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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 : Our spring leaks

Izava has been walked along by many in need of firewood, water and sort. It is not a about beating a new path. It doesn't pass in a dense forest the way Lugose does through Kakamega forest. If one side lacked a good side path, the other side provided. The shoes did not have a problem in crossing the waters when a bridge wasn't near. Caution was to note inflows that  entered from the other side.

'Kove kuho numgela gwosi gwingilaa shimbaha?'
'Yee,' noho 'Awa.'

So I crossed over to find myself in Wadere Spring. Children and women followed a queue at the spring.  I approached near and in my head the thought was, finally the spring is going to be refurbished.

Those who had come at 6am had not yet fetched. At least those of 5am. Believe it or not. Wadere spring seemed to serve a huge village. Women came to wash by the spring, taking water from Izava. Where would water be gotten at home and for about a month it had been sunny? Other home chores therefore pended. It was weeding time.

Reasons as to why the spring urinated instead of pouring out water were mainly two - the trees directly up the well and side flows. All containable.

'What if you asked the owner to cut the trees?'
'He is a harsh guy' they seemed to respond.

A boy used a plastic container to fetch by the side. Asking whether they as women could not organise themselves to buy a bag or two of cement, it was evident they are not organised in any development group. Their husbands and brothers are the Masons and plumbers of the location. They'd do it as their own!

Children still had chores waiting for them at home... And wasting time by the well wasn't working to their good because hunger would soon set in. A play, boredom and frustration by the spring was inevitable.

"Make it by yourself," I told the keen eyes and gave them my back to cross Izava.

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