Literature — Ngugi wa Thiong'o

Ngugi wa Thiong'o is Kenya's — and one of Africa's — most significant writers. His work, especially Weep Not, Child (1964, the first East African novel in English) and Petals of Blood (1977), addresses colonialism, social injustice, and cultural identity.

In the 1970s, Ngugi consciously chose to write in Gikuyu (his mother tongue) instead of English — a radical and much-discussed move that reignited the debate about language and colonialism in Africa. He was imprisoned by the Moi government and has lived in exile ever since. He is considered a perennial candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Kiondo Baskets

The Kiondo baskets of the Kikuyu and Kamba are another famous Kenyan craft — handwoven sisal baskets with geometric patterns, popular worldwide as shopping bags, decoration, and fashion accessories. Fair-trade cooperatives in Kenya's highlands produce them for export.