JD-PHOTOGRAPHIC
Samburu
Total population
160,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
north central Kenya
Languages
Samburu
Religion
Traditional beliefs
Related ethnic groups
Maasai, Rendille, Datoga, Turkana, Kalenjin
The Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya. They are a sub tribe of the Maasai. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd mainly cattle but also keep sheep, goats and camels. The name they use for themselves is Lokop or Loikop, a term which may have a variety of meanings which Samburu themselves do not agree on. Many assert that it refers to them as "owners of the land" ("lo" refers to ownership, "nkop" is land) though others present a very different interpretation of the term. The Samburu speak the Samburu dialect of the Maasai language, which is a Nilo-Saharan language. There are many game parks in the area, one of the most well known is Samburu National Reserve.