Skip to main content

Featured

Posted by

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
Post a Comment
Read more
Posted by

A magazine/newsletter - A viable idea?

Hello Family, good morning! There is this big idea of running a magazine, the thought is, we invest in local languages... Telling the stories in people's 'favourite tongues'. We are brainstorming and getting like minded people, suggesting what best to include, ready to partner with the interested and just maybe we could use the forum to move mountains. The more we brainstorm, speak about it, give it our best, the likely we shall achieve it. We got time to be thinking about it, spreading to AGM where we shall showcase a blue print if not launching. And that would keep us ahead, won't it?
[10/18, 10:17 PM] Baba Ndanyi: Can members suggest the name for the magazine, we may invite contributions from without, the Saniaga logo will be prominently displayed; also we may suggest a free copy to paid up members, others will pay to purchase a copy. Any suggestions or inputs?
[10/19, 5:48 AM] Mukayagi Ngonda: Let's keep it simple: UMUSANIAGA
[10/19, 6:21 AM] Lung'afa: 😁😁. Umusaniaga? What about other guys with different heritage? Will they not feel left? I thought kamnara tries to shadow everything... And we could get interests from luo, nandi etc cause of strangeness of kamnara.... Below is another set, have a look
[10/19, 6:34 AM] Mukayagi Ngonda: Those too are Avasaniaga. They used to attend those old time meetings organised by Joram Ngoda, Lawrence Isigi, John Madete et al.
[10/19, 6:42 AM] Lung'afa: THE UMUSANIAGA as title. Would it encompass other dialects as nandi, luo, kikuyu, maasai etc? In the sense of if we expand the idea over time, the title still holds strong. Umusaniaga could be too local but Kamnara seems wide.
- Educate me here Baba.
[10/19, 6:47 AM] Mukayagi Ngonda: Kamnara is basically Luo. Maragoli have Saniaga. The Kalenjin have Saniak. Other Luhya sub groups have theirs. Is it really about being 'local' or otherwise?
[10/19, 7:08 AM] Govedi Muzami: Depends with the scope and outreach we are targeting. Remember we need to consider quality. Quality in the information we gather is it appropriate/relevant to the intended consumer? Do we have the capacity to gather vast information analyse and share? I agree with Mukayagi Ngoda, Umusaniaga, Saniagan etc....limit our scope and do it well then scale up with demand. We need to tap on our own resource first and the out reach will definitely expand... For example different professionals will run profiles on different topics....it will be interesting to have Dr. Sidika run an article on health, Mukayagi Ngoda share with us his vast experience in agriculture, Metrine Livole on banking/hotel industry, Joseph Ndanyi's language skills etc......what's the anticipated outcome?....Saniagas get to know each other more and more, my daughter who wants to study medicine has access to a mentor in that profession etc...Let's revisit our objectives within our constitution to define our scope. In the AGM we need to tear the objectives again and piece them up for more articulated clarity and direction. Excuse my disjointed top line thinking and add more ideas for brainstorming. There's so much to be done. Muhonge vurahi
[10/19, 7:23 AM] Kibisu Joash: Let us not cage the newsletter to a familly kamunara. We should be open to other famillies, l think broadening it to cover vihiga county heritage will be more valuable.
[10/19, 7:25 AM] Mukayagi Ngonda: I like the way we are going. It is all about content, quality and presentation. Something called The Nairobian is very popular here in Mbale. The name has not prevented it's entry into other towns. Let's continue the discourse although am off for now.
[10/19, 7:26 AM] Mudengani Kisia: The MARAGOLI needs be somewhere in the title
[10/19, 10:11 AM] Lung'afa: Hello family, the discussion is opening us to an issue of ....coverage.  The great purpose of the magazine (me thinks) would be to feature stories in vernacular languages...and the languages are many.
The name has no problem, Saniaga, Umusaniaga, Kamnara or Umuraguri (by the way Umuraguri would go towards Gusii, Kikuyu and Meru nicely).
In packaging, and if we wanted maximum participation, a story would be introduced in rusungu and told in the Vernacular. Maybe we need do a sample. And this would motivate pro-culture enthusiasts to the course.
May we brainstorm further on it as we have a good day.
[10/19, 12:12 PM] Mukayagi Ngonda: Infact Mulogooli was originally called Umuraguri by Muganda sababu ya kuonyesha foresight na ujuaji.
[10/19, 12:17 PM] Lung'afa: Umuraguri, me buys that.
Even Kuria would take it. Now we sit on the bench for how we should do the magazine. The layout...
[10/19, 1:04 PM] Mukayagi Ngonda: Hey. Not so fast. Wapi wengine?
[10/19, 1:12 PM] Lung'afa: 😁😁😁. Sometimes I behave like the plane is about to fly and I am not at the airport. Forgiveness.
- Beauty before age mentality.
[10/19, 1:12 PM] Mukayagi Ngonda: Infact people mistake umuraguri (seer) with umusigitiri (witchdoctor)  a fact that could play havoc with the acceptibility of that title.
[10/19, 1:19 PM] Lung'afa: Before one was demonized and the other edified both existed in duality. Witch-Wizard kind of where now we regard a wizard as a pro. Without knowing that a witch is also wow, the perfecting of wizardhood, the dark side.
- In Kikuyu muraguri ni murogi. Not bad.
[10/19, 3:33 PM] Lung'afa: In Gusii Muraguri is witch doctor.

Comments

Post a Comment