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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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Bike Fall

The elbow hurts and if I do not take care, one day I shall not have the hands to type an article. The bicycle is the simplest and safest mode of transport known if you know to apply brakes before a bump, to manoeuvre on stones and alight when you don't trust yourself.

Cane transporting trailers passed slowly as I cycled on gear one. The first had no place to hold. The second had. Quickly, my right hand got hold. Being the first time ever, I had a quarter a second moment of adapting. Easy! I was being pulled along nicely for people to see!

The trailer driver had zigzagged to signal discomfort with my act. Tonnes of canes were aboard and my holding was insignificant. I could not have understood that till I was bruised.

A tractor was slow descending to Lunyerere. I overtook it like a pro. Across the river I changed the gear. Quick cycles but least propulsion, I went. A guy with the old phoenix was pushing as required. Ahead, a green coloured mountain bike was reachable. Legs increased their revolutions.

But before I reached the guy, the tractor trotted behind and the intensity of its engine signalled a fast speed for it. When it neared, I assessed for points of  grasp. I saw a hook point when it was already a metre ahead. Two gears more and I had caught it. The bike guy may have seen a joker of a biker.

The hill was being tamed. Fast, the chimney gritting, I controlled the bike with the left hand. I passed people quickly. Bumps lay ahead but the ride was too joyful to take a moment of thought. We were now passing Mbale Boys gate.

Up down, up down and I had lost control. It was late in letting the tractor go. Uncontrollable motion, I fell painfully. A lady quickly crossed over to catch a matatu seconds after fall, unconcerned. The tractor had opaqued my agony in the short time I was up to beat dust. Good I was up.

I'd have entered Bliss Medicare place for spirit wipe but thought against it. I only had a hundred bob and it was better to be a customer at the cyber than be given elastoplats unnecessarily. And so I soaked a toilet paper as I googled.

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