Yaakunte is one of the estimated 200 languages spoken on the African continent that will likely disappear within the next century; there are only about 2 fluent Yaakunte speakers left. The traditionally hunter-gatherer Yaaku tribe resides in Kenya's central Laikipia North, and have long struggled to maintain a solid sense of cultural identity.
Despite ongoing issues with rights recognition, some Yaaku remain proud of their roots. 26-year-old Juliana Lorisho is the only fluent Yakuunte speaker of her generation. She has plans to transcribe her grandfather’s stories, a portal into an impervious past–one where the Yaaku once lived in caves, hunted for giraffes, and foraged honey to take part in rituals to summon rain. “Yaakunte will also help the government recognize and give us our own identity,” she says.
