Elgeyo (peuple)

Keiyo may also refer to Keiyo, a district in Kenya, Keiyo Line a railway line in Japan or Elgeyo escarpment The Elgeyo (also known as Keiyo) are an ethnic group who are part of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group of Nilotic origin. They live near Eldoret, Kenya, in the highlands of the former Keiyo District, now part of the larger Elgeyo Marakwet County. The Elgeyo originally settled at the foothills of the Elgeyo escarpment, in the area between Kerio river to the east and the escarpment to the west. Due to drought and famine in the valley, the Keiyos climbed the escarpment and started to settle on the highland east of Uasin Gishu plateau. When the British came, the Keiyos were pushed to settle in clusters called reserves. The Keiyo subsist mainly on grain, milk, blood, and meat provided by their cattle, sheep, and goats. The names Keiyo and Elgeyo have been used interchangeably. The former name is disputed as a corruption of the latter, which was coined by the Uasin Gishu Maasai, who were the neighbors of the Keiyo in the mid-19th century on the western side of the expansive Uasin Gishu plains. Like the rest of the Kalenjin, the Keiyo originated from a country in the north known as Emetab Burgei, which means the hot country. The people are said to have traveled southwards, passing through Mount Elgon or Tulwetab Kony in Kalenjin. The Sebeii settled around the slopes of the mountain while the others travelled on in search of better land. The Keiyo and Marakwet settled in the present Uasin Gishu plateau, Kerio Valley, and Cherangani Hills. The arrival of the warring Uasin Gishu Maasai in the present day Uasin Gishu plateau forced the Elgeyo to move away into the present day Kerio Valley during the expansion of the tribe. The loss of much of their grazing lands forced them to reduce their herds and rely more on agriculture. Due to population growth over time, the Keiyo community gradually moved and settled in urban areas to do work in major urban centers including Eldoret town, where they actively engage in businesses alongside the Marakwets, Nandis, and other non-Kalenjins.