Get to know the meaning and translation of aa taawe! It is a common Luhya word from the Bukusu language dialect. Learn pronunciation, know synonyms, similar words, similar sounding Bantu words as you build your vocabulary.
Meaning and translation of aa taawe!
excl
oh, no!
Pronunciation: How to say aa tawee!
Plural or singular form
Does not apply in this case as the phrase is an exclamation.
Practice sentence
Coming soon.
Synonyms of aa taawe!
Get to know Luhya words of similar or close meaning to aa taawe!
Maragoli synonyms
- davee
- ta!
- mago!
Homophones – similar sounding Bantu words
Coming soon.
Beyond the everyday: The meaning of ‘aa taawe!’ in Bukusu and Luhya culture
The Luhya word ‘tawee’ rose in popularity in the run up to Kenya’s August 9th 2022 General Elections. Some 100 days, or less, to the elections whose leading candidates were former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, a Western Kenya MP, Budalangi Constituency Member of Parliament Raphael B.S Wanjala, popularized a political chant song ‘tawee’.
In the song the MP is the soloist who calls out the names of Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetangula, William Ruto and sometimes a local rival from the Ruto camp; to his passionate call, the crowd answers back: “Tawee!” The point of the chant is to show that the people of western Kenya have ostensibly rejected in totality their sons, Musalia and Wentangula, and what they represent in their support for William Ruto’s candidacy.
It is a chant that symbolized the battle for the vote of Western Kenya in that election. But it in no way was the first time aa taawe had found use in Luhya politics. In Kenya’s 2013 Presidential Elections, Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani Coalition emerged third (483,981 votes representing 3.96% of valid votes cast) in an election that saw Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto’s elected (6,173,433 votes – 50.51%) president and deputy president on a Jubilee ticket. Raila Odinga’s CORD coalition was third with 5,340,546 votes (43.70% of valid votes cast)
It was an election in which Musalia Mudavadi banked on protest votes from his Luhya political base to upset the two horse race narrative of a Uhuru-Raila duel. Often, in his campaigns, one would hear the phrases: Jubilee tawee! CORD tawee!
About the Bukusu
The Bukusu or Babukusu are the largest of the 17 houses (sub-tribes/sub-communities) of the Luhya. Today, they are found largely Bungoma and Trans Nzoia Counties of Western Kenya and also in Eastern Uganda along the slopes of Mt Elgon or Mt Masaba. Learn all about Bukusu origin, clans, language, traditions and culture.
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