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Akiek language

Ogiek
Native to Kenya, Tanzania
Region Kinare: Kinare, Kenya, on the eastern slope of the Rift Valley.
Sogoo: Kenya, southern Mau forest between the Amala and Ewas Ng'iro rivers.
Akiek: Tanzania, southern part of Arusha Region.
Ethnicity Okiek
Native speakers
79,000 in Kenya (2009 census)
A few older speakers in Tanzania
Dialects
  • Kinare (extinct)
  • Sogoo (endangered)
  • Akiek (endangered)
Language codes
ISO 639-3
Glottolog okie1247
Linguasphere 04-CAA-e

Ogiek (also known as Okiek or Akiek; pronounced [oɡiɛk]) is a Southern Nilotic language cluster of the Kalenjin family spoken or once spoken by the Ogiek peoples, scattered groups of hunter-gatherers in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Most if not all Ogiek speakers have assimilated to cultures of surrounding peoples: the Akiek in northern Tanzania now speak Maasai and the Akiek of Kinare, Kenya now speak Gikuyu. Ndorobo is a term considered derogatory, occasionally used to refer to various groups of hunter-gatherers in this area, including the Ogiek.

There are three main Ogiek varieties that have been documented, though there are several dozen named local Ogiek groups:


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