Khukololosia embulu is a Bukusu saying that simply means straightening the alligator. There was once a time when I overheard my mum talk to her sister about one of us. Intially, I was not sure who it was, but it was about my aunt missing out on opportunity khukololosia embulu. Now what had this certain wanadayase done? To get to the answer, allow me paint you a picture of my mothers house.
Whenever you visit mum, you’ll never find her idling. Relaxation for her is when she’s has beans or green grams or maize or traditional vegetables in a shimwero that she’s preparing for some meal to be had soon or sooner. As such, it is easy to know when mum is at peace.
First, she fetches two shimweros. One will be reasonably filled with unsorted beans. The second one will be empty ready to receive the clean sorted beans. Then there will be two lutelu (uteo) — one for her, and another for you.
She will hand you one lutelu and use the other. The clean beans are kept in one shimwero; and all the dirt and unworthy beans are (eventually) tossed among the marakicha (banana plants) growing in her chandangu (backyard in Lulogooli). This is the time mum will open her heart.
As you help her sort her beans three ways – seeds, food and dirt – a rare opportunity presents for one to experiencing her other side. Not the disciplinarian yielding lukhendu, but the warm and welcoming woman who has all her things under her grip.
Khukololosia embulu
You will hear her talk about her animals, her crops in the farms, her church, her vyamas, her work, your siblings, her neighbors etc etc. In short you will get all the village gossip first hand.
It was on one such holy moment when I walked in on her and her sister, my auntie Susie whom we fondly refer to as mayi Susi. This day mayi Susi had paid us one of her extended visits. As expected therefore, Mum and her sister were bonding. Usually, they would catching up on the many things women do in homes. They would also catching up about their ‘houses’. This included the status of their children.
Growing up, we all knew that everything we did mum shared with mayi Susi and senje if need be. It was often in that order mayi then senje for one simple reason. Mayi Susi had made it her business that we were not to bring shame to her sister by occasioning senje to be called on us.
So I overheard mum tell mayi Susi how by her visit being a week late, she had missed an opportunity khukololosia embulu. Mum was referring to my brother who had started disturbing people’s daughters in the village. She talked to him but my brother did not heed to her advise forcing him to talk to her lukhendu…. Hahaha!
