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The Kamnara of Sakwa are making ground to build for future generations

Greetings from the Kamnara of Sakwa! The Kamnara people of Sakwa on 27th December 2024 gathered at Village Park, Ajigo (near Bondo). Hosted by Kwaka Joseph, they hearkened to the consultative forum call, arriving in good numbers and early enough for a successful day. The gathering was chaired by Mr. Nying’ro James Onyango, a former (retired) assistant commissioner of Police. The introductions were excellent. The genealogies were mentioned in reverence, lengthy ones applauded. And courtesy of Enos Oyaya’s book, “Kamnara my people”, anyone who would need help had the documentation. Oyaya had launched the Kamnara book on 30th December 2022 at his home in Kamnara Mwalo, an event that gathered Vakamnara from far and wide. “What can we do that the generations to come will benefit from?” This was the clarion Mr. Kwaka Joseph called on all to fashion their minds to. And issues were raised in the fields of Education, health, agriculture, enterprise, politics and more that the swift dholuo would...
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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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