The Kurya People

The largest ethnic group living in the lower Mara River Basin, Tanzania, are the Kurya People; a Bantu speaking people with possible Nilotic origins. The Kurya are an ethnic minority of about approximately 700,000-1,000,000 people living in a collection of subtribal groups or clans across the border area of Kenya and Tanzania in the basin region. The SELVA team spoke with Kurya people living across the lower basin and encountered communities living more traditionally in mud huts near the river, and communities that live in more modern structures.

The Kurya are well known for their gold mining activities in the region. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is prevalent in the Mara Region and provides income for thousands of families. However, this mining activity also contributes to water quality issues in the Mara River through the use of mercury and the disturbance of river banks and sediments.

The Kurya also practice agriculture and pastoralism. They grow maize, sorghum, and beans, and keep cattle, goats, and sheep. Their culture places a high value on cattle as symbols of wealth and social status. Understanding the Kurya's relationship with the Mara River — as a source of water, food, and cultural identity — is essential to SELVA's mission of supporting water security for both people and ecosystems.