A unique variety of honey among the Akamba people, especially in Makueni County, is called uki wa nzuki wa kithiia. The semi-arid, previously eastern province of Kenya, which stretches east from Nairobi to Tsavo and north up to Embu, is home to the Bantu-speaking Akamba people. This territory, known as Ukambani, is made up of the counties of Machakos, Kitui, and Makueni.
Originally hunters and gatherers, the Akamba developed into long-distance traders due to their strong communication skills, intimate knowledge of the large territory they occupied, and positive relationships with other people. The availability of the new territories they came to occupy allowed them to pursue subsistence farming, pastoralism, and beekeeping as a means of life only later.
Among other plants, honey bees get nectar from various acacia trees, sisal, and maize. Though it is uncommon, the Akamba people consider Acacia mellifera honey to be their favorite and always the finest. Acacia mellifera is a tall, spherical shrub that may grow up to 9 meters in height. The branches of this plant are covered with thorns that are extremely sharp and twisted. “Bravery starts from a very young age,” according to the Akamba community’s adage, “kithiia kyumanasya nthi na miw’a ya kyo,” which literally translates to “A.mellifera plant sprouts from the ground with its thorns.”
Honey from Acacia mellifera is often practically clear and viscous, but as it crystallizes, it turns white or pale yellow. The color is said to derive from the creamy white Acacia mellifera blossoms. This honey’s high fructose content is known to cause it to crystallize slowly. White Acacia mellifera blossom honey is accessible from January to March and September to December during the dry seasons.
Among the Akamba, honey is also an essential part of the presents that families exchange for a wedding and cannot be replaced with cash. It is also used to cure cattle hoof and mouth disease and to preserve meat, producing a local brew known as kaluvu (named kimee in other parts of Ukambani). Because it is said to increase desire, males consume the eggs, larvae, and pupa, while the wax is discarded.
Knowledge of beekeeping has been passed down through the generations, and some family lineages have their names derived from their beekeeping endeavors. Conventional hives can endure high tropical temperatures and rainfall for up to twenty years and are often constructed from old hardwood trees. In order to provide the hive with “good” insulation during the hot, dry season, the wood is hollowed out. To draw swarms, propolis resin is utilized as bait.
A multitude of reasons have played a role in the decline of traditional beekeeping knowledge and practices. One is Christianity: the habits of using honey to pay the bride price and manufacturing beer out of it were judged inappropriate by Christian missionaries. Kenyans who become Christians share this viewpoint for these reasons. Another concern is deforestation, which results from individuals chopping down trees in an unsustainable manner in order to burn charcoal. Because of this, there are fewer Acacia mellifera trees, which are known to develop slowly. As a result, finding this type of honey is already uncommon.
