Engoma; Divine Power or Religion?

-: When all is said and done, and stones thrown left, right and center, let's get one thing that is true, that our forefathers long before Mzungu came, were religious by nature, they worshipped some higher powers, call them misambwa, ancestors, call them whatever, but they were religious, the had no rulers with military strength or arms or weapons to be precise, but they knew there was a higher power that was not human in nature; so when the Mzungu came he had the simplest work of introducing his known God to an already worshipping congregation, like it or not the Maragoli believed in mystical powers, hidden but powerful; it's the Wanga people who introduced the Maragoli to leadership by armed power, the first Paramount chiefs in Maragoli are still known because it's so recent.

-: I couldn't agree more.

The Divine power as envisaged by the Valogoli People was physically expressed through the "Engoma"

A practice of worshipping using a special drum is found among all Bantus from Central, East and South Africa.

That is why South African Diviners are called, _Sangoma_

At one time when the Banyore stole the _Engoma_ from Mungoma, the drum played all night by itself.

It has been said, that it is the American Missionaries who carried away the _Ngoma_ as part of artefacts surrendered to give up the old ways and embrace the new religion.

-: Absolutely true. And I would like to apologise for my part in yesterday's heated discourse. Sometimes one gets carried away in with the passion of putting across his point of view. No disrespect or hard feelings towards anyone. We are one. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

-: Someone needs to reintroduce such worshipping. I'd definitely attend. It used to actually make things happen e.g. rain.

-: Matters Religion

What was the Religion of Murogori/Saniaga? 

Let us speculate. I am in. 😁

-: It must also be explained here, the deep rivalry between the Avalogoli and the Avagidosi (Bukusu) is older than the Friends Church, Kaimosi-Kamusinga schism.

The rivalry goes way back to when Mulogoli conspired with the backing of the Banyore to take away the _Ngoma_ from Mt.Elgon area and bring it to a smaller and obscure hill, that he named as the new headquarters, *Mungoma*

That left *Bungoma* without the real source of spiritual power but an empty shell, save for the name. 

Avagidosi never forgave Mulogoli for that act. 

What the Banyore did to help Mulogoli made them refer to each other as "my brother"

It also explains why the Banyore felt they had stake in the priesthood of the _Ngoma_

Who took away our _Ngoma_?

I have seen the British return some cultural artefacts, will the Americans do the same?

*And who should bell the cat?*

-: The rivalry between the Mulogooli and Muvugusu worsened when the same Mzungu adopted Lulogooli language as the language to be used throughout the then North Nyanza region; the two Mulogooli and Muvugusu have always considered themselves as brothers but the later wants to be respected as the older of the two; the good thing about them is that they have never encouraged armed conflict between them only verbal quarrels

-: I know of a man who 101 years currently but not necessarily a Mu Saniaga. He may have wisdom 4 our generation. I can give uou the sons contact

-: Help the contact, thanks. 

You say there was a chief priest, muraguri

You say there was the chief tool, indumba

You say there was a chief fellowship, drumming and singing

To what god? 

I mean. Worship as we know now could have been general communing a while back. Imagine some little thatched houses on the slopes of Mbale. A forest between to Kigama. Which mind would 'sophisticate' itself to preach to only mbale huts? 

The drum was more political than religious. To inform. To be drummed at festivities like wrestling. And people would really dance. The reverie there could be what we call religion now? 

- Thanks.