Bad Friends and Good Enemies

This chapter examines the triad of Samburu, Pokot and Turkana in their oscillations between peaceful neighbors and deadly adversaries. Specifically, I explore the ironic conundrum that despite long-term, ritual bonds between Pokot and Samburu. interaction and affection between the groups is modest. In contrast, Samburu and Turkana have long engaged in both sporadic and devastating incidents of deadly warfare, yet maintain close interrelationships and relatively high levels of affection. Considering the ways in which peace and war are mediums for refracting identities I further critically consider the truism that if people only got to know each other they would not fight; Instead sometimes groups fight not because they do not know each other but because they do.