Abstract:
This paper uses data collected for a doctoral dissertation on “Turkana pastoralists’
sociocultural practices in relation to Kenya’s science curriculum” and from research findings
of the South Turkana Ecosystem Project (STEP) to demonstrate nomadic people’s knowledge
of their environment, wildlife and livestock management. Interviews with Turkana Elders
concerning their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) reveals that Turkana people
possess exceptional detailed knowledge of how to detect the presence of water, predict
seasonal fluctuations and use local plants. This knowledge is not available in the school
curriculum. It should be harnessed and integrated with environmental education in the early
childhood and lower primary curriculum of Kenya. Incorporating indigenous knowledge in
the school curriculum will ensure that this knowledge is preserved, respected and valued.
In Kenya the national education curriculum emphasizes Western forms of knowledge. This
paper also argues that early integration of TEK within the Kenyan curriculum will facilitate
future Turkana peoples’ ability to engage in ecotourism as a strategy for economic survival