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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...

A freedom song, Onyango yo

Onyango lives in the city
Onyango works in a garage
Onyango gets to bed tired
He lives in Mukuru slum
Onyango is a graduate
Onyango yo

For he is of alien tribe
Onyango needs no leverage
While he complain others work
Doing businesses all day
In my powers I regulate them
Onyango yo

Onyango crude and cruel
Bad picture to the idle youths
He hears his age mates talk English
Thinks he can be better
Onyango twenty-five now
Onyango yo

Then my garage was full
Onyango did know that
He is paid, every month end
I have bills too, many
What less? He fired himself
Onyango yo

Customers need great care
Moreso when they are VIP
The youth served too slow
None will praise my able firm
Onyango lacked experience
Onyango yo

Onyango never grew to marry
So we know he was timid
He feared to face life
That was his main mistake
Always with bushfire ideas
Onyango yo

Onyango's shot today
Violence and rebellion he chose
He had denounced peace call
To end it uselessly
Onyango gone to Heaven
Onyango yo

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