The gecko, namukhokhome, loves his caterpillars, esa, for food. But it reaches a time that even the gecko rejects what it loves: Namukhokhome kafucha esa. This Abanyala saying means that however much we try to hide the unsavory contours in our characters, they time to time get exposed.
Case in point is namukhokhome in this Abanyala proverb. A certain Luhya anecdote goes as follows: A gecko once tried swallowing a caterpillar. But the little fella was a feisty one. Not the usual esa that this particular namukhokhome had been used to gobbling up. For that particular day, the gecko was feeding at a place far off his usual beat. And so the story goes that the caterpillar refused to go down the gecko’s belly. It put up such a fight that the namukhokhome’s throat was hurt, occasioning it to spit out the esa.
A Lesson In Biology From The Abanyala Proverb: Namukhokhone Kafucha Esa
Just like with the folk story of Kibisu and the Maragoli proverb, Inyundu erondera kiheregete, the Abanyala proverb Namukhokhome kafucha esa, is yet another example of how Luhya folklore transmits valuable information. This Abanyala proverb concurs with what modern science says of geckos vomiting or regurgitating food.
Geckos infrequently throw up. When it does happen it’s often as a result of disease; poor environmental condition given their physiology as cold blooded creatures; or bad food.
The Proverb’s Lessons About Human Nature
Our forefathers used their knowledge of the mannerisms of the gecko as an allegory. Therefore, we can conclude that hidden nature of proverbs was used here to stress certain truths about human relations and the behavior of individuals.
Our forefathers wanted us to know that human relations are fragile. That it matters not how much love is invested for there comes a time when the beloved are rejected.
Our forefathers wanted us to know that even the best, most loyal of us have chinks in their character. Most importantly though, the message was: when dealing with humans as the Swahili say, hayawi hayawi huwa. No need sticking one’s head in the sand.
The Proverb’s Use In Politics
This saying has found a home in politics. The Luhya community if often mocked for its lack of political unity occasioned by what we here have come to term as the politics of nabutundu. The norm is such that the Luhya community always seems to get into lopsided coalition agreements with other communities.
Each of these coalitions has failed to deliver the political aspirations of the people of mulembe resulting in often acrimonious fallout. Before the cycle repeats itself. In 2017 for example Ford Kenya entered into a coalition with ODM and other parties to form Nasa.
After the elections, the Ford Kenya party leader who had been the minority leader in senate was ousted. You’d be forgiven to think that the Luhya political cabal would have rallied behind the man. Instead, other Luhya politicians in other camps were heard mocking him. The reason for taunting him is for failing to realize that co-principal or not, in politics more than anywhere: Namukhokhome kafucha esa.
Luhya proverbs from across Mulembe of similar meaning
- Ebikhusinyire orumasia. What you are fed up with, you give up/away or you spit out.
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