A Visit to Kenya - Traditional Food Practices in Harmony with Earth Stewardship

 by Mindy Hidenfelter

Crispy chapati, fragrant mukimo, savory sauteed cabbage, grilled maize by the roadside – all of these wonderful traditional Kenyan dishes and more, created from plants cultivated in harmony with the earth.  As a vegetarian by choice for earth care reasons, I was all set to participate in a “friendship visit” to Kenya, with Presbyterians for Earth Care friends and others, and did not know how I would fare nutritionally avoiding meat during my stay.  Upon arrival, I quickly discovered that my concerns were unfounded.

Depending on the region, Kenyans have long relied upon the earth for most of their sustenance.  As stewards and managers of the land, these indigenous people have created nutritious meals from crops that dated back to before the European colonization of the African continent, as well as crops that were introduced and promoted by Europeans during times of settlement in the East African region that is now the Republic of Kenya.

Two of the native Kenyan dishes that I thoroughly enjoyed and ate just about daily during those two weeks were sakuma wiki and ugali. 

Sakuma wiki is a green known as collards in English.  As a dish, it is typically cut into thin strips and cooked with onions and tomatoes.  “Sakuma wiki” means “to stretch the week” in Swahili, named as such because the greens are readily available and affordable, helping to stretch any meal further. (Hassan, 2024) Greens are a staple in Kenyan cooking and are part of a traditional vegan meal, along with rice or ugali. 

Ugali is a stiff cornmeal porridge.  Originally made of traditional grains such as sorghum and millet, ugali is now most commonly made of maize.  British colonization promoted the cultivation of maize instead of other Kenyan grains, since maize requires less labor than sorghum or millet to grow, care for, and harvest.  While under British colonial rule (1895-1963), Kenyan workers were often paid in maize, promoting its dominance as a cooking staple. Ugali is now most frequently made with white maize (or maize flour) and water. Pieces are rolled into balls with a small thumb depression.  It is used to scoop stew instead of silverware or other eating utensils.

Many other Kenyan dishes, especially the plant-based ones, are examples of indigenous food cultivation in harmony with the earth. For indigenous people around the world, the food grown and integrated into their daily meals helps maintain an important connection with the natural environment in which they live.

Hawa, Hassan. In Bibi’s Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean [A Cookbook]. 2024. Ten Speed Press. 282pp.

 

Mindy Hidenfelter serves as the Coordinator for Presbyterians for Earth Care.  She holds degrees in forestry/wildlife science and natural resource management and has experience in urban forestry as an ISA Certified Arborist in both state government and the non-profit world.  Mindy currently serves as an elder at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church in North Carolina, and enjoys running and exploring national parks with her family.