Some of you might have had a chance of a visit or a stay in western Kenya. If not, then you might have interacted with my people, the Luhya, anywhere in this country – because we are everywhere. As a result, you must have heard of the Luhya word omwami. Chances are you might have used it correctly or incorrectly. Worry not as today we set the record straight. What’s the meaning of omwami, a Luhya word that’s crossed over to be part of everyday vocabulary of your average Kenyan?
Highlights
Omwami is a word of respect used to refer to:
- Clan elder or clan head.
- Your boss i.e your employer, sponsor or benefactor.
- A supreme leader, king or royalty.
- An elected leader.
- A respected figure in whichever field.
- Your husband – as in ‘your king‘.
- A resourceful person such as a wealthy person, influential magnet or one with deep networks. Omwami is also used as:
- a greeting or salutation;
- a way to identify a Luhya or something relating to Luhya;
- an expression of gratitude i.e thank you.
Omwami is boss
My people make good and loyal servants. Having been brought up and equally educated to be resourceful, we come in handy for all sorts of jobs – blue collar, pink collar or white collar. For example, you might hire one of us as your night guard, your hand will do the job so good that the listing on the guy’s resume of previous work as a groundsman or painter or car washers or loader at a warehouse might seem a stretch. Until of course you ask your hire to paint a picket or tend your lawn or wash your car.
As long as you keep your end of the bargain and take care of us, we are game. Do that and my brother from Emutsitswi or Port or Sichei or wherever in Mulembe will fondly refer to you as omwami. Omwami or omudosi, meaning boss.
The thing with us is that once we establish that omwami connect, we’ll give our best to help you occupy your throne. Thus we will fill our peers ears with what omudosi likes; what you don’t like; what you eat and what your big German shepherd dog the size of a small bull devours.
More importantly, because your gainful engagement of his services is what feeds his family, my brother from ingo will introduce you to his wife back at home. He will even invite his wife and kids to come visiting every so often. All this because you showed us respect thus we reciprocate by not just calling you so, but also making you feel like the omwami you are.
Talks to the respect reserved for a supreme leader/ king or royalty
Omwami is a term used to refer to anyone who yields royal power or has the musambwa of leadership in his bloodline. This includes tribal royalty who may have been disposed by time. The noun omwami is used here to show respect and honor the person leader. An example that comes to mind is the late omwami Sudi Namachanja of the Bukusu. Chief Angaya of the Maragoli; Heck, even Wakoli okhwa Mukisu the Bukusu freedom fighter. And of course, the most famous of all, Nabongo Mumia.
Elected leader
All elected members of parliament, governors, MCAs etc are babami. Omwami in this case is used to show respect to them for being custodians of the peoples power. Moreover, the term omwami is used in reference to both former and current leaders of the land. We can for example have omwami Elijah Mwangale, omwami Mukhisa Kituyi, or even omwami Dr. Julia Ojiambo because omwami is a unisex term.
Meaning of omwami – A respected figure
Omwami is a Luhya word meaning a respected person — either for their position in society or respected for their work in a certain field. All village administrators, chiefs and assistant chiefs, the cops, teachers, pastors and all professionals are babami. Scholars like the late Calestous Juma are babami. Artists like the late babami Samwel Namatete, Amos Baraza of Bindu Vichenjanga fame, Luhya comedians The Musalia Mudambi, Choffuri and Mulamwah are also babami in their own right.
Omwami is a romantic way to refer to ‘your king’
As in: your man, your omundu strong, your omwami. You might have heard the praises heaped from our Masaba sisters over in Uganda. How they know how to make a man feel good. Well, beyond kachabali, the kneeling when serving their men, they are in the little habit of calling their men omwami.
Omwami is also used to refer to a person with resource
Have you met a lad in need of, say, something like alcohol? Or “za macho”? Have you gone back to the village for Christmas for vacay after working in the big city for the whole year? Did you notice the smiles and enthusiasm from your village mates? Were they eager to help you with everything including carrying your phones? All this will drama must have come with you being christened a new name: omwami.
This is because your childhood friends and kin who never made it out of the village expect your city dwelling self to come bearing some gifts. The term omwami in this case is being used in reference to the subject’s ability to own/control or at least influence the distribution of resources like money, opportunity, privilege, goodies, business etc.
Is a greeting/salutation
Just saying omwami is enough for the subject of your attention to know that you have acknowledged them. You know the way cops salute those people senior to them? Yes, when somebody greets you by saying ‘omwami’, their intention is to relay a similar level of respect.
Now allow me let you in on something. This greeting is as egalitarian as the spirit of mulembe. This is to say that it’s a greeting not only for the high and mighty, but one that acknowledges great effort in any endeavor. So the next time you meet your boda guy, barber, salonist and even your house-help salute him or her omwami!
Meaning of omwami – That of and from mulembe
In the towns, you often overhear: “Go to the shop of omwami, and you’ll find what your looking for there.” Or, “You must know him. He’s the omwami who all the ladies in the estate have the hots for.”
An expression of gratitude
There is so many ways that a Luhya can say thank you. Such honorable mien is stuff that’s hardwired into us because we are a people with that kind of ethos in our DNA. So the next time you are good to a brother or sister of mine and they simply say: ‘Omwami’; accept their heartfelt gratitude.
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