Final answer:
The Maasai and Turkana ethnic groups in Kenya share pastoralist traditions, but factors such as environment, exposure to tourism, and socio-economic pressures have influenced their subsistence patterns differently. The Maasai are more involved with tourism and have herding practices adapted to semi-arid areas, while the Turkana may diversify their subsistence due to harsher conditions in more arid regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the differences in subsistence patterns between the Maasai and the Turkana, two ethnic groups in Kenya. Both groups are traditionally pastoralists; however, various factors have influenced their subsistence patterns differently. For the Maasai, cattle are a central element of their culture and economy, representing wealth and social status. Their herding practices are adapted to semi-arid regions along the Kenya-Tanzania border. The Maasai's visibility in tourism also affects their subsistence as interactions with tourists can provide alternative sources of income. However there are also sociopolitical pressures from both local and national governments that attempt to settle nomadic or semi-nomadic groups like the Maasai, affecting their traditional ways of life.
Conversely the Turkana people, living in the more arid regions, may have different subsistence strategies. They face challenges in herding due to harsher climatic conditions and may engage more in alternative livelihood strategies, such as fishing or small-scale agriculture, when possible. Additionally the Turkana's interaction with tourism is less pronounced than that of the Maasai, thus their traditional subsistence patterns may be less influenced by this factor. In summary while both the Maasai and Turkana have pastoralist traditions, their differing environments, exposure to tourism and socio-economic pressures have influenced their respective subsistence patterns in distinct ways.