Akamba people alongside other central Bantu speaking people are
believed to have originated in the current Democratic Republic
of Congo and migrated to East Africa across Tanzania border.
They settled around Mount Kilimanjaro before migrating further
to the settle in the plains of Nithi at a place called Kiima Kya
Kyeu (Mountain of White). Due to frequent conflicts in the 16th
century with the neighboring Maasai people, the Akamba further
migrated to Chyulu Hills a place they purported to be safe. Due
to persistent drought, they further moved to Kibwezi plains. The
Akamba live in the semi-arid Eastern Province of Kenya
stretching east from Nairobi to Tsavo and north up to Embu. This
land is called Ukambani. The oldest form of Kamba artistic
expression have been engraving and painting of calabashes or
gouards. This art, mainly done by women, served both to
embellish and imbue the vessels with the mystic or spiritual
meaning. The Kamba are nowadays most known for African black
wood carvings, although this is a