# Aweer people

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Cushitic ethnic group

Ethnic group

Aweer Total population 20,103[1] Regions with significant populations Kenya, Somalia Languages Aweer, Somali (In Somalia) Religion Predominantly Sunni Islam[2] Minority Traditional[2] Related ethnic groups Other Cushitic-speaking peoples, especially Garre

The **Aweer** (also known as the **Boni**, **Waboni**,[3] **Wa-Boni**,[4] and **Sanye**) are a [Cushitic](/source/Cushitic_peoples) ethnic group inhabiting the [Coast Province](/source/Coast_Province) in southeastern [Kenya](/source/Kenya). Some members are also found in southern [Somalia](/source/Somalia). They are indigenous foragers, traditionally subsisting on hunting, gathering, and collecting honey.

## Overview

Evidence suggests that the Aweer/Boni, along with the related Dahalo and Wata, are remnants of the early [Bushman](/source/Bushmen) hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Eastern Africa. According to linguistic, anthropological and other data, these groups later came under the influence and adopted the [Afro-Asiatic languages](/source/Afro-Asiatic_languages) of the [Eastern](/source/Lowland_East_Cushitic_languages) and [Southern Cushitic](/source/South_Cushitic_languages) peoples who moved into the area. [Dahalo](/source/Dahalo_language) has consequently retained some of the characteristic [click sounds](/source/Click_consonant) of the [Khoisan](/source/Khoisan_languages) languages.[5]

The Aweer have historically been known in the literature as *Boni* or *Sanye*, both of which are derogatory terms for low-caste groups.[2][6] Their lives were drastically changed when the Kenyan government curtailed their traditional way of life in the 1960s, forcing them to settle in villages along the Hindi-Kiunga Road, between the [Boni National Reserve](/source/Boni_National_Reserve) and the [Dodori National Reserve](/source/Dodori_National_Reserve).[7] Although the majority of the Aweer settled in villages located in this corridor between the two reserves, some established themselves in nearby [Bajuni](/source/Bajuni_people) villages.

Today, the Aweer in Kenya have been encouraged to adopt farming as their main livelihood.[2] However, they also continue to engage in many of their traditional hunter-gatherer practices, utilizing the nearby forests for the collection of wild honey, plants for traditional medicine and building materials, and bush meat to supplement their diets. With laws banning the hunting of all wildlife in Kenya, the Aweer's traditional way of life is in danger.[8] Although Aweer overwhelmingly reside in the East African nation of Kenya, due to the Aweer's traditional dwellings along the protuberant coastline, the Aweer, as well as other inhabitants of Lamu County are sometimes referred to as *[Horners](/source/Horner_(demography))*.[9]

## Demographics

According to the 2019 Kenyan population census, around 20,103 Aweer live in Kenya, where they are an officially recognized group. They have traditionally been concentrated in forests in the [Coast Province](/source/Coast_Province), particularly the [Lamu](/source/Lamu_County) and [Tana River](/source/Tana_River_County) districts.[1]

Some Aweer also inhabit southern Somalia's [Badhade](/source/Badhadhe_District) district.[10]

## Language

The Aweer speak the [Aweer language](/source/Aweer_language), also known as Boni. It belongs to the [Cushitic](/source/Cushitic_languages) branch of the [Afro-Asiatic](/source/Afro-Asiatic_languages) family.[2]

According to *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)*, there are around 8,000 speakers of Aweer/Boni. Most are bilingual and speak the languages of their immediate neighbors, with about 20% speaking only Aweer.[2]

Aweer linguistically resembles [Garre](/source/Garre_language), but the speakers are physically and culturally unalike.[11] The language is believed to be threatened by extinction.[6]

## Religion

The Aweer historically practised [traditional faiths](/source/Traditional_African_religion) such as [Waaqism](/source/Waaqism), though most have today adopted [Islam](/source/Islam).[2]

## See also

- [Hadza](/source/Hadza_people)

- [Sandawe](/source/Sandawe_people)

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Census2019_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Census2019_1-1) ["2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics"](https://www.knbs.or.ke/?wpdmpro=2019-kenya-population-and-housing-census-volume-iv-distribution-of-population-by-socio-economic-characteristics&wpdmdl=5730&ind=7HRl6KateNzKXCJaxxaHSh1qe6C1M6VHznmVmKGBKgO5qIMXjby1XHM2u_swXdiR). *Kenya National Bureau of Statistics*. Retrieved 24 March 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Ethnbob_2-6) ["Aweer"](http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=bob). Ethnologue. Retrieved 10 August 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society; Coryndon Memorial Museum; Museums Trustees of Kenya (1910). [*The Journal of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society*](http://archive.org/details/journalof345819121914east). Smithsonian Libraries. London; New York : Longmans, Green. p. 37.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Fitzgerald, William Walter Augustine (1898). [*Travels in the coastlands of British East Africa and the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba; their agricultural resources and general characteristics*](http://archive.org/details/travelsincoastl01fitzgoog). Harvard University. London, Chapman & Hall. p. 335.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Aminmoll_5-0)** Mohamed Amin, Peter Moll (1983). *Portraits of Africa*. Harvill Press. p. 16. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0002726394](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0002726394).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Brenzinger_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Brenzinger_6-1) Brenzinger, Matthias, ed. (1992). [*Language Death: Factual and Theoretical Explorations with Special Reference to East Africa*](https://books.google.com/books?id=iKHOeLDvUVgC). Walter de Gruyter. p. 323. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [3110134047](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/3110134047).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** (2007, p. 472)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Umar, Abdi (2000). ["Herding into the New Millennium: Continuity and Change in the Pastoral Areas of Kenya"](https://books.google.com/books?id=_84Gg-o5BhYC&q=aweer+international+labor+office&pg=PA45). *Traditional Occupations of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples: Emerging Trends*. International Labor Organization. pp. 44–45. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [92-2-112258-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/92-2-112258-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Amin, Rajan, et al. "Africa's forgotten forests: the conservation value of Kenya's northern coastal forests for large mammals." Journal of East African Natural History 107.2 (2019): 41-61.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Prins_10-0)** A.H.J. Prins. 1960 Notes on the Boni, a Tribe of Hunters in Northern Kenya. *Bulletin of the International Committee on Urgent Anthropological and Ethnological Research.* Vol. 1 (3): 25-27; 1963 The Didemic Diarchic Boni. *The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute.* Vol. 93 (2): 174-85.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Frawley_11-0)** Frawley, William, ed. (2003). [*International Encyclopedia of Linguistics, Volume 1*](https://books.google.com/books?id=sl_dDVctycgC). Oxford University Press. p. 408. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0195139771](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0195139771).

## References

- Kipuri, Naomi (2007). "Kenya". In Sille Stidsen (compilation and ed.) (ed.). [*The Indigenous World 2007*](https://web.archive.org/web/20081022134122/http://www.iwgia.org/sw29940.asp). International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs yearbooks series. Marianne Wiben Jensen (Horn of Africa and East Africa regional ed.). Copenhagen: [IWGIA](/source/IWGIA), distributed by Transaction Publishers. pp. 468–476. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-87-91563-23-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-87-91563-23-2). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1024-0217](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1024-0217). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [30981676](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/30981676). Archived from [the original](http://www.iwgia.org/sw29940.asp) (PDF online edition) on 2008-10-22.

- Antipa, R. S, Ali, M. H. and Hussein, A. A. (2007) [Preservation and Maintenance of Biological Diversity Related Knowledge of Indigenous Diversity and Local Communities with Traditional Lifestyles Boni Forest, Ijara District](https://web.archive.org/web/20111003041745/http://www.terranuova.info/file_download/49). National Environmental Management Authority of Kenya.

- International Labour Office. "Part I: Traditional Economies." Traditional Occupations of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples: Emerging Trends. International Labour Organization, 2000. 318. Print.

- "THE AWEER PEOPLE." AFRICAN FIRST PEOPLES: THE AWEER PEOPLE. ECOTERRA Intl. Web. 19 Feb. 2012. [The Aweer People](http://www.aweer.org/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220522201655/http://aweer.org/) 2022-05-22 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine).

## External links

- [AWEER](http://www.aweer.org/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220522201655/http://aweer.org/) 2022-05-22 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

v t e Ethnic groups in Kenya (by linguistic origin) Niger–Congo Agumba Bajuni Bravanese Chonyi Digo Embu Giriama Jibana Kamba Kikuyu Kisii Kuria Luhya Mbeere Meru Mijikenda Pokomo Samia Suba Swahili Taita Taveta Nilo-Saharan Ariaal Ateker Camus Ilchamus Kalenjin Kipsigis Lembus Okiek Tugen Kore Laikipiak Luo Girango Maasai Okiek Kinare Samburu Teso Turkana Uasin Gishu Afroasiatic Aweer Daasanach El Molo Orma Oromo Borana Oromo Gabra Rendille Somali Waata Yaaku Immigrants Asians Chinese Indians Europeans Jews Source: Population and Housing Census - Ethnic Affiliation

Authority control databases National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Aweer people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aweer_people) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aweer_people?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.