Dorobo (or
Ndorobo,
Wadorobo,
Wandorobo,
Torobo) is a derogatory
umbrella term for several unrelated
hunter-gatherer groups of
Kenya and
Tanzania that are subservient to the
Maasai and have no cattle.
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 implies being very poor in the pastoralist Maa culture.
In the past it has been assumed that all Dorobo were of Southern
Nilotic origin; accordingly, the term
Dorobo was thought to denote several closely related ethnic groups.[SUP]
[1][/SUP]
Although many of them happen to be Nilotic,
Dorobo as used by the Maa simply refers to neighbouring hunter-gatherers regardless of their origin - the
Yaaku for example (present-day
Mukogodo-Maasai) are an Eastern
Cushitic people, the
Aasax are of Southern Cushitic origin, while the
Akie (Mosiro) are Eastern Nilotes. Some of the people described in early accounts of the 'El Dorobo' are imaginary, or fictional accounts of 20th century savages such as "races of bearded men" as described by Charles Hobley.[SUP]
[2][/SUP]
Groups that have been referred to as Dorobo include:
- Kaplelach Okiek and Kipchornwonek Okiek (Nilotic; Rift Valley Province, Kenya)
- Sengwer
- Mukogodo-Maasai (the former Yaaku, sometimes Aramanik) (East Cushitic; Laikipia District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya)
- Aasax (South Cushitic; 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
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.[SUP]
[3]
Picha - in Ms word
[/SUP]
Source: Wikipedia (copy n paste)