ENJU YA MULEMBE

As the tilling season of 1822 approached, there arose into popularity, a young man, son of Mukite,great grandson of Wafulumbe from Batilu tribe of Babukusu. He walked far and wide beating a massive Buganda dream. The drum beats awakened the Bukusu land to unite to a purpose and live as one people, undivided. He was 1790- born orphan whose parents were felled by Bamia Bapala during the second dispersion war at Embayi and Mwalie. He had spent his childhood as a refugee in Ebukabalasi. The tribesman would launch a solo campaign of bringing the lost sons and daughters that had dispersed amidst a successive wave of tribal wars that had created massive rift among the People of the Thigh of the Elephant. Remembered as a courageous patriotic and wise community leader, Mukite wa Nameme upon consulting an old Bukusu seer would rally people to as far as Mundoli, Samia, Marachi and Bunyala reminding them to return to Bukusu land and pronounce end of tribal wars. He was a daring young m

Around 1879, Situma khwa wa Wachiye had forewarned the Bukusu community that engaging Chonge was too premature. He was far-connected. They, on the other hand, would be ill-prepared and would suffer huge casualties. Overambitious military elites had overrun Situma’s words, terming him only a frightened, worth dressing in luilikhe, woman’s skin cloak. The old seer, in desperation, enjoined in the battle but fate had its way; skulls ran River Khamukoya red…just like the Oracle had spoken. After a handful harvesting seasons had passed after the Bukusu merciless massacre in the hilltop homestead of Chonge, omurwa Omulaku, there was a pressing need to deal with him once and for all. The previous attack had nevertheless, been so demoralizing. Homesteads had feared giving young men for war. Wa Chonge’s military prowess was unmatched and sooner or later, he was due to attacking the community. It was that precise moment when a young man from Babuulo clan, expressed interest to comman

According to Bukusu folklore, African Leopards are large-sized predictor cats who roam riverine forests and dense bushes often hunting antelopes, hares and livestock and even humans to quench their carnivorous desires. Over the years, they have weaponized their camouflage skills for survival making them excellent hunters under the cover of darkness. An African leopard is not only a fearsome beast but also intelligent and patient killer who is calculative, strong and fast enough. Adult leopards may live up to twenty one years of age mostly as a solitary animal. Modern animal behaviourists at the African Wildlife Foundation believe the African leopard is the most secretive and mysterious of the wild cats. Before the pinkman came up with names such as Chordata, Carnivora and Panther Pardus to describe the leopard, the Babukusu of Western Kenya had for more many decades lived (in nuisance) and studied this tactful enemy. In fact, the elite Bukusu warriors hunted these cats down

“ I have already informed the naitirians (your war leaders ); the odds of this war are against you. While crossing  River Khamukoya at mwifubukho, keep on the  left side while approaching lukoba. Descend on the  enemy downhill from the north. Let the sun splash  rays on your backs, not your breasts. Do not accept  to dine on the enemy’s cow, however fat it  looks.” [Situma son of Wanaumbwa, Bukusu Prophet -1879] In South of Malakisi, in Sirisia Sub-County of Bungoma…in the green lands right at the foot toes of Mount. Masaaba... there lies a very industrious village of Tulienge. Etulienge is no ordinary village, it is a monumental one. Meet an old man or woman in the village and they would give you the shocking account of a Great War. About138 years ago, the village was a bloody battle ground between the Babukusu and Bamia [Iteso]. Of all the battles you have heard involving Babukusu, only a few matches that of Wa-Chonge. It can only be likened to the killer dispersal wars o

Once upon a time, in Bukusu land, when the future was in a distant past… Long before the coming of the pink man became a memory people’s mind… Long before Wachiye wa Naumbwa, Mutonyi, Khakula, Sing'uru, Maina wa Nalukale or Mukite wa Nameme were born to consult the oracle and prophesize on our lands …. Long before Mango son of Bwayo from Ebukhurarwa wrestled with the giant killer snake in the dark caves of Mwiala…. Long before Ngutuku wa Watiila, Maelo wa Khaindi, Sikhokhone or Kaluuka wa Nabwonja poured their wisdom in leading the people in peace and war… – A great famine befell the land. Rains got scarcer and vegetation started drying up. Finding water became a problem and livestock also began to die. Increasingly, homesteads had less and less to eat and people lived in fear of death. And yet, the skies shone bright and no sacrifices by elders in Mountain tops charmed the gods. In the clan of Baechalo, there lived Kharuba whose household felt the pangs of the prolonge

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 exhibited” Observabl

EPISODE 1: MAINA THE GREATEST SEER OF ALLTIME 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 have 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 Mukis