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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

Saniaga Migration Stories...

-: The story of Saniaga/Kamnara in both versions could be having some truth, Saniaga was adopted by Mulogooli, somehow, descendants of Saniaga or whoever came first, Kamnara could not settle in one place, reason why they are also among the Nandi and Keiyo, very complex; at some point in their history of migration, the Mulogooli family was marooned in heavy floods after a down pour, and its Saniaga who constructed rafters to rescued them to safety!!!.

-: And where could these floods have been? The rivers and valleys have not changed in maragooli land unless it was like the Budalangi floods but where? Maragoli hill is quite high up unless it was around kisumu area seen from Riat Plateau?  Jama... saidia?

-: That's true, you can capture the descripancies from the small pamphlet. One important point is that proff. Ogot focussed, when he researched about the maragoli, only on the sons of murogori.

-: Not keeping in mind non- rogoli descent tribes.

-: I second, we settled after murogori, the reason being that our generations are quite younger. We can identify relatives quite easily. in terms of generational ancestry compared to say the kizungu. What I tend to think is maybe in the course of interaction, murogori had an obligation to pay. Maybe we were chased from say Nandi because our stake was in maragoli, thus murogori had to fulfill obligations by giving up land that belonged to us by right. Try reason it out. The truth is as maragoli we are living in a land that was previously occupied by the kalenjin. Therefore most non- murogori descent tribes could be assumed to be kalenjin in origin. But the presumption that we came from lake Victoria is also true. It's a whole mixture of literature that needs be dug into.  Because even among the kalenjin, including the Luo, there are those who are not of these tribes origin.

-: En routes of migration, perhaps before settling in maragoli, the gusii claim to be related to the maragoli, but perhaps this could be a particular clan among the maragoli- avagusuhi. Maragoli history is interesting, if serious scholar had to research. It's like each of non- murogori descent tribes have a major tribe they relate to in Africa. For instance, avatimbuli assumed to have descended from abatembuli of Uganda, avavurugi assumed to have descended from burji (gabra)  of North Eastern. One interesting fact about avavurugi according ku msakuru from JD otiende's writing is that most have wavy hair, kama ya warrior. The moyi are kalenjin in origin. We need a serious historian to study murogori history. Like lung'afa has said, people like proff ogot researched without good foresight.

-: Baba, there is a Kamunara at Mago who thinks we came  from Mt. Elgon escarpments.

As Saniaga used to go to bushes (Mau Forest) to search for prey, he would alongside settle a new. And that is how there was Saniak in Rift Valley.

Further, some point at Kericho, two Saniaga brothers did a terrible thing, the Kamunara added. They killed their father's friend.  To escape dad's anger? Run away.

And they went lakewards, to Kisumiru where 'Murogori' descendants used to go shop. Our brothers needed accommodation, acceptance. They followed 'Murogori' back home, to the hills. And that is how 'we arrived here'.

It was not long before the eldest son was dismayed by the 'mahiri' in the hills, those dotted snakes and Murogori's spiritual life then. He left, kuzia kunara kivara kindi. He headed South West, Sakwa.

The younger one, tired of following the cunning brother, stayed in Murogori area, expanding in four - Budaywa, Mulundu, Banja and the younger house that remained Imavi.

Vuchee yengo!

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