The Mijikenda ("the nine tribes") are the nine ethnic groups along the coast of Kenya, from the border of Somalia in the north to the border of Tanzania in the south. Archaeologist Chapuruka Kusimba contends that the Mijikenda formerly resided in coastal cities but settled in the hinterlands of the area to avoid submission to dominant Portuguese forces in control.Historically, these ethnic groups have been called the Nyika or Nika by outsiders. It is a derogatory term meaning "bush people." Of the nine ethnic groups, the Digo are also found in Tanzania due to their proximity to the common border.