Pokot (ethnicity)
The Pokot (also Pökoot ) are an ethnic group living in the districts (Counties) Baringo , Nakuru , Nyandarua , Turkana and West Pokot northeast of the city of Nakuru in Kenya and in the districts of Amudat and Nakapiripirit in Uganda . These areas lie between Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana .
In the last census in Kenya in 2009, 632,557 people claimed responsibility for the Pokot. In Uganda, 104,880 people belonged to the Pokot in the last census in 2014. This means that today this people has more than 800,000 members.
Way of life
Part of the ethnic group are settled farmers. In Baringo County in Kenya, the Pokot are partly farmers, partly semi-nomads who keep cattle (cattle, sheep and goats). Male Pokot sometimes have several wives. Each of these women lives with their children in their own hut.
religion
According to the Joshuaproject, half of the Pokot in Uganda are nominally Christians - mostly Catholics and Anglicans as well as followers of other Christian denominations . However, many Christians continue to practice traditional religion.
According to Joshuaproject, a slim majority of Pokot followers of the traditional religion in Kenya. Here, too, some of the baptized Christians practice both religions. In contrast to Uganda, only about 10% of the Christian Pokot are Catholics. Around 40% are Anglicans and 20% each belong to groups who believe in the Bible and Protestant denominations.
The Pokot are part of the Kalendjin and speak Pökoot , a South Nilotic language .
