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Chahilu’s Funeral; Logooli Culture in action

Guuga Chahilu was respectfully laid to rest at his home on Saturday 14th June 2025. Having passed on at Mbale Referral Hospital on 31st May 2025, the two weeks leading to his burial were full of cultural discussions. His passing on is a great loss to the Logooli Language and Culture Family as he was a custodian and informer of Luhya Indigenous Knowledge. An observation as to how the funeral proceeded leads us to revist Logooli traditions amidst modern realities.  One, having left the house alive and now coming back in state, Chahilu was to be taken inside the house, placed muihiilu for a moment and then officially taken out in wait for earth burial. His casket was able to enter the doors. There are cases where the dead would find it difficult to be taken in and then out due to an oversized casket or thin door. A man or a lady of his house who died out of home has to be taken in the house for a last ritual mark. But if the person had died inside, he or she would not be brought bac...
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Arrow of God - Chinua Achebe

Arrow of God. Gods play games with us. They infact through arrows (in modern times they throw bullets and tsunami) the way we hunt lions and elephants. They harass our virgins and make lives bitter when infact life is bitter. So Chinua Achebe brings us to this point- we are instruments of gods. They use us against others and against self.

The novel, first honoured by the writer as the ‘best’ if you read the introduction is a masterpiece build up on Things Fall Apart. The ‘Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of Lower Niger’, was published and read by Wintabota. Funny. In the novel we experience a picture of true African homes on matters of family and friendship when it comes to moments of conflict. Ezeulu’s family will have to suffer big to destruction now that there are no enough resources to counter the stressors. Hill’s ABCX model explains that best.

What took me to the novel after reading it five years ago in High school is the love for the moon. Of late I love the celestial body. How the old man sat to see the weak confused-sitting sign in the heavens. We can read our way to destruction. Peter James writes that people know when they are going to die. To enjoy health and suffering you should have knowledge of both. Have that knowledge in health first.

What strikes me most is the religious confinement that thrusts the community to success. Unlike our modern monotheistic religions, good and evil resided in gods. One god could be with you and the other kill you, they believed. There are still liars, adulters and thieves. Some Igbo’s think they are Israelites. My boss will tell you that African took Christianity to Europe but in another way. The game of gods is that painful apart from making your arms grow like a woman’s limb.

It does not take you a regret to denounce simple beliefs like Christianity. Reading opens up the world to emancipation. The greatest emancipation is to believe in nothing. The python is not a Jehova thing. The snake is not an Eden's inhabitant. Stories of snakes and spirituality are traditions. When you read religion you read traditions. And the best tradition is that which you design in your times- dancing to the age's music. However you won't run from initial discomforts.

 I am undecided to what I should study after my degree and literature seems the leeway. African Literature- home to mankind. If I told you that I ever dreamt that I will teach literature in future will I sound stupid? Then I knew only of social work. But that is not spirituality...is it? If you want to drink from the African calabash, read the book: read such books.

Read and you will connect dots.




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