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The struggle with many a rigid Logooli cultural practices

  The Logooli community is one of the deeply cultured societies – with near everything supposed to have been done as per custom – to allow another custom to follow. One example is that for a mature man (with a child or more) to be buried, there must be a house structure at home. Another is that a boy must be circumcised and nursed in father land. If maternal family decides to, the boy will have a hard time reconnecting with father people - a dent on his masculinity. There were two children who got burnt to death in a house in Nairobi. The single mother had left for night work. Elders were told that one of the children was Logooli. The other, the woman had sired with someone else. The Logooli family wanted to burry their little one and long discussed the do’s and don’ts. Of a man who died childless and the grave was placed as if he had died as a man with children. It should have been dug on the sides, the grave. A real thorn should have been thrust in his buttocks, his name go...
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In the absence of kinship ties...

Hello Family, here is a case that may make an hair stand on your body if you so appreciate togetherness and family ties. Please give it a thought. 

A dear friend of mine comes from a poor family, I mean alienated in the ways they associate with fellow cousins, uncles, neighbours save the vwifwa side. 

It happens that the father is a drunkard and the mother often mentally disturbed. His elder siblings schooled difficultly and are all out of home while the young ones at the mercy of the non attached parents. 

His younger brother, of now 24 years, fought with a fellow lad and unfortunately the lad died a day after due to head injury. The brother has been a motor cyclist and had earlier married with now a child, living by a rented room. He was arrested and now is in cells. 

The deceased family, in wait for any emissaries, decided to go see a member of the family when no one was coming. And my young friend 'was the sober one' to be addressed. In fact the father was asked to the discussion and he arrived drunk. The middle aged men wanted a hand in burial preparations, not accusatory. 

Such a situation always calls for elders, sober leadership to give hope and guidance. 

His immediate uncles are afraid to step in. He does not know his fathers' cousins. He does not know his immediate kins. He says he has never been told who they are. And of course he had never had the desire to know them. And the maternal side, which he relates well, cannot be actively involved. 

It therefore bothers that individuals, families and societies suffer in the hands of the 'state' because we have in several ways kept us away from one another. 

In my sympathetic view, I think that the imprisoned lad is not the main character in the whole tale but this friend of mine who carries the family stone. As Sisyphus. How can such a family redeem itself? 

I have known the family for 7 years now and I may answer other queries if there are. The friend is a confidant and I share this story to pass a message of kinship importance. May it strengthen us. 

With Thanks. 😓

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