How the Samburu came to be the ancestors of elephants.
The Samburu people, a pastoralist ethnic group living in northern Kenya, have a unique legend that explains the origins of the elephant ancestry. According to their oral tradition, elephants were once humans, and this belief has been passed down through generations.
The legend goes that a newly wed Samburu bride was leaving her childhood home with her new husband. Before she left, her father gave her strict instructions that she was not to look back at the manyatta (homestead), which is a traditional Samburu settlement consisting of several huts surrounded by a fence made of thorn bushes. However, the girl couldn't resist turning around and taking one last wistful glance at her childhood home.
As soon as she did this, the god N'gai, who is believed to be the creator of everything in the Samburu religion, was angered by her defiance and punished her. That night, the bride began to swell, eventually bursting out of the roof of the hut and turning into a great, grey elephant under the bright night sky.
From that moment on, all elephants are said to have descended from this first elephant girl, and this is the reason why even the mammary glands of both elephants and women are positioned in the same place. This legend is still an important part of Samburu culture today and is passed down from generation to generation.
In the video below you can see the mammary glands of the elephant;
positioned in the same place as women.
Video by LouAnne Brickhouse
Today still, the Samburu people have a strong connection to elephants in their daily lives and have even developed a special relationship with elephants, co-existing and sharing the same water sources. The story of the elephant ancestry in Samburu culture reflects the deep connection between the Samburu people and elephants. The legend provides insight into the Samburu's spiritual beliefs and cultural practices, and it also highlights the importance of respecting nature and the environment.
