg: Helmut Buske. 116 Studies in African Linguistics 44(2), 2015

Heine, Bernd. 1972/73. Vokabulare ostafrikanischer Restsprachen. Teil 1: Elmolo. Afrika und Übersee 56/4. 276-283.

Heine, Bernd. 1982. Traditional Fishing in the Rift Valley of Kenya: A Linguistic Survey. Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika 4. 7-40.

Omondi, Odero Erick (assisted by Odero Isack Otieno, Lengosira Andrea, Lengutuk Asunta and Akolong Joseph). 2008. The reconstruction and documentation of the Elmolo language. Unpublished Ms.: 39 pages.

Quattrocchio, Giuseppe. No date. El Molo. Nairobi: Consolata Fathers.

Scherrer, Joann Carole. 1978. Fisher folk of the desert: an ethnography of Elmolo of Kenya. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Ph.D. dissertation.


Photo Credits
Jayne McClean, Eric Lafforgue, Jeff Rotman, Kelvin Ndegwa