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The Kamnara of Sakwa are making ground to build for future generations

Greetings from the Kamnara of Sakwa! The Kamnara people of Sakwa on 27th December 2024 gathered at Village Park, Ajigo (near Bondo). Hosted by Kwaka Joseph, they hearkened to the consultative forum call, arriving in good numbers and early enough for a successful day. The gathering was chaired by Mr. Nying’ro James Onyango, a former (retired) assistant commissioner of Police. The introductions were excellent. The genealogies were mentioned in reverence, lengthy ones applauded. And courtesy of Enos Oyaya’s book, “Kamnara my people”, anyone who would need help had the documentation. Oyaya had launched the Kamnara book on 30th December 2022 at his home in Kamnara Mwalo, an event that gathered Vakamnara from far and wide. “What can we do that the generations to come will benefit from?” This was the clarion Mr. Kwaka Joseph called on all to fashion their minds to. And issues were raised in the fields of Education, health, agriculture, enterprise, politics and more that the swift dholuo would...
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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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