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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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Writings on a leso - dignified clothing.

Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten. Palm oil is tappped and the best tapper does not tap lowly- he climbs up. To climb up is to go round a woman's lesso when she is not looking. It is searching for the sentenses on wirelines when no one is looking. It is to stop by and window shop while reading. The lesos are endowed with swahili proverbs- one of the rich most African literature. 

A leso is a woman's half clothing- from the waist to the toes. It resembles Kikoi though I find kikoi a littled heavily cottoned. Lesso is light and 'free' though if someone explained it better I'd take that as a description. I know it as my mother's convenient clothing she used when doing house chores, hiding her inner trouser from us- it was disgusting to see your mother in one, and letting us use it to sit in the open grass.



Whoever invented writings on the clothing- not the things youths have on their T-shirts- is presently serving a high position in the council of ancestors. Someone must have started it before others adopted. He ranks among the rare species in my list. 

Proverbs aren't cliches. Just read it severally and you will understand. Like meditation, it increases with concentration. It also depends with one's imagination- our greates curse. Good that the words aim no ill. They are a language at its peak- no fouls; no profanity. You can close your eyes while buying any and it will reflect well in the recipient's eyes. Memorise the verse and it will do good to your brain and life. 

As a woman's clothing, it goes beyond what it writes. The words reflect well- humbleness and goodness. A society whose women are in struggle to 'overcome' men is a chaotic one. We can blame the system- not the women. We are also too many to treat one as human. But that does not keep off the proverbs- whoever sticks to the good ways will surely harvest good.



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