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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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Marriage between Saniagas?

Mbeye nindi riteva,
If not permitted please advice me to delete.

A few years ago I happened to 'fall in love' with a Musaniaga man without knowing we were clan-mates.
When we found out, we tried finding out the permissiability of such a union but we were given a big no.
Some wazees told us only bigger clans like Vamavi can inter-marry.

How true is that?

What was the guiding principle behind our ancestors deciding to ban clan intermarriage? Other communities marry their clan mates, the blood relation is very distant to be considered incest.
All Maragoli clans ni vaana va Murogoori and his wife,technically we are all "one blood."

Aren't there any other reasons why such marriages were disallowed?

Lung'afa: Awesome question. Hapo nyuma when Saniagas had started having doors, some married! This I was told by Vodoti. But it started being an embarrassment and elders vehemently refused the house thing among Saniagas. It was creating a door for obscenity and division, kifwavi. 

We have a saying that 'masahi gashimbi gahuliizanaa vwangu' no wonder you were 'serious in love', having so much in common, a statement that is agreed to by 'eng'ombe nigaduu irizaa ku gaavo.'
It saddens to change a lover to a friend because of clan stuffs and that is why among the very fist questions before, 'Do you love me?' should be 'What is your clan?' 

Marriage to the fifth generation from maternal family is allowed and seventh generation on paternal side has no  problem..that is why super cattle crossing goes to the seventh. But here we would still apply the elders' whip. I would not come to your wedding with some Karani here just because the tenth ancestor relate. Laughter.

This is really insightful Lung'afa.
What about other clans like Vamavi,is it true that they intermarry?

Lung'afa: Vamavi is NOT a clan. When Mavi died, equal to Musaari, Mukizungu and Mukirima, they had 'houses'. You would hear of Vanondi, Vamuku, Vang'ang'a and etc among Mavi. Masero, Vasachi, Migangu are Vakirima and etc. So they marry such. And down there, on Masero for instance, the level of Saniaga here, there are 'sub-houses' too but they cannot marry! A saniaga marrying another is like Vasweta intermarrying cause they are 'not related'. They are as strong a clan yet with doors and sub-doors among them.

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