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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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My people suffer because of Much Information.

It is not that people are not informed in their misdoings. We know so many things in this age- compared to the past but not really with the future folk. We know about gods and God, politics and corruption, Pluto and space and can prophesize the future more certainly. Californians can run to safer grounds as Third World countries prepare for disasters like Tsunami and El-Niño respectively. We have sharper instincts than before.

I happen to have a neighbour who glorifies Television. He watches news at every hour- never bothered by the repetitions. His wife quacks at funny political incorrectness. They are one. In fact I know the news hour is on when his house calms and the volume raised. I come from a school of thought that terms media as a brain washing machine. When I see him directing urine to the kayapa fence, it confirms my myths.


With the power thieving means in the slums, many households access Television and Radio services. There is much information being dissipated in different styles and topics. The lack of knowledge as written in the Bible to mean foolishness is no longer applicable.  Small children dance to foreign styles and know more about the virtual than the real world. Differently interesting is how children from slums are conversant to 'styles of act' than children from rich grounds. They have open door policy and can interact and spoil selves with anything and everyone. 

What therefore do we need to fight poverty and ignorance? Information we have and more and more folks are school leavers. We may be having a problem- deep in nature (inside ourselves) that we have no words to express. The information we receive may be helpful as it may be useless. The 'experts' and 'role' models that air up their views have done little to benefit us. Facebook and equally better forums haven't assisted much in changing perceptions. Ignorance, in the name of politics, gossips and comedy encroach to make fun of everything.

To know sometimes sounds a curse. It would be better if you lived without some kind of knowing. And for a fool to know what he shouldn't, the world will have no peace. Having no Television, Phone, Friends and Neighbours is growing into a rare luxury which only the brave in mind can acquire. To know what many know does not help- which is most dwelt on in the media. This leaves us busy bodies.

To sieve information can also be a great loss. Let the curious explore the world to satisfy their inquisitiveness. You never know when the cards will add up to their best. There is no good or bad information- there can only be people not ready for either. And that will do them more harm than good. 

 
A picture taken in Kibera slums.





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