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Chahilu’s Funeral; Logooli Culture in action

Guuga Chahilu was respectfully laid to rest at his home on Saturday 14th June 2025. Having passed on at Mbale Referral Hospital on 31st May 2025, the two weeks leading to his burial were full of cultural discussions. His passing on is a great loss to the Logooli Language and Culture Family as he was a custodian and informer of Luhya Indigenous Knowledge. An observation as to how the funeral proceeded leads us to revist Logooli traditions amidst modern realities.  One, having left the house alive and now coming back in state, Chahilu was to be taken inside the house, placed muihiilu for a moment and then officially taken out in wait for earth burial. His casket was able to enter the doors. There are cases where the dead would find it difficult to be taken in and then out due to an oversized casket or thin door. A man or a lady of his house who died out of home has to be taken in the house for a last ritual mark. But if the person had died inside, he or she would not be brought bac...

Izava Walk; Water Mill

Among the descendants of Kirima is Mmasingira. He gave birth to Maraha, Kiguru, Visonye, Maroka and Idare. The respondent was from the house of Idare. He later drew me a sketch of posho mill that operated using Izava river.

A barrier was constructed against the flow to direct water along a dike. Water flowed in to a structure that stored a few timber and two main stones. Down at the machine, a turbine was turned by the flow, pivoting to circle the upper stone. The stones were burrowed to let the crank shaft pass through. A funnel towered it. Grain entered through it was hold between the stones with the lower one static. Between them, flour was collected and down, water conduited back to Izava.

The problem with our people is jealousy, young man. Organisation is too poor here. No one likes when another seems like moving forward. Therefore people pull sideways. He pointed at a long time construction that would be a hospital. Stuck! Children played down there. Anagasha spring poured around.

A nice ox-bow at Kisigori was beautiful to behold but made ugly by the bare land hosting young maize. During rainy season, by look, the places badly soaked. A look at the last river overflow signalled harsh conditions for the crops when it rains. By look, it was a whole swamp before encroaching. This largely proceeded to Wandede where as it seemed, the whole valley bottom preferred maize to eucalyptus.

Ending the day, splash at the rock before Bukulunya- Chavakali bridge was a good place to sit and breath rest. Men showerd. Chavakali High pumped its water from there with equipments too old to suggest when Levi was a student.

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