Natural
Forêts sacrées de kayas des Mijikenda
Located in coastal Kenya, this site comprises a series of sacred forests known as kayas, which are traditional settlement and ritual spaces of the Mijikenda people. These forests represent a unique cultural and ecological phenomenon, serving as repositories of indigenous knowledge, spiritual practices, and biodiversity conservation. The kayas function as living cultural landscapes where oral traditions, customary law, and ancestral veneration have been maintained through generations. The forests themselves support distinct ecosystems and plant communities adapted to the coastal environment of East Africa. The inscription recognises the exceptional value of these sites as examples of how cultural and natural heritage are inseparably linked, with the sacred forests demonstrating sustainable management practices rooted in Mijikenda customs and beliefs. The kayas remain important centres of cultural identity and continuity for the Mijikenda communities who continue to utilise and protect these spaces according to traditional protocols.
