Culture is a strong part of people's lives and goes a long way in influencing their world’s views, values, history, humour, hopes, and even fears.
Africa can as well be the world’s melting pot and from Cape Town to Cairo, one is bound to be blown away from all the different and unique culture practised by different African nationalities from all walks of life and some for millennia.
Kenya on its hand has no shortage of cultural icons who represent one cause or another and have over time proven their passion, determination and bravery.
Considering that, here are 9 young cultural icons in Kenya today.
Jeruto is former Miss World Kenya 2017 and the first ever Miss World Kenya to be crowned with cropped hair.
On 18th November 2017 during the Miss World pageant in Sanya, China she warded off stiff competition to make it to the top five on her first attempt at the world crown.
She is a professional travelling consultant.
Robert Bula and Finali Galaiya
Robert Bula and Finali Galaiya were crowned Mr and Miss Kenya 2018 respectively in a colourful ceremony held at the Westlands mall rooftop, Nairobi.
The two continue to fly the Kenyan flag high on the international stage.
Emmanuel Silas and Maryanne Muigai
Tanzanian national Emmanuel Silas Shedrack and her Kenyan counterpart Maryanne Muigai are the reigning Mr and Miss Albinism East Africa 2018.
The two who have albinism condition were crowned winners of the annual beauty pageant at a colourful ceremony held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) last year.
They walked away with cash prizes and a chance to be ambassadors for the partner organizations for a year.
The competition which attracted 30 participants was organized by the Albinism Society of Kenya with partners in Uganda and Tanzania.
Ms Mukila is a perfect example of succeeding against all odds.
Ms Mukila, who was born deaf and mute was crowned MISS DEAF AFRICA 2018 at the Miss Deaf International pageant. The International Expo for the Deaf in Taiwan (IEDT) and the Miss & Mister Deaf International Inc. (MMDI) was held on the 6th-18th of Jul, 2018.
Babelyn was also crowned Miss Tourism Mombasa County, 2016/17.
She said, through her interpreter, that even though she was born deaf and mute this does not stop her from following her dreams. Her passion to represent the deaf and mute society continues to give her the motivation.
“We as the deaf people have never got an opportunity to be represented in such events and so we want to show people that we also can do this,” said Babelyn through her interpreter.
Jobanputra is the reigning Miss India Worldwide Kenya.
She intends to use her crown to champion for women’s rights and advocate for happiness in the world.
She is also a budding rapper and believes the Kenyan Indian community will perhaps give birth to a new genre of music blending Swahili, Sheng rap lyrics with Gujarati choruses.
Joyce, who hails from Webuye West constituency was last year crowned Miss Tourism Bungoma County, 2018 after beating 19 other contestants at the second edition of Miss Tourism Bungoma.
The third-year student at Chuka University taking Mathematics and Physics runs her own foundation called Okoa Bungoma Foundation which hopes to better the lives of Bungoma residents and Kenya at large.
Gabriel “Iron Shaffi” Mukundi
Nairobi's heavyweight bodybuilder is the reigning Mr Kenya Bodybuilding champion.
Mukundi, ventured into bodybuilding in June 2016 when he won Mr Kamukunji Talent Search Bodybuilding championship before setting his sights on Mr Kenya.
The 27-year-old bodybuilder says his focus now is to contest for the Mr Olympic title.
Sheetal Kotak, 37, is the reigning Miss Kenya Figure.
She started her journey in 2008 when she joined a gym and began doing aerobics. As she progressed, her exercise routine became excessive and as they say, the rest is history.
She has battled depression, anorexia, alcoholism, and low self-esteem to be where she is today.
Ms Alimlim is the current holder of Miss Ateker Turkana 2018 and will represent Turkana culture at Moroto Grand Finale on 9th June.
Miss Ateker is a beauty pageant that stands for peace and culture. It is a unifying factor of the six Ateker communities which include the Teso (both in Kenya and Uganda), the Turkana (Kenya), the Karamojong’ (Uganda), the Jie (Uganda), the Toposa (South Sudan) and the Nyangatom (Ethiopia).
The Ateker Beauty Pageantry was initiated by young people from Kenya (Turkana) and Uganda (Karamoja) regions who saw it necessary to bring together the Ateker community for development and peaceful coexistence. The pageant hopes to use beauty and art to address harmful traditional practices and attitudes that hinder the progress and development of the community.
![Graça Machel was born in 1945 [CGTN]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Graça Machel was born in 1945 [CGTN]")
