The Kenyan constitution guarantees freedom of worship, although British missionaries and white colonizers have largely influenced Kenya and about 70% of the population is Christian and follows either the Roman Catholic or Protestant faiths. Churches were founded in the 1920 and '30s, especially in areas where the Kikuyu, Luo, and Luhya people lived, who sought to combine Christianity and indigenous beliefs. There are still a number of mission churches run by international religious groups. Indigenous beliefs are varied but most involve a belief in an eternal god and spiritual forces, which are often ancestral spirits, who assist in day-to-day life. Many conduct ceremonies, oaths, and initiation rites, including circumcision among young men. Many Indians migrated to Kenya in the colonial years, so there are substantial communities of Hindus and Sikhs in the urban areas, especially Mombasa, Nairobi, and Kisumu. Most people living along the coast -- which has maintained contact with Muslims from the Arabian Peninsula since the 14th century when it was part of the trade route around the Indian Ocean -- follow Islam, and most Kenyan Muslims are Sunnites. Visitors to the coast must take precautions not to offend Muslims: Cover up bare flesh, make no public displays of affection, and don't eat and drink in public during the annual Ramadan fast.
