Describes the United States resettlement of the largest single group of African refugees- some 11,800 Somali Bantu-and provides an historical and cultural perspective on their current situation. Resettlement interviews conducted at Dadaab, a collection of refugee camps in Kenya’s northwestern province, underscored the marginal and violent existence the Somali Bantus have endured for more than a decade as refugees. The article addresses Somali Bantu attitudes surrounding: (1) work, including their pursuit of employment opportunities in the camps; schooling, including different treatment of boys and girls; (2) medical practices, including the use of traditional healing remedies; and (3) the spiritual world, including superstitious beliefs that inform their daily life. Also explained are the phases of the resettlement process, which involved transporting the Somali Bantu to Kakuma refugee camp, administering medical checks, processing resettlement applications, and providing cultural orientation classes. After arrival in the U.S., cultural orientation will need to be reinforced continually because of the Somali Bantus’ low literacy and English levels and almost total lack of exposure to technology and urban life.
