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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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Izava Walk : Idigoi stream

Idigoi is a stream from Southwest that joins Izava at Lunyerere. Its fountain is not limited to Gisambai, Mazigulu and Tsimbalo. It is the river down where Jesus left a footprint. Coming, it joins another from Mulundu, Munoywa...all of them. And at Lunyerere, a game is played.

The three ways by which Idigoi falls for Izava are as; one decides to join Izava by the old bridge. The bridge Indians used to trade along when they owned Lunyerere. Another drips to go under the road. It emerges after the main road. Important of all is the one that water services board hosts their suck machine. Rotational valving sent water to different places in Maragoli. But it is a loss to all who invested in piped water. So unreliable it is that no one looks forward to its coming. Yet Idigoi floods, refloods and flows away.

Lunyerere as a name could be due to the slimming streams. A trade path went straight to Mukingi - not Mbale - to lead to other markets.

Upper Izava concludes by the road as Lower Izava picks, a river that would take me further and deeper.

We begin with the deep gulleys after a metre or so from the bridge. We talk with the guy who had cleared space about to plant seedlings. He tells that the increase in the force of water is a result of urbanisation in Mbale. Roofs are catchments that if the water isn't directed to a store, they release it to indefinite channels. No room for water to settle, because every corner in Mbale is getting owned, it is left to guggle itself down. More roofs up there and a flood down here. The huge stones that were deposited by lorries during road construction get pushed further as the water increases.

Additionally, the yellowing of Izava is due to the construction and rehabilitation of roads. Water from the loose surfaces trampled upon by heavy tyres quickly heads down resulting in Izava.

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