The Rendille Subsistence Groups Based on Age-System

Abstract

The Rendille, Eastern Cushitic camel pastoralists, live in northern Kenya of East Africa. In this article, firstly, the age-system, the developmental cycle of the family, and the organization of subsistence group are analyzed, and it is concluded that the age-system and the patrilineal descent group with higher political, economic, and residential corporateness play an important role in maintaining the pastoral subsistence of the Rendille. Secondly, the Rendille age-system is compared with that of their neighboring pastoral peoples in terms of structure and function, and it is discussed that some modifications have been made in the three points: the period of enrollment into age-set, acceptance of climbing up to a higher age-set, and sapadi institution, on the age-system to meet the Rendille subsistence.