THROUGH OPEN DOORS

A view of Asian Cultures in Kenya

CYNTHIA SALVADORI, of Anglo-Italian parentage, started life on a farm in Kenya's Rift Valley, but was raised in Europe and America. She attended the University of California (Berkeley) where she studied Cultural Anthropology. For the past thirty years she has combined travelling with writing and photography in Africa. She has collaborated with Andrew Fedders in several' books. and has herself written and illustrated

numerous articles on ethnology, natural history and

travel.

Her interest in the Asian cultures in Kenya stemmed from simple curiosity but then, due to the Asians' enthusiastic cooperation, became an all-absorbing fascination which caused the original

1983 edition of this book to grow into this expanded. revised version.

Colourful, exotic and stereotyped. described by outsiders in terms of cliches resounding with ignorance, the Asians of Kenya are superficially known and much misunderstood

by other ethnic groups. The very name "Asians' indiscriminately lumps together communities of immense diversity and complexity. The Asians of Kenya compose a kaleidoscope of cultures. And their cultures, encountered and observed through open doors, are what this book is all about.

Described in the text and illustrated by a large selection of beautiful photographs, are the following communities, associations and sects.

• Ahle Sunnat Samatri Jamat

• Ahmadiyya Mission

• Ananda. Marga Mission

• Arya Samaj

• Badala Jamat

• Baluchis (Makadara

• Social Club)

• Bengali Assöciation

• Bhatia Samaj Community

• Bhoi Raj (Rajput bhoi Punch community)

• Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam

• Sanstha (BAPS Swaminarayan)

• Brahma Kumaris

• Brahma Sabha

• Brahma Samaj

• Cutchi-Gujarati Hindu Union

• Cutchi Kadwa Patel Gnati

• Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj

• Cutchi Madhapur Patel Gnati

• Cutchi Sunni Jamat

• Cutchi Sunny Muslim Union

• Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple

• Dawoodi Bohra Community

• Digamber Jain Mumksu Mandal

• E.A. Satsang Mandal (Swaminarayan)

• Girnar Son! Seva Mandal

• Goan Community

• Goan Institutes (Nairobi & Mombasa Institutes)

• Goan Gymkhana

• Gurjar Sutar Community

• (Muslim) Hajam Jamat

• Hindu Council of Kenya

• Indian Christian Union

• ISKCON (Hare Krishna)

• Jain Swetamber Derawasi Sangh

• Jalaram Nivas

• Jilla Navsari Darji Gnati

• Kashmir Association

• Kathiawar.Jansari Gnati Mandal

• Kathiawar Kadwa Patidar Gnati Mandal

• Khoja lthnasheri Association

• (Muslim) Khumbar Jamat

• Kokni Muslim Association

• Kokni Muslim Union

• Limbachia Gnati Mandal

• Lohana Mahajan Mandal

• Luhar Gnati Mandal

• Luhar Wadha Jamat

• Maharashtra Mandal

• Marthoma Church

• Meisura Gnati Mandal

• Memon (Akdi &Halai) Jamat

• Mochi Gnati Mandal

• Muslini Association

• Namdhari Sangat

• Nangarias

• Nasserpuria Memon Jamat

• Navnat Vanik Mahajan

• Parajia Pattni Samaj

• Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman

• parsi Anjuman

• Patel Brotherhood

• Pattni Brotherhood

• Punjabi Muslims

• Raja Yoga Centres (Brahma Kumaris)

• Rajput Dhobi League

• (E.A.) Rajput League

• Rajputana Community

• Ramgharia Board

• Ramgharia Sikh Sabha

• Sai Baba Centres

• Sanatan Dharma Sabha

• Shia Imami Ismailia Association

• Shia Ithnasheri Jamat

• Sikh Council of Kenya

• Sindhi Community

• Siri Guru Singh Sabha

• Social Service League

• Sorothia Prajapati Gnati Mandal

• South Indian Cultural Association

• Sri Aurobindo Society Circle

• Sthanakwasi Jain Mandal

• Sunni Bohras

• Surat District Association

• Surat Prajapati Union

• Surti Khalifa Jamat

• Surti Mochis

• Surti Muslims

• Swaminarayan Sidhant Sajivan Mandal

• Visa Oshwal Community

• Wanza Union

This is extract from the book 'THROUGH OPEN DOORS' available on Amazon