East Africans have got a rich culture and a lot to share in terms of their culture and their also some differences in terms of dressing, feeding, languages, the way of constructing houses and the traditional ceremonies per country per culture. East Africans are good traders and mostly use Swahili language as a trading language.
Tanzania has two official languages – English and Swahili but has over 128 languages spoken by its natives. Despite Swahili being considered as the national language, high schools and universities still feature English as the language of learning, resulting from the English colonialism.
Most coastal areas in Tanzania enjoy spicy foods and coconut milk as their main ingredient in many of their dishes. However in the mainland the cuisine is more typical, consisting mainly of rice, maize porridge, chapatti bread, grilled and marinated meats, fish, biryani, and pilau. Clear lines of Indian influence can be seen in Tanzanian cuisine, as a result of a large population of Khoja Indians that migrated into the country. As the drink of choice in Tanzania, Chai tea often accompanies every meal, while coffee is usually served with Kashata, a sweet tasting treat made from coconut meat.
Most East Africans cusines are complete with grains and tubers including rice. Yams, millet, sorghum, beans, corn, vegetables, cassava, potatoes. These dishes are generally accompanied by a meat dish and significant amounts of milk and butter.
Kenya’s tribes are luo, kalenjin, kamba, kikuyu and luhya which together account for about 70% of the total population. In their rural homes, these Kenya tribes exhibit distinct Kenya cultural practices. The masai tribe is the most authentic ethnic tribe of Kenya and have a very high preserved Kenya culture.infact the maasai culture portrays more of the Kenyan culture.
Rwanda is a tiny country of Africa but with a rich culture, there are several sites of interests to travelers interested in learning about the culture and the people of Rwanda. Several tours can be arranged to experience the culture of the Rwanda to see different cultural sites including genocide memorial sites, National Museum of Butare which houses perhaps the finest ethnographic collection in East Africa. It has displays of traditional artifacts illuminated by a fascinating selection of photographs, providing insight not only into pre-colonial lifestyles, but also into the subsequent development of Rwanda as a modern African state
You can also have visits to Agaseke handcraft making centre in Ruhengeri, the Red Rocks Women Co-operative Rwanda have a long history and culture of making beautifully handcrafted items. Customarily woven by women, the Agaseke basket is known for its impressive quality and associated cultural traditions. The basket is a decorating gift item, commonly referred to as “peace baskets” that families in Rwanda give to their daughters during marriage ceremonies. During you visit to Red rocks Cultural center, you’ll be introduced to different designs of handcraft ranging from neatly woven baskets to Imigongo art designs. As the guest, you’ll partake in learning how these crafts are made, from raw materials to finished decorated pieces of art. All the materials used, are local, Don’t miss out to buy yourself a souvenir.
While in Burundi, visit the Snake & Culture Museum, the Islam Culture Centre and the Gishora drum sanctuary
A Uganda cultural tour explores the Nakayima heritage tree in Mubende, the Amabere g’ Nyinamwiru Caves which are breast like features believed to be dating back to the Bachwezi era, the Fort Portal Crater lake field, the Nshenyi Cultural village exploring the Banyankole Culture including great time with the beautiful Ankole long horned cattle.