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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: The Meru mam

There is said to have been a great pour that pushed Izava to its recent depression at kivanda cha Isaiah. The river used to pass here, says the Mumeru. Silt and deposit from up there was moved here, lifting the river bed and it took its shape there. This, she was told.

From Chogoria in Meru, this mama was married Evorogori decades now. She used to work as a banker and there met her husband who has the worst of sisters. Varikwa too make her unhappy. To have good ones, you must be very lucky. We were good friends till I came home to start utilising my husband's land. When I was away we were good friends. They sold her mabati, divined that she doesn't come home and all that. She and her husband had almost bought land in 1992 at Kitale before election violence changed their mind.

They hate me, the neighbours. They do not speak to me. They steal my bananas. They throw dead snakes and frogs here. No one is talking to me because I have dug this land. They used to bring their cattle here. Not anymore. I will be planting njahi here. Yes I will. See my neighbour with sugarcane, sweet potatoes and cabbages. But people here are blessed with jealousy! Too much of it in them. Too much propaganda and conspiracies. The people you see digging for me are not from the neighbourhood.

One thing that traumatised me was the mourning custom. I get chills when the dead is openly laid. For three days! Why that seriously? If my husband dies I won't sit there in the cold. I would quickly burry him. Just burrying? No ceremonies. Vicious cycle of death here, like some have taken it as business. Today here, tomorrow there. What one needs to do is to assert authority. Let them fear you. One just needs little space, you don't have to be a president!!

This Izava often floods depositing plastics, bottles and wear. It can be easily controlled. This is not Mississippi, she says. I am thinking of what to do alongside it.

I told her my names and that I understood her for my mama is Mukamba. Her parting shot was that i take care. A six feet cobra lived somewhere.

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