John Robb notes that the resurgence of tribal warfare can come suddenly, as in Kenya, where democratic elections led to an oddly civilized form of traditional warfare: daytime battles between large groups of archers. Time looks at Peace and Poison Arrows in Kenya:
December’s election saw incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, who belongs to the Kikuyu tribe, defeat opposition leader Raila Odinga, a Luo, in a contest that opposition supporters said was rigged. Kenyans, who often vote along tribal lines, then found themselves caught in ethnic clashes marked by swinging machetes, soaring stones and flying arrows that have left hundreds dead. Hospitals and morgues saw instance after instance of victims with arrows lodged in their heads and chests. A peace deal was struck Thursday between Kibaki and Odinga, establishing a coalition government. But some Kenyans fear the violence is not yet over, blaming century-old land disputes. “We have been making arrows since we were attacked a month ago,” Sylvester says, amid the sound of hammers clanging against steel nails. “It’s for our own self-defense.” “We cannot know the time of day when they [the Kalenjin, another rival tribe] will come. If they catch you off guard, you’re dead,” says Samuel, 25, holding a bundle of ready arrows.
The associated slide show is eye-opening: