Among the Luhya, it mattered how one went to be with the ancestors. Because this had a say on the death and burial rituals that were to be performed in your honor. Unnatural deaths -those by way of accidents, lightening, suicide or murder as we saw in the case of khuuna kumusakhu– were taboo events … Read more
Our forefathers depended entirely on their lived environment for sustenance. Many of the jewels of the earth that fed, healed and protected our forefathers are still with us. We rediscover these gifts of mother nature by highlighting their cultural value. Kumwimbwi is one such the gift that keeps on giving. Kumwimbwi at a glance Scientific … Read more
Luhyas don’t just dream. We see in our sleep. In fact, in most Luhya dialects, the Luhya word for dream will stem from words that mean ‘to see’. For instance, among our Bukusu brothers the word for dreams is kamaroro, meaning visions or sightings. This is because in Luhya culture, dreams are a medium by … Read more
The rains are back, which means I finally got around to one of my favorite things: farming. Wele blessing us with water also means it’s time for my other favorite thing: taking in the glory of nature. Because, as the soil wets, new life is forth. Speaking of new life, last evening, I saw a … Read more
In part nine of this series on how to get away with eating rats- chimbeba, we opined that cheating wasn’t a cheap life style choice. In the same way, this installment of the twelve part series further cements this truth by way of describing in some detail, the ways of our forefathers. This captivating take … Read more
What happens when one is caught in the act? Bad things my brother. Horrible things. Luhya myths on infidelity utilize shame to keep the woman in check. For the man, the threat is death. An immediate, shameful death. As you may know, there’s little outside shame that the female psyche fears. For men, death is … Read more
In luhya culture, children are greatly valued. Consequently, the underlying theme in most stipulates of luyha traditions and folklore, is the engineering of a society with mulembe. Meaning, a society that protects and nourishes children. As these luhya myths on infidelity where children are involved demonstrate, child protection services didn’t start with the white man. … Read more
With finality, she dismissed the caller’s proposed antidote to the dire consequences of failing to abide by the stipulations of luhya myths on infidelity. “The fainting trick is bad.” She said. “My mulamwa was sick for two weeks, and the dead husband kept tormenting her at night. It’s no joke. Better to keep off completely … Read more
Meat in luhya culture, like in many African cultures, holds special cultural value. For example, luhya brothers are forbidden from sharing emondo . (The Maragoli and not Batsotso meaning of the word, thus chicken gizzard.) Sharing emondo would result in lifelong animosity between the two. This curse could easily trickle down generations resulting in brothers … Read more
Do luhya myths on infidelity apply to non luhyas? Well, there’s always that tingly when in a cross-cultural/tribal relationship. This is because everything with beau and your relationship feels exotic. Further, there’s that inflated sense of ‘winning’, especially when one thinks forward and imagines how cute the kids will be. The truth, however, is that … Read more
