Today, Mijikenda communities are gradually abandoning the Kayas in favour of informal urban settlements.

UNESCO: Culture

The Kambi (Councils of Elders) acts as the custodians of these Kayas and the related cultural expressions.

UNESCO: Culture

The use of natural resources within the Kayas is regulated by traditional knowledge and practices that have contributed to the conservation of their biodiversity.

UNESCO: Culture

Kayas are fortified settlements whose cultural spaces are indispensable for the enactment of living traditions that underscore the identity, continuity and cohesion of the Mijikenda communities.

UNESCO: Culture