‘I Have Done Hundreds of Rock Paintings’: On the Ongoing Rock Art Tradition among Samburu, Northern Kenya

A vibrant rock art tradition among the Samburu warriors (lmurran) in northern Kenya persists as a dynamic, intergenerational visual culture. Fieldwork revealed that these warriors, aged 15–30 and living away from villages while herding cattle, create rock paintings primarily for leisure during camping stays, often alongside food preparation. The artwork predominantly features domestic animals, humans of both genders, and occasionally wild animals like elephants and rhinos. While not tied to rituals or ceremonies, the tradition evolves with each generation, incorporating new elements such as written names and letters. This ongoing practice serves as a visual medium for transmitting and reinforcing a shared warrior identity across generations, blending continuity with innovation.

Goldhahn, J., Labarakwe, S. L., Skoglund, P., & Westergren, E. (2020). ‘I Have Done Hundreds of Rock Paintings’: On the Ongoing Rock Art Tradition among Samburu, Northern Kenya. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 31(2), 229–246. https://doi.org/10.1017/s095977432000044x