Grasp the Shield Firmly the Journey is Hard

Siso Zedekia

Description

This book is a compilation of oral histories about the movement of Luo and some Bantu-speaking peoples. It includes histories of many clans or ethnic groups, and how drought, warfare, disease, and competition over pastoral resources in western Kenya forced them to look for a land that they could call their own. Highly entertaining, the stories cross over from pre-colonial to post-colonial eras, with tales of fooling the colonial officers, winning battles and producing miracles. Although warriors and chiefs play a critical part in the stories so too do unlikely actors such as women, prophets, and common farmers. As one of the elders put it, �Without history you are like wild animals� you need to know where you came from and who you are.� People with kinship connections to the ethnic groups represented here will delight in the references to places, people, kin groups and events. Residents of western Kenya will be able to trace some of their genealogies to North Mara and vice versa. Historians and anthropologists will find in this book a rich primary source for their own research. Those interested in cultural change will find this a fascinating case of Luo assimilation: events chronicled in this book are still underway and observable in communities today. Producing the text in both Swahili and English ensures that local people will have access to these histories for their own learning and on-going discussions about the past.

Sujets

• History

Informations

• Publié par: Mkuki na Nyota Publishers
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9789987081301
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

GRASP THE SHIELD FIRMLY, THE JOURNEY IS HARD

SHIKILIA NGAO VIZURI, SAFARI NI NGUMU

GRASP THE SHIELD FIRMLY, THE JOURNEY IS HARD A History of Luo and Bantu migrations to North Mara, Tanzania) 1850-1950

SHIKILIA NGAO VIZURI, SAFARI NI NGUMU Historia ya Waluo na Wabantu kuhamia Kaskazini mwa Mara Tanzania) 1850-1950

ZEDEKIA OLOO SISO JAN BENDER SHETLER (EDITOR

Published by Mkuki Na Nyota Publishers Ltd Nyerere Road, Quality Plaza Building P.O. Box 4246 Dar es Salaam www. mkukinanyota.com

© Z. O. Siso

Kiswahili translation by Peter Wanyande

Cover phoTo Gor Ogada, Mganga wa Dawa Prophet), colonial era, Kanyamwa Kenya, 1914. He was imprisoned by the British for keeping men from joining K.A.R, from an unknown magazine in possession of Zedekia Oloo Siso.

PhoTos by Z. O. Siso and Daniel Shetler

ISBN 978-9987-08-099-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted at any time or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

Contents

List of Informants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

List of Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Chart o f Ethnic Group Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Editor’s Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

WaSurwa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wairienyi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wakiroba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wasweta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wahacha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wategi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Warieri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wakakseru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Wakagwa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wakamageta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Walowa Turi) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wagire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Kowak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

VI

List of informants interviewed by Zedekia Oloo Siso (1979-99)

Gire . Oluoch . Onyango Atieno . Osaga Ochieng’ . Zakayo Orinyo Ogaja  July , born ) and others Hacha . Petro Ogilo . William Mnyansa Geyigei born ) and others Irienyi . Chacha Mwita Sagi . Chacha Omolo Marwa . Chief Johanes Magongwe Mabati . Marwa Maswe . Marwa Omoro) Mwita . Mgaya Magesa . Mkami Mwita . Nbugora . Nyapara Kan . Ochola Nyar Kan . Robi Mabati . omas Genga Kabwa . Mwita Bunduki . Ochola Ponde . Kagwa . Bwana binti wa Kan . Marwa Maswe . Mauris Awuor Mugango) . Musa Kan . Ochieng Odhier

. Ochola Nyar Kan . Okeya Nyar Kan . omas Genga Kakseru/Kiseru . Barnaba Gungu . Magati Okwambo Obore . Mariko Onyango . Oduma Otiato . Oluoch Nyanda . Paulos Mauri Pundo . Petro Ogilo . Timon Ngoya Kamageta . Joel Wadugu . Manael Wadugu . Nya Kinyo Ochieng . Ochieng Agala . Oketho Ochuodho . Opanga Oole . Pastor Garius Ndege . Samson Njoga . Alila Bugo

Kerewe . Daudi Msana Kasumayo Kine . Chacha Maguga . Dismas Makoto . Mahoma

Kiroba . Mwita Bunduki  May ) . Nyange Warioba

Kowak and Kamot . Ariya Saramba . Nemia Ogaga . Ochere Owiti . Ojode Saramba . Okuoga Ajuang . Pius Omolo . Samwel Olare . Siasa Ketho Piny . Yohana Adhero Rieri . Chuonyo Wangoko . James Obure . Magati Okuambo Obure . Samwel Tongori Surwa . Mbugura . Rupia Kitabarwa . Sweta . Adbulamani Nyangarira . Kusaga . Salim . Tegi . Chuche Odol . Igogo . Osigwa Ochieng Onguru ) . Panaito Bunde . Sospita Owuor Ibogo Turi . Alfayo Okinda Onyango . Alila Bugo and Sophia Odera Bugo Kadem, Kenya ) . Aliwa Orwa . Anyango Kwawe . Chief Odemba Kagose . Damasus Bonyo and Leonida Onyo . Enok Ombija

VII

. Kafua Ochonga . Kagose Wambodi . Kech Ogola . Mangana Nyarkanyiego . Minudi Ogo . Mkami Mwita . Ngeri Paulo Ngeri . Nyakite Onkiek Buturi,  July ). . Oatiak . Ochieng’ Siiso . Ochola Ponde . Odero Odipo . Ogaga ) . Ogoche Ayo . Okeya Nyar Kan . Okoko Omolo . Oluoch Ibrahim Omolo . Oogo Kingi . Orogi Abala . Ouko Nyawiga . Owiti Aliwa Ralik ) . Pitalis Katono . Pius Omolo . Rafael Matula . Sabiano Otieno Kasera . Samson Odak Lang’ Arek) . Samwel Olare . omas Genga Other Consultant Richard M. Baker, Gambella Ethiopia,  April  meeting with the elders.

VIII

List of Photographs

1. Eliakim Ochieng Siso, father of Siso, at Siso’s home, 1985. Ch. 11 Turi 2. Ouko Nyawiga, Ukoo of Kanyawiga, Siso’s clan. Ch. 11 Turi . Nyapara Bwana binti wa Kan, given to the British oîcer of Tarime District as a bride; he gave her to Nyakyoma. She later divorced him and married Wambura Maswe of Irienyi. Pictured with the author, 1981. Ch. 9 Kagwa

Attributes of Ethnic Groups, Tarime, North Mara, 2007

Nyamagaro

Surwa

Hacha

IX

Rieri

Kibantu, some Kijaluo

Nyamunga, Ruhu

Suba

Girango

Kiroba

Ochuna, Nyanjage

Mkoma, Shi- rati, Nyahongo, Bukama

Luo

Luo, some Suba

Kijaluo

Luo

Kagwa

Tegi

Suba and Nyancha

Nyangombe, Kyangasaga

Category Language Customs

Ethnic Division Group

Bantu, some Luo, still cir- cumcise

Some Villages

Kibantu, some Kijaluo

Luo Imbo Nyathorogo and and Suba Kisumwa

Bantu, Kuria

Bantu, Kibantu, Ruhu, Busweta some Luo, some still Kijaluo circumcise

Bukura, Kigunga

Suba

Nyamunga, Kyangombe, Komuge, Kisumwa

Suba

Nyahera, Bukura, Kigunga

Utegi, Kogaja, Mariwa, Ingiri

mostly Kijaluo now

Luo, some Suba

Luo, some Suba

Nyankanga

Kibantu, Kuria

Kuria

Suba

mostly Kijaluo now

mostly Kijaluo now

Nandoto, Nano, Kyangombe, Nyamagaro

Kibantu, some Kijaluo

Suba

Ward (Kata)

Nyabange, Kirumi

Suba

Tarime, Busweta, Gamasaro, Busweta Nyandoto, Kumange

Musoma Vijijini

Suba and Nyancha

Suba

Irienyi/ Simbiti

Nyancha

Nyancha

Koryo, Mirare, Girango Kitembe, Roche, Girango Bukwe, Goribe

Sweta

Nyamunga and Nyamagaro

Kirogo, Mkoma, Kakseru/ Nyancha Nyamtinga, Girango Kiseru Nyahongo