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The struggle with many a rigid Logooli cultural practices

  The Logooli community is one of the deeply cultured societies – with near everything supposed to have been done as per custom – to allow another custom to follow. One example is that for a mature man (with a child or more) to be buried, there must be a house structure at home. Another is that a boy must be circumcised and nursed in father land. If maternal family decides to, the boy will have a hard time reconnecting with father people - a dent on his masculinity. There were two children who got burnt to death in a house in Nairobi. The single mother had left for night work. Elders were told that one of the children was Logooli. The other, the woman had sired with someone else. The Logooli family wanted to burry their little one and long discussed the do’s and don’ts. Of a man who died childless and the grave was placed as if he had died as a man with children. It should have been dug on the sides, the grave. A real thorn should have been thrust in his buttocks, his name go...

Izava Walk : Wodanga

If I can recall well, my father said that they used to herd where Kibisu's land opens to the road that runs Gavudia-Sabatia passing by Chief Odanga's craddle. When Papa came from Narobi, I was relieved duties as washing utensils. Then he'd have me as the passenger on his bike or walk mate as we headed to Mudete via Wadungani path. The clothes I had on did not measure to the beers I was taking him to take.

One day he had told me 'I have heard!' when I insisted that I needed new exercise books. I was afraid to ask again. Another time he bought me a trouser that did not nicely fit cause it was 'material'. I remember him hanging to matatu- the pick-up ones- and paid the small five bob coin. Five bob.

Now the log bridge is replaced by a concrete one. Odanga could drive cheerfully through his chiefdom had he ruled today. Walking both in South and North maragoli is a great area. Whoever listens to the tales of Odanga admires him.

Odanga is from vakayere clan and that is part of the reasons elders saw him proper to lead. The foinder of the clan is said to be a person who yayeraa while challenged with heavy matter. He was not given to anger the way Ariero, sons of Didi and others did. And so when Inzara ye Kekombe striked, it found a proper leader in place.

Concerned like all of the elders, Gudahi tells a situation where Odanga gently asked the elders, 'nakokorendi?' And the elders advised. Mabiri was the DO who oversaw affairs of Kavirondo for the virgin Queen. North Kavirondo were cooperative people. Kaimosi Bible College functioned with great collaboration. World War II soldiers had been largely sourced from Evologoli. Armed with these bargain points

Mabiri organised lorries around to Butsotso and Marama. People like Shemu had lorries with them by then among others. Maize was given for free. Free! And when harvest time arrived, valogoli could not forget easily.

That story takes us to a stream that originates in Vokoli to end in Izava.

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