Rhodia Mann

Rhodia Mann is a writer, researcher, bead and jewelry designer, and historical expert of several traditionally-pastoralist tribes in Kenya. She is well-known as a cultural specialist, and lectures widely on her fields of expertise. Rhodia has published six books and is the creator of a documentary, The Butterfly People. Each work chronicles her experiences and understanding of the Samburu and Borana tribes of Northern Kenya.^[1]

Upbringing & Family[edit]

Rhodia Mann is Polish-Romanian and was born in Kenya in 1942 to parents who fled Europe in the early 1940s as refugees from Nazi-invaded territory. Along with her brother and sister, Rhodia grew up in Nairobi while her parents worked with the British colonial government of Kenya. Her father, Igor, was a veterinarian and her mother, Erica, was an architect. Her childhood in Nairobi was filled with artists, writers, and intellectuals from all over the world. She was instilled with a sense of curiosity and a love of travel and adventure.^[2]

When Rhodia was nine years old, her father took her to visit the Samburu region of Kenya, then called the “Northern Frontier”. This visit forever changed her life, as it inspired her life’s work studying the land, life, and culture of the people who live there.^[3]

When she was 16, Rhodia had a life-defining dream in which she returned to the Samburu region. After high school, she studied fashion design in London and later, business studies. She then moved to Manhattan in New York City. As she continued to grow up and travel the world, Rhodia’s fascination with Kenyan history and culture merged with her interest in fashion, textiles, jewelry, and beads. When she was 30, Rhodia made her adolescent dream a reality and went back to Samburu.^[4]

Life & Work In Samburu[edit]

After many years of traveling to Samburu repeatedly, Rhodia forged a close bond with a Samburu family north of Maralal. The matriarch of the family, named Ntaipi, officially “adopted” Rhodia, exhibiting their uniquely close bond and providing her with unparalleled insight into Samburu culture. Rhodia was given the name “Noongishu”, which translates literally as “cattle”, but signifies a respected and independent woman within the community.^[5] Rhodia eventually started her own safari company in the region, which specialized in taking tourists on vigorous camping expeditions in Kenya’s arid north.^[6]

During many years spent among the Samburu people studying their lifestyle and culture, Rhodia began documenting what she saw. She is now the author of six books and the producer of a documentary, The Butterfly People. Each of these publications provides insights into the vibrant Samburu culture and their relationship with the Massai tribe.^[7] Through her writing, Rhodia demystifies cultural ceremonies, addresses the generational stratification of Samburu family structure, and helps readers understand the spiritual importance of the stars. Having dedicated her life to the study of Samburu culture, Rhodia was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in recognition of her devotion to research.^[8]

In 2018, Rhodia donated her extensive 50-year collection of rare and historic Samburu artifacts to the International School of Nairobi, where the Rhodia Mann Museum of Samburu Culture now exists. This permanent display is dedicated to educating students on the history of Samburu and marks an opportunity for Rhodia to share her lifetime involvement with the people of Northern Kenya. It includes authentic traditional artifacts, ceremonial beads, warriors’ spears, and other articles essential to understanding the Samburu culture. The exhibit also includes maps, original photographs, and copies of Rhodia’s published books.^[9]

A Passion for Beads[edit]

Rhodia is an accomplished jewelry designer and bead collector. These passions began to develop at the young age of nine, when she found her first beads on the beaches of Zanzibar when visiting with her father. She spent more than 40 years traveling all over the ancient bead worlds of Africa and Asia in search of rare beads and the history behind them, often using these pieces to create one-of-a-kind necklaces. She curated an exhibition on beads at the Nairobi National Museum in 2003.^[10]

Some of Rhodia’s most prized pieces are large blue Chevron beads that were given as gifts to African chiefs from European explorers and slave traders seeking permission to travel into tribal territories. Hand-blown white glass beads from 19th century Venice were also traded in exchange for male slaves.^[11]

Personal Details[edit]

Rhodia was once married, but later divorced. She did not remarry.^[12] She has two sons, both of whom live in New York City. Today, Rhodia lives in the outskirts of Nairobi and continues to champion the Samburu people and culture.^[13]

Published Works[edit]

Rhodia Mann is the author and creator of the following published works:

• Ethnographies:
  • Talk to the Stars: The Samburu of Northern Kenya^[14]

• • Hawecha: A Woman For All Time^[15]
    • A historical novel based on Borana culture
    • Runner-up 2009 Jomo Kenyatta Literature Awards

• • Ushanga: The Story of Beads in Africa^[16]
  • Safari to the Stars^[17]

• Memoirs
  • Ice Cream in Sololo: Journeys to the Heart of Life^[18]
    • Follow’s Rhodia’s life’s journey and tells the story of the Samburu as it was shared with her

• • A Woman of Two Worlds: How (not) to Become an Anthropologist^[19]

• Documentary
  • The Butterfly People: The Samburu of Northern Kenya
    • The film begins with Rhodia’s personal involvement with the Samburu family who adopted her, and is set against a background of magnificent scenery. Through the life story of her Samburu ‘mother’, Rhodia blends historical fact with folklore to give a history of Samburu, as far as it is known. The story takes us from the past into the present, and ultimately to the circumcision ceremonies of 2005.^[20]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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