The luhya are among the few African cultures that don’t circumcise their women. What does that have to do with luhya myths on infidelity? Plenty we believe, but that’s of interest to anthropology. Anthropology is a compound subject matter that this series barely gleams the surface of. Conversely, this series on luhya myths on infidelity … Read more
“Lazima uoshwe na kamanyasi?” A perplexed Ayuma asked. Well versed on the predicament she faced, I affirmed that luhya myths on infidelity when divorced or separated demanded so. If one wished to bury their estranged spouse as ‘normal’ couples would, they had to partake of the ritualistic concoctions. “Ok, I’ll do it!” She answered, after … Read more
At a certain period in my teens, I fought with my parents over my refusal to attend church on Sundays. I lost the battle when my smart ass mum once quipped: “Who’s going to bury you when you die? Go to church so that they know you. Lest you get buried by the state in … Read more
Close proximity here means anything from: nursing him on his death bed, offering a bed bath or even cleaning his linen. This high threshold of ‘no touching ‘or ‘breathing his air’ applies especially to ‘complete’ marriages. A ‘complete’ marriage is one where dowry has been paid. Not just in form of cash or grains, but … Read more
Infidelity is the action or state of being unfaithful to a spouse or other sexual partner. In a study conducted by anti-cheating technology platform Trustify and published in February 2017, over 1/3 of marriages, reported infidelity of one or both partners. However, more recent infidelity statistics by the same firm are startling. In addition, contrary … Read more
Somewhere hidden among the vishigas of Vihiga, is a giant footprint of Jesus. Yes, the son of Joseph once rolled through these parts preaching mulembe, so goes the legend. If in doubt, there’s reason why Mary Sinaida Akata, Nabii Yohana (V), Yesu wa Tongaren and Jehovah Wanyonyi are all our people! It must have started … Read more
Some time back, we named our babies. Though we are yet to explore the whole shebang of naming and how luhya names come about, but some justice was done with our piece on Bukusu naming traditions. Today we talk about a phase in a baby’s development that can be the most embarrassing for young, inexperienced … Read more
This story illustrates a Maragoli folktale value to epidemiology. It is months like May that make Christmas sneak up on us. May is a dull, action dry month. It is not planting season like February, Easter season like March or April; not even likembe season that August gifts us. The fifth month of the year, … Read more
It’s not often that one can link African oral literature with the modern science of epidemiology. Such an intricate exercise is within the realm of medical anthropology, whose practitioners locally shouldn’t fill the fingers of one hand. But for an ‘old’ disease like smallpox, you could be in some luck. It shouldn’t therefore be lost … Read more
