In the Westernised world, it is widely accepted that a bride should wear white as she walks down the aisle – a symbol of new beginnings and an unexpected trend started by the British Queen Victoria in 1840. Many people still feel a shiver of fear down their spine when they walk past a black feline as it is assumed that they are harbingers of bad luck, and they also say that if a suitor gives you a red bouquet, this means they love you, but if the roses are yellow, perhaps they simply want to be friends. So, what’s in a colour? Why do we assign certain meanings to them, and how do these meanings vary across various cultures? 

In Kenya, several communities assign significant meanings to specific colours. Amongst the Maasai, who are known for their vibrant shukas, the colour red is held to an extremely high regard. It represents the lifeline of the community, as they nurture their bodies with the milk and blood of their sacred cows during times of famine, adorn themselves with red textiles for protection during war, and young adolescents rub red ochre on their skin to give them courage and encourage kinship as they partake in their initiation rituals. Among this community, black is considered a holy colour, representative of their deity, Enkai narok, and, so, initiates wear black cloths after circumcision to receive special protection from them. Black bulls are also specially used during age-set sacrifices, and married couples wear dark beads to represent the favour bestowed upon their union. 

As our country has its national colours – black, white, red and green – so do the various Kenyan communities who use certain colours to represent their unique stories, using them to make their clothing and artefacts. The Samburu are known to sport yellow and blue, and the Turkana have a soft spot for green. For the Gīkūyū, their beautiful Ndome shield is used to communicate their values and ideals. The base of the shield is white, a colour which represents the life force of the community, and the snowy peaks of Mt. Kenya, upon which their most high, Ngai lives. Then comes red soil which is mixed into an ochre paste, representing the femininity and fertility of the earth. Lastly, is a deep blue colour, which is used to represent a masculine force, which balances the feminine and provides energy from the sky in the form of rainwater. 

What interesting colour theories do you have in your community? Please share with us below.