
He is an elder of the Kauma Kaya forest. His knowledge of the forest comes from his father and grandfather and dates back to the 16th Century when the Mijikenda people first settled in the Kaya forests.

The Kaya forests consist of 11 separate forest sites spread over some 200km along the coast of Kenya. The Kayas are now regarded by the Mijikenda people as the abodes of ancestors and are revered as sacred sites. They are maintained by a council of elders who are entrusted to ensure the protection of the forest.



Just as Hilary learnt traditional forest knowledge from his father and his grandfather, he now passes it down to his grandson.

Thank you to Greg Armfield and WWF UK for the beautiful images of Hilary and his family and his forests.
To find out more about the coastal forests of Kenya, visit this page.