Maragoli
Encyclopedia
The Maragoli, or Logoli are the second largest tribe
of the 6 million-strong Luhya nation in Kenya, after the Bukusu
. The dialect they speak is called Llogoli, Urulogoli, or Maragoli.
Maragoli also refers to the area that the Maragoli tribe settled and occupied. Maragoli clan
s include the Va-Gonda, Va-Mavi, Va-Sachi, Va-Saniaga, Va-Vulughi, and Va-Yonga. (The prefix Va- refers to people, and is sometimes written Ba-, Ava-, or Aba-.)
, approximately 1000 years ago, after Egypt
had endured a constant series of invasions from Greeks, Romans and eventually, Arabs.
When the Luhya progenitors first arrived in what is now northern Kenya, their ruler of the Luhyas at the time was Kitanga. The Turkana
people later came to occupy the area where the Luhya ancestors had settled, and called it Lok-Kitang meaning 'the place of Kitang.' (Lokitaung is a modern town in North-Western Kenya
).
Mulogoli was born from the union of Andimi and Mwanzu. Andimi had three wives: Mwanzu the mother of Mulogoli; Amugovolie who had no children and Ndiegu the mother of Mwenje or Anyole (these are the Wanyore, who inhabit Vihiga district together with the Maragoli). Naturally the Nyores and Maragoli are one, they are from the same stock, the stock of Andimi. Mulogoli had a wife called Khaliyesa. She had four male children. These four make the four major clans. The children were: Musaali; Kizungu; Kilima and M'mavi.
In Maragoli, the word 'Abaluhya' or 'Avaluhya' is pronounced as A(b/v)a-roo-shia, ('b' and 'v' are interchangeable) which means, "the people of the North," "the people of the higher place," "the people from the North," or simply "Northerners."
Luhya ancestors moved further south, probably along the Turkwel river. The Turkwel's principal source is the Suam river. Luhyas, a people who needed a constant source of water for their crops, animals and various industries like metalworking, and building, kept moving along the Suam River depending on various environmental or human triggers, into what is now Western Kenya
and Eastern Uganda
, and settled near the source of that river, Mt. Elgon.
They displaced a people akin to the Khoisan
of Southern Africa
and settled in their current homeland of what is now Western Kenya
.
About 10 to 15 families traditionally made up a village, headed by a village headman (Rigutu". Rigutu is a post colonial title for a village leader coined from the English word "Crew". Within a family,the man of the home was the ultimate authority, followed by his first-born son. In a polygamous family, the first wife held the most prestigious position among women. The first-born son of the first wife was usually the main heir to his father, even if he happened to be younger than his half-brothers from his father's other wives. Daughters had no permanent position in Luhya families as they would eventually become other men's wives. They did not inherit property, and were excluded from decision-making meetings within the family. Today, girls are allowed to inherit property, in accordance with Kenyan law.
Children are named after the clan's ancestors, or after their grandparents, or after events or the weather. The paternal grandparents take precedence, so that the first-born son will usually be named after his paternal grandfather (Guka), while the first-born daughter will be named after her paternal grandmother (Guku). Subsequent children may be named after maternal grandparents, after significant events. Some Maragoli names usually have names whereas others do not. For instance, names like Injugu (born during groundnut harvesting), Kabwoni (born during sweet potato harvesting) and Anzala (born during extreme drought) have meanings. Other names like Afandi, Inziria, Mwachi, Aliviza and Asava have no known meaning. Names of events are also commom. For example, Imbarambara (born during road construction), Msuruve (born when a white missionary called Miss Reeves first came to Maragoli land)and Sirinji (born when money was first introduced in the land).
Traditionally, Luhyas practiced arranged marriage. The parents of a boy would approach the parents of a girl to ask for her hand in marriage. If the girl agreed, negotiations for dowry
would begin. Typically, this would be 12 cattle and similar numbers of sheep or goats, to be paid by the groom's parents to the bride's family. Once the dowry was delivered, the girl was fetched by the groom's sisters to begin her new life as a wife.
Instances of eloping were and are still common. Young men would elope with willing girls, with negotiations for dowry to be conducted later. In such cases, the young man would also pay a fine to the parents of the girl. In rare cases abductions were normal but the young man had to pay a fine. As polygamy was allowed, a middle-aged man would typically have 2 to 3 wives. When a man got very old and handed over the running of his homestead to his sons, the sons would sometimes find a young girl for the old man to marry. Such girls were normally those who could not find men to marry them, usually because they had children out of wedlock. Wife inheritance was and is also practiced. A widow would normally be inherited by her husband's brother or cousin. In some cases, the eldest son would also inherit his father's widows (though not his own mother). Modern day Luhyas do not practice some of the traditional customs as most have adopted the christian way of life. Many Luhyas also live in urban towns and cities for most of their lives and only return to settle in the rural areas after retirement or the death of parents in the rural areas.
The Luhya had extensive customs surrounding death. There would be a great celebration at the home of the deceased, with mourning lasting up to forty days. If the deceased was a wealthy or influential man, a big tree would be uprooted and the deceased would be buried there, after the burial another tree, Mukumu would be planted (This was a sacred tree and is found along most Luhya migration paths it could only be planted by a righteous Lady mostly Virgin or a Very Old Lady). Nowadays, mourning takes shorter periods of time (about one week) and the celebrations are held at the time of burial. "Ovogogo" and "rovego" are post burial ceremonies held to complete mourning rites.
Animal sacrifices were also traditionally practiced. There was great fear of the "avaroji" (witches) and "Babini" (wizards). These were "night-runners" who prowled in the nude running from one house to another casting spells.
Most modern day Luhyas are Christians and for some, (if not all), the word for God is Nyasaye or Nyasae.
The word Nyasae when translated into English roughly corresponds with 'Nya (of) and Asae/ Asaye/ Sae/ Saye/ (God). The Luhya traditionally worshipped a god of the same name. When Christianity was first introduced among the Luhya in the early 1900s by various Christian missionaries from Europe and America, the Luhya took the name of their traditional god, Nyasae, forgot about that idol, and gave that name to the Living God of Christianity, the father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and whose son is Jesus Christ of the Bible.
The first Luhyas who were converted into Christianity applied words that defined some aspects of the religious traditions that they were born into and gave them to Christ and the Christian God.
The Friends Church (Quakers), opened a mission at Kaimosi and the Church of God based in Anderson, Indiana took over the mission in Bunyore
. During the same period the Catholic order Mill Hill Brothers came to the area of Mumias. The Church of God of Anderson, Indiana, USA, arrived in 1905 and began work at Kima in Bunyore
. Other Christian groups such as the Anglicans (CMS) came in 1906. In 1924 the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada began their work in Nyan'gori. The Salvation Army came to Malakisi in 1936. The Baptists came to western Kenya in the early 1960s.
The first Bible translation in the Luhya language was produced by Nicholas Stamp in the Wanga dialect. Osundwa says he did this translation in Mumias, the former capital of the Wanga kingdom of Mumia. There has been a strong Christian witness among the Luhya in the twentieth century. A religious sect known as Dini ya Msambwa was founded by Elijah Masinde in 1948. They worship "Were," the God of Mt. Elgon, while at the same time using portions of the Bible to teach their converts. They also practice traditional arts termes witchcraft. This movement originally arose as part of an anti-colonial resistance.
Various sources estimate that Luhya are 75-90% professing Christians.
2002-Iriambuka; 2009-DC(Disi wa kavaga)
Traditionally, circumcision was a period of training for adult responsibilities for the youth. Among the Kakamega
Luhya, circumcision was carried out every four or five years, depending on the clan. This resulted into various age sets notably, Kolongolo, Kananachi, Kikwameti, Kinyikeu, Nyange, Maina, and Sawa in that order.
Like the Abanyala living in Navakholo do the initiation of their young boys every other year and notably an even year. The initiates were about 8 to 13 years old, and the ceremony was followed by a period of seclusion for the initiates. On their coming out of seclusion, there would be a feast in the village, followed by a period of counselling by a group of elders.
The newly initiated youths would then build bachelor-huts for each other, where they would stay until they were old enough to become warriors. This kind of initiation is no longer practiced among the Kakamega Luhya, with the exception of the Tiriki. Nowadays, the initiates are usually circumcised in hospital, and there is no seclusion period. On healing, a party is held for the initiate — who then usually goes back to school to continue with his studies. Among the Bukusu
, the Tachoni and (to a much lesser extent) the Nyala and the Kabras, the traditional methods of initiation persist. Circumcision is held every even year in August and December (the latter only among the Tachoni and the Kabras), and the initiates are typically 11 to 15 years old.
, the Saamia are mainly fishermen and traders, with their main agricultural activity being the raising of cassava
. The Bukhusu and the Wanga are mainly cash crop farmers, raising sugar cane in Bungoma
and Mumias
areas respectively. The Bukhusu also farm wheat in the region around Kitale
. The Isukha of Kakamega
area and the Maragoli of Vihiga raise tea
, while the rocky land of the Nyore is used to harvest stones and gravel for construction. In Bukura area, the Khisa are small scale and only subsistence maize farmers. They also rear cattle, sheep, goats and chicken on a small scale. The Kabras of Malava area raise mainly maize
at subsistence levels, with a few also farming sugar cane.
With the rapid modernisation of Kenya
, many young Luhya people have emigrated to Nairobi
and other towns in search of work.
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
of the 6 million-strong Luhya nation in Kenya, after the Bukusu
Bukusu
Bukusu can refer to:*Bukusu people, an indigenous tribe of Kenya*Bukusu language, a Bantu language spoken by the Bukusu people...
. The dialect they speak is called Llogoli, Urulogoli, or Maragoli.
Maragoli also refers to the area that the Maragoli tribe settled and occupied. Maragoli clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
s include the Va-Gonda, Va-Mavi, Va-Sachi, Va-Saniaga, Va-Vulughi, and Va-Yonga. (The prefix Va- refers to people, and is sometimes written Ba-, Ava-, or Aba-.)
Oral history
Maragoli history records a migration from the north. The story of the Maragoli people begins with a man called Mulogoli. He was descended from Kintu, who led the progenitors of the Luhya, from Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, approximately 1000 years ago, after Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
had endured a constant series of invasions from Greeks, Romans and eventually, Arabs.
When the Luhya progenitors first arrived in what is now northern Kenya, their ruler of the Luhyas at the time was Kitanga. The Turkana
Turkana
Turkana may refer to:* Turkana people of Kenya and Ethiopia* Turkana language of Kenya and Ethiopia* Lake Turkana in Kenya* Lake Turkana National Parks* Turkana District in Kenya* the fictional world of Turkana IV in a Star Trek Next Generation episode...
people later came to occupy the area where the Luhya ancestors had settled, and called it Lok-Kitang meaning 'the place of Kitang.' (Lokitaung is a modern town in North-Western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
).
Mulogoli was born from the union of Andimi and Mwanzu. Andimi had three wives: Mwanzu the mother of Mulogoli; Amugovolie who had no children and Ndiegu the mother of Mwenje or Anyole (these are the Wanyore, who inhabit Vihiga district together with the Maragoli). Naturally the Nyores and Maragoli are one, they are from the same stock, the stock of Andimi. Mulogoli had a wife called Khaliyesa. She had four male children. These four make the four major clans. The children were: Musaali; Kizungu; Kilima and M'mavi.
In Maragoli, the word 'Abaluhya' or 'Avaluhya' is pronounced as A(b/v)a-roo-shia, ('b' and 'v' are interchangeable) which means, "the people of the North," "the people of the higher place," "the people from the North," or simply "Northerners."
Luhya ancestors moved further south, probably along the Turkwel river. The Turkwel's principal source is the Suam river. Luhyas, a people who needed a constant source of water for their crops, animals and various industries like metalworking, and building, kept moving along the Suam River depending on various environmental or human triggers, into what is now Western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Eastern Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, and settled near the source of that river, Mt. Elgon.
They displaced a people akin to the Khoisan
Khoisan
Khoisan is a unifying name for two ethnic groups of Southern Africa, who share physical and putative linguistic characteristics distinct from the Bantu majority of the region. Culturally, the Khoisan are divided into the foraging San and the pastoral Khoi...
of Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
and settled in their current homeland of what is now Western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
Culture
Luhya culture is comparable to most Bantu cultural practices. Polygamy was a common practice in the past but today, it is only practiced by few people, where the man marries under traditional African law or Muslim law. Civil marriages (conducted by government authorities) and Christian marriages preclude the possibility of polygamy.About 10 to 15 families traditionally made up a village, headed by a village headman (Rigutu". Rigutu is a post colonial title for a village leader coined from the English word "Crew". Within a family,the man of the home was the ultimate authority, followed by his first-born son. In a polygamous family, the first wife held the most prestigious position among women. The first-born son of the first wife was usually the main heir to his father, even if he happened to be younger than his half-brothers from his father's other wives. Daughters had no permanent position in Luhya families as they would eventually become other men's wives. They did not inherit property, and were excluded from decision-making meetings within the family. Today, girls are allowed to inherit property, in accordance with Kenyan law.
Children are named after the clan's ancestors, or after their grandparents, or after events or the weather. The paternal grandparents take precedence, so that the first-born son will usually be named after his paternal grandfather (Guka), while the first-born daughter will be named after her paternal grandmother (Guku). Subsequent children may be named after maternal grandparents, after significant events. Some Maragoli names usually have names whereas others do not. For instance, names like Injugu (born during groundnut harvesting), Kabwoni (born during sweet potato harvesting) and Anzala (born during extreme drought) have meanings. Other names like Afandi, Inziria, Mwachi, Aliviza and Asava have no known meaning. Names of events are also commom. For example, Imbarambara (born during road construction), Msuruve (born when a white missionary called Miss Reeves first came to Maragoli land)and Sirinji (born when money was first introduced in the land).
Traditionally, Luhyas practiced arranged marriage. The parents of a boy would approach the parents of a girl to ask for her hand in marriage. If the girl agreed, negotiations for dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
would begin. Typically, this would be 12 cattle and similar numbers of sheep or goats, to be paid by the groom's parents to the bride's family. Once the dowry was delivered, the girl was fetched by the groom's sisters to begin her new life as a wife.
Instances of eloping were and are still common. Young men would elope with willing girls, with negotiations for dowry to be conducted later. In such cases, the young man would also pay a fine to the parents of the girl. In rare cases abductions were normal but the young man had to pay a fine. As polygamy was allowed, a middle-aged man would typically have 2 to 3 wives. When a man got very old and handed over the running of his homestead to his sons, the sons would sometimes find a young girl for the old man to marry. Such girls were normally those who could not find men to marry them, usually because they had children out of wedlock. Wife inheritance was and is also practiced. A widow would normally be inherited by her husband's brother or cousin. In some cases, the eldest son would also inherit his father's widows (though not his own mother). Modern day Luhyas do not practice some of the traditional customs as most have adopted the christian way of life. Many Luhyas also live in urban towns and cities for most of their lives and only return to settle in the rural areas after retirement or the death of parents in the rural areas.
The Luhya had extensive customs surrounding death. There would be a great celebration at the home of the deceased, with mourning lasting up to forty days. If the deceased was a wealthy or influential man, a big tree would be uprooted and the deceased would be buried there, after the burial another tree, Mukumu would be planted (This was a sacred tree and is found along most Luhya migration paths it could only be planted by a righteous Lady mostly Virgin or a Very Old Lady). Nowadays, mourning takes shorter periods of time (about one week) and the celebrations are held at the time of burial. "Ovogogo" and "rovego" are post burial ceremonies held to complete mourning rites.
Animal sacrifices were also traditionally practiced. There was great fear of the "avaroji" (witches) and "Babini" (wizards). These were "night-runners" who prowled in the nude running from one house to another casting spells.
Most modern day Luhyas are Christians and for some, (if not all), the word for God is Nyasaye or Nyasae.
The word Nyasae when translated into English roughly corresponds with 'Nya (of) and Asae/ Asaye/ Sae/ Saye/ (God). The Luhya traditionally worshipped a god of the same name. When Christianity was first introduced among the Luhya in the early 1900s by various Christian missionaries from Europe and America, the Luhya took the name of their traditional god, Nyasae, forgot about that idol, and gave that name to the Living God of Christianity, the father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and whose son is Jesus Christ of the Bible.
The first Luhyas who were converted into Christianity applied words that defined some aspects of the religious traditions that they were born into and gave them to Christ and the Christian God.
The Friends Church (Quakers), opened a mission at Kaimosi and the Church of God based in Anderson, Indiana took over the mission in Bunyore
Bunyore
Bunyore is a location in Vihiga district in the western province of Kenya, largely occupied by speakers of the Nyole dialect of the Luhya tribe. In the local language, the place is known as Ebunyole and its people Abanyole...
. During the same period the Catholic order Mill Hill Brothers came to the area of Mumias. The Church of God of Anderson, Indiana, USA, arrived in 1905 and began work at Kima in Bunyore
Bunyore
Bunyore is a location in Vihiga district in the western province of Kenya, largely occupied by speakers of the Nyole dialect of the Luhya tribe. In the local language, the place is known as Ebunyole and its people Abanyole...
. Other Christian groups such as the Anglicans (CMS) came in 1906. In 1924 the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada began their work in Nyan'gori. The Salvation Army came to Malakisi in 1936. The Baptists came to western Kenya in the early 1960s.
The first Bible translation in the Luhya language was produced by Nicholas Stamp in the Wanga dialect. Osundwa says he did this translation in Mumias, the former capital of the Wanga kingdom of Mumia. There has been a strong Christian witness among the Luhya in the twentieth century. A religious sect known as Dini ya Msambwa was founded by Elijah Masinde in 1948. They worship "Were," the God of Mt. Elgon, while at the same time using portions of the Bible to teach their converts. They also practice traditional arts termes witchcraft. This movement originally arose as part of an anti-colonial resistance.
Various sources estimate that Luhya are 75-90% professing Christians.
2002-Iriambuka; 2009-DC(Disi wa kavaga)
Other Luhya Initiation
The Luhya, with the exception of the Marama and Saamia, practiced male circumcision. The Maragoli did not practice clitoridectomy.Traditionally, circumcision was a period of training for adult responsibilities for the youth. Among the Kakamega
Kakamega
Kakamega is a town in western Kenya lying about 30 km north of the Equator. It is the headquarters of . The town has a population of 73,607 ....
Luhya, circumcision was carried out every four or five years, depending on the clan. This resulted into various age sets notably, Kolongolo, Kananachi, Kikwameti, Kinyikeu, Nyange, Maina, and Sawa in that order.
Like the Abanyala living in Navakholo do the initiation of their young boys every other year and notably an even year. The initiates were about 8 to 13 years old, and the ceremony was followed by a period of seclusion for the initiates. On their coming out of seclusion, there would be a feast in the village, followed by a period of counselling by a group of elders.
The newly initiated youths would then build bachelor-huts for each other, where they would stay until they were old enough to become warriors. This kind of initiation is no longer practiced among the Kakamega Luhya, with the exception of the Tiriki. Nowadays, the initiates are usually circumcised in hospital, and there is no seclusion period. On healing, a party is held for the initiate — who then usually goes back to school to continue with his studies. Among the Bukusu
Bukusu
Bukusu can refer to:*Bukusu people, an indigenous tribe of Kenya*Bukusu language, a Bantu language spoken by the Bukusu people...
, the Tachoni and (to a much lesser extent) the Nyala and the Kabras, the traditional methods of initiation persist. Circumcision is held every even year in August and December (the latter only among the Tachoni and the Kabras), and the initiates are typically 11 to 15 years old.
Economic activities
The Luhya are, traditionally, agriculturalists, and they grow different crops depending on the region where they live. Close to Lake VictoriaLake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
, the Saamia are mainly fishermen and traders, with their main agricultural activity being the raising of cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
. The Bukhusu and the Wanga are mainly cash crop farmers, raising sugar cane in Bungoma
Bungoma
Bungoma is a town in Western Province of Kenya, bordered by Uganda in the west. Bungoma town was established as a trading centre in the early 20th century. The town is the headquarters of Kenya's Bungoma District and it hosts a municipal council...
and Mumias
Mumias
Mumias is a town in the Western Province of Kenya. The town has an urban population of 32.965 Mumias is the center of the Mumias Division of the Butere/Mumias District. The town is linked by road to Kakamega , Busia , Bungoma , Butere . The village of Buchinga is located between Mumias and...
areas respectively. The Bukhusu also farm wheat in the region around Kitale
Kitale
Kitale is an agricultural town in western Kenya situated between Mount Elgon and the Cherengani Hills at an elevation of around . Its urban population was estimated at 220,000 in 2007....
. The Isukha of Kakamega
Kakamega
Kakamega is a town in western Kenya lying about 30 km north of the Equator. It is the headquarters of . The town has a population of 73,607 ....
area and the Maragoli of Vihiga raise tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, while the rocky land of the Nyore is used to harvest stones and gravel for construction. In Bukura area, the Khisa are small scale and only subsistence maize farmers. They also rear cattle, sheep, goats and chicken on a small scale. The Kabras of Malava area raise mainly maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
at subsistence levels, with a few also farming sugar cane.
With the rapid modernisation of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, many young Luhya people have emigrated to Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
and other towns in search of work.
See also
- Mbale Kenya
- Maragoli Cultural FestivalMaragoli Cultural FestivalHeld in Mbale town every 26 December, the Maragoli Cultural Festival was for a long time, in decades gone by, the biggest event of the year in the region - coming a day after chrismas: probably the biggest holiday in kenya; and frequently attended by the former president Daniel Arap Moi.It is a...
- Luhya people
- Luhya languagesLuhya languagesLuhya is a Bantu dialect cluster spoken in the western part of Kenya by the Luhya people. Minor populations of Luhya speakers are also found in Uganda, especially in Busia. Although the Luhya principally occupy the Western province of Kenya, substantial populations have settled in the Kitale area...