Photo Credit: Westfm.co.ke Long before dining on Kamalasile (fresh blood) and Chingoling’o (clotted blood) made our bones strong for war and farming. Long before building fortified villages at Esilikwa. Before the old woman betrayed us to brown Arabs that drove us from the Land of Nabibia (Ethiopia). Long before the single-testicled man bore Nabongo, our leader. Before a brave young man had wrestled with the half-flying serpent snake at Mwiala. Before Nabukelembe prophesized the coming of termite-white visitors moving in granary-like objects.  Long before the goats had accepted to live among us while the steenbok/antelope ran to the thick bushes. Long before we came to be known as Siyanja Barende (the alien welcomers)...We were organized. We lived in sub clans and clans in larger clusters. Occasionally fighting but the wisdom of leadership gluing us together in peace. Clans are a major pillar in the Bukusu structural organization. Each clan has a distinct ancestor, beliefs, ...

  C: ..........Chole, Chetoto E: ...........Efutubile, Efurusi, Engeliangelia, Engokho, Eng’osia, Engoye, Ekherekeke, Ekhenenia, Ekhunjwe, Ekhwale, Emburiekeke, Endikilikani, Eranje (Ranje), Esefu, Esindu, Esikhikhi, Esiobe, Esoko K: ..........Khanjiriri, Kiriyo, Kisilili, Khooro, Kwesule L: ...........Licharia, Likhanga, Likulukulu, Ling’ang’a, Liusi Libongobongo, Liusi  Likungu, Liusi Lininga, Liusi Namurunguru, Likhuyi, Lipata, Liricha, Lisoso, Litwesi Nalukhinga, Liyoyo M: ...........Malebe, Mangichorie (Engichorie), Murimba, N: ............Nabakhasi, Nabutiti, Nachenga, Nafula, Nakewa, Nakholo, Ng’oli, Namafumo, Namatore, Namaroro, Namukholi, Namukhonyaki, Namulobi, Namuriri, Namwitwitwi, Namwindondo, Namuningie, Namurimba, Nanjekho, Namusietuka (Nasietuka), Nandolio, Nasimali, Namususuni, Ng’ooli O: ............Opicho (Wapicho Wachache) P: ............Pororo S: ............Sichululu, Siisi, Sikhupi, Simbikhilia, Siruchu, Sipangilisi (Embangilisi) T: ............Tenende, ...

WHO WAS MUNDU? On page 4 of the East African Red-Book (1925), sits a column by William Schoff, a Greek writer (also author of Periplus of Erythraean Red Sea). In his sojourn to the southern parts of Egypt, in 60AD, he writes about ‘The Market Town of Mundus’. Prof Bethwel Ogot (History of Southern Luo Vol 1, 1967) and P.W Makila (An Outline of Babukusu of Western Kenya, 1976) strongly suggest, the market was one of earliest gathering of descendants of Mundu. Mundu was the great ancestor of Babukusu, from whom there have arisen more than 200 clans and sub-clans in the Bukusu sub-nation. Contrary to popular belief, Mundu was not directly created by God and put in earth like the Biblical Adam.  Such a claim is grossly erroneous, misleading and wrongly founded. While little is known about Mundu, it is evident that he spoke a Bantu language and together with his wives, sons and daughters, lived among other non-Bantu communities. It means that Mundu was not the first person on earth cont...

  After life had proven difficult for Babukusu at Esirende due to enemy encroachment and successive droughts, the elders deliberated on a move towards the south. The community came into a region called Nabiswa or ‘the land of the ant-hills’.  It was a plain countryside having many anthills that fed Babayi with  chiswa  (termites). It is estimated to be within the present-day Lokitau’ng.  Amidst the pleasure of eating termites, the people saw it fit to settle and built homesteads. However, just like in former migratory regions, Enabiswa was also encroached with enemy tribes.  The Nabibia (the Ethiopians) would regularly forge attacks on Bukusu homestead and make away with herds of livestock.  The Babukusu were increasingly disturbed.  However, what made it worse is that Nabibia acted as middle men to a race of brown people. They probably were Arabs who had earlier forged trade and commerce with the indigenous communities.  Through the eyes of ...

  This is a saying among the Bukusu of Western Kenya. The moral is that before you try anything new, you better consult those who have preceded you and have experience. The Narrative :  During 1780s, before British invasion, the BaBukusu were involved in tribal warfare. It was a period of instability despite their unmatched military prowess. One day, the Bukusu living in Ebwayi noticed smoke rising from a distant hill. They became suspicious that an alien (Barwa) community might have settled there that might be aggressive and threaten the peace of the community. Wisdom of the old says that the community appointed a young man, Kitimule as the chief diplomat to lead expedition to find more about the mysterious smoke. Besides being well built, the son of the soil was born-orator who melted people’s hearts. He was the son of Wetosi of the Watukwika Bakitang’a Cluster. Kitimule was a man of caliber and had even been endorsed by Namunyulubunda, the community seer at the time. Kitimu...

  UNSUNG HEROES OF BUKUSU LAND Mutonyi wa Bukelembe:  The Rejected War Prophet “.....I can see red strangers coming in granary-like objects, clearing the way from East down to the West, lining up metal bars like a long snake...” (Mutonyi wa Bukelembe) It is 1820 and Babukusu have no clue of coming of the Whiteman. In the West of present day Malakisi, a young child is born. He is given the name Wasilwa Walubengo; born of Nakhumwa (mother) and  Bukelembe  (father from Bayitu clan). Other erroneous accounts say that his mother was Nabukelembe and his father Nataha, which is incorrect. The writer belongs to Bayitu Clan and takes pride in giving you a detailed narration of kinsman. Walubengo is no normal boy; filled with strange dreams and intuition (khubonela mumechi - second sight). At the age of 18, in 1838, he went under the knife under the Bakinyikewii sya Mayeya age set.  By then, people used to  khukhwillaa  (praise) themselves against the name of th...

  This is a tale of a great tribesman among the Babukusu of Luhyia nation. It is a tale of the greatest seer hailing from the Batukwiika Bakitang’a. In a quick recap, Batukwiika are classified in three ‘gates’ (Bilibwa); Bakwangwa, Basakha and Bakitang’a. Just like almost every clan, Batukwiika their own approach to self-introduction. And it goes: Omutukwiika Mbirira Machabe, Kutusi, omusilikwa, omurwa we Embayi, omunianiambi Omusila matakho, owakenda na chikhendu sikala. [Batukwiika were once led by Omukwangwa leader Mbirira; he is entitled to ekutusi (elders robe –signifying political power); he is well-built walking cheerfully; he came from Silikwa through Embayi carrying a long raffia palms symbolizing immense cattle wealth.] Maina son of Nalukale hailed from silibwa of Bakitang'a. It is not clearly when Maina was born. Nalukale was the name of his father and his mother was Omumasaaba (Omugisu whose ancestor was Mukisu, brother to Mubukusu). Back in time, Silikwa was hilly and...

  The people were seated and silently listening to the tribulations that had befallen Maina Wa Nalukale . After he had spoken, few moments passed, elders consulting among themselves. The first elder to stand and add his voice was Nakitembwa, the Omukasa for the Masaaba. He condemned the act and retaliated that  Namunguba  should be killed. Secondly, Mingichi who was Omukasa for Barwa Bauchuchi agreed with Nakitembwa that he should be killed.  From Bamia, Mirikwa their elders said the community should not kill  Namunguba since a woman is like a flowing river, a common property to the society. Then it was the turn of Bukusu elders. Among them was Welembe Omuala by clan, Cherono, Omufuumi and the well-known Mungo’ma Omubichachi. After a brief joint consultation they said: “When a person grows old it is okay for him to give his youngest wives to his surviving son. All we can do is perform the silukhi so that Namunguba gets cleansed from the wayward behavior he has e...