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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 : Unmotivated

Had it been some research and related jobs I'd wake up to this day, finding excuses and greatly complain about many things. I'd request for different gear, talk about the delayed allowance and demand lunch hour to be increased by few minutes. But for such a task that had somebody asked why you took to would be hard to answer, you had to push oneself such that your motivation finds you going.

I therefore did not talk to the man I met first. He was picking tea. He smiled when I was turning down the path and away. All in the fear to accomplish much by walking, not interviewing. Funny. It was so as I met a kibich boy who was around for holidays to ask what name the stream we stood by was. It was on Itando soil that we stood facing vugisivi ridge.

Thickets, maize, Wigunza spring, sand harvesting and then, Izava forks. An island between. Blindly one would think a stream flowed in. It was therefore a matter of being keen. It is in the bottom of Ayiga. A land of unencroached reeds stood tall. It was followed by maize farm. Up, Bo Yusuf mosque stood. Two boys were holding jembes.

Bravin was 12, Rodgers 10. Their mother had leased a small piece for farming near Izava. These two boys went to weed and transplant wheat. They did not do it nicely. Had they eaten, had they been sure of lunch meal, they'd be strong for the work. I asked also about their grades at school. Grade 5 said the eldest. Some days they sleep on hungry stomachs.

Unmotivated, Izava turned and turned, and before it stood what used be Lunyerere coffee Factory. The place was quite, the quietness shops on the opposite ridge had. Haunting. Lunyerere was London! Pipes and metals were still in place as if guarded. FAG as the manufacturer of the unmovable machines. The roofing had not been sold as second hand mabati. A man bent further cutting grass by the earth to take it home. Poor cattle.

One of the car washers by Lunyerere was the father to Bravin. Hard to identify whom he was because of late there is increase in men there to wash.

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