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Heavy responsibilities for elder aunt among the Logooli

With Seenge Fonesi. She is the elder grand daughter of Isagi and elder daughter of Amugasya. She is often present in functions involving the family of Amugasya. Pic taken on 18/4/2024. The elder sister soon becomes the elder aunt. It is this “seenge munene” (elder aunt) tag that she is tied to many cultural responsibilities – back home. To her marital family she may appear as any other woman, but she is not so in the eyes of her people. Marriage does not steal her away as it would happen with other daughters of the old man. To her, as days go and the old man and woman of the estate are dependents, she becomes increasingly present.  Her brothers also need her for almost all traditional markings. They are marrying, she needs to welcome the new wife. They are giving birth, she needs to come to midwife or “bless” the new born. They are paying dowry she needs to lead the women delegate. There is a conflict she needs to come for a hearing.  And many others. Traditions does not expect her to
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No Ngugi, Vernacular is PAST.

I am talking like a foreigner as I answer to Ngugi's thoughts. But foreigners are not killed for their opinions. It is the responsibility of the sons of soil to decide on their fate now that things are no longer what they were.

To propose vernacular languages is to confine one's world. To learn a language is to live- identity. And to live is to time. And time in the global world is a scarce resource. There is therefore no time for identity and hence language. 

The reason as to why the global world is against identities as boundaries, morals and culture is because of the diversity and thinking of a greater world to discover. Language is therefore a minor thing to chase and any mode of communication and emancipation is welcomed. Learning is more than a language.

The fact that there are many languages- mostly ethnic- make it harder to suggest. My mother is a Kamba and father is a Luhya. Do children still belong to the father's land? Time has changed. Did Luhya men know of Kamba women? They were aliens. Therefore I am a born of a wrangle. 

Not that I am a city born. I now my vernacular but that should not be a bragging point (or politics for Raila). I don't now how vernacular is helping me but I often source distinct ideas and words from there. The denial speared by Ngugi that those who now only of foreign languages are a betrayal is a sign of sheer shallowness. Once I have communicated in whatever manner and my needs are catered, what next? It is not about language (morals); it is about personality and intuition that makes a behaviour.

The world is continuing to grow smaller and we should celebrate it. Languages are things that made it big. And as we go to Mars, with whatever language, I hope we are not confined to emancipation ethnicity.

Thank You

Professor on stage. Picture source; Web


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