ENJU YA MULEMBE

 Luhyas nowadays wear similar clothes just as other communities in Kenya but it is different during their cultural activities, ceremonies and events. The cultural activities such as ceremonies especially where dancing is involved, cultural attire are worn to show the great appreciation to the Luhya culture. Strings of beads are worn round the waists and necks and not to forget the tsindeke which are little bells worn around the wrist of the legs when dancing. Women wear special skirts made out of sisal which is called Liboya in the abaluhya language.

Luhyas have various foods and drinks they rake but the most popular one is the Ugali (Swahili) called Obusuma in Luhya language which is synonymously served with Ingokho (chicken). The traditional vegetables also served with obusuma include saga, Obwova (mushrooms), mrenda among others. The vegetables are cooked by spices such as the mselekha to make them soft and for quick cooking. Other food crops in the Luhya community include sorghum, fingermillet simsim, tsimbande (a variety of nuts), tsing’oli (a variety of peas), pumpkins, sweet potatoes, yams in their rich basket of food. The Luhyas are also more often seen chewing sugarcanes. Their drinks include sour fermented porridge called the Obusera and Busaa, traditional liquor which is served in traditional gourds cut into two halves for individuals. Busaa is also served inside a container during ceremonies from which it is drunk with aid of pipes with those involved seated around the container. The community is

 Most of the Luhya people subscribe to Christianity but with others to Islam (especially the Wanga) and others still loyal to their African Traditional Religions (ATRs). A notable African Traditional Religion is the Dini ya Msambwa with its spiritual father being the great Elijah Masinde wa Nameme. Dini ya Msambwa follow the Luhya tradition as their focal point and action of their activities and beliefs. But funny enough, Dini ya Msambwa also use the bible as a reference book for its faithful. Most Luhyas call God as “Nyasaye” a word borrowed from their close neighbours, the Luos. “Were” is also used to refer to God in the Luhya community.

The Abaluhya has 18 subtribes which diversifies the ABALUHYA TRIBE. The sub-tribes include:   1. Banyala   2. Banyore   3. Batsotso   4. Bukusu   5. Gisu   6. Idakho   7. Isukha   8. Kabras   9. Khayo   10. Kisa   11. Marachi   12. Maragoli   13. Marama   14. Masaaba   15. Samia   16. Tachoni   17. Tiriki   18. Wanga As said earlier, Abaluhya is a community enriched with a variety of cultural heritage, arts, and activities among other things. Culture in itself is a tourism resource that can be ‘a tool of social, cultural, economic and political advancement and development. These range from their cuisines, clothing sports, economic, circumcision, weddings, burials among other activities and cultural elements and events.

The Abaluhya or Luhya is a Kenyan ethnic community with rich vast cultural, social and political heritage transferred through successive generations. Luhyas are also found in Uganda but not as comparable to the number of the found in Kenya. It was the second largest ethnic community in Kenya 2010 as per the census carried out by the government of the Republic of Kenya in 2009. Their territory neighboured that of Baganda, Basoga and Bagisu of present day Uganda and the Luo, Kisii, Teso and Nandi of present day Kenya. The ancestral homelands occupy the counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, Busia and parts of Transnzoia County.