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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
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The Yalwala


Ogirwa the old is said to have come from Mbale - Idavaga. Something happened. Whenever his children wished to go back and reclaim his land, he grew angry. And warned. 

He gave birth to one funny and cheeky ancestor nicknamed Riguruguru. His name was Zakariah Lung'aho. He could tune to some song 'Riguruguru zanangwa ngani rivozanga!' whenever drunk with ibusa. 

A people of Maraha clan lived then at Chavakali from where there is a cereal board compound downwards. But they were also silent under the leadership of Ogora, a leader from the Masingira clan that tended to have a low look on other clans around. Our charismatic Riguruguru not only gained his favour but came to be established when he married a Masingira girl. Riguruguru only had a sister that was married at Maravi. No brothers. The Saniaga families in Lunyerere were distant and only treated as close brothers. His land now, gotten from the Maraha, extended down from the Cereal Board to the road that heads to Bukulunya. There where a Luo later introduced a Printing press and won himself two beautiful Masingira girls. 

Riguruguru was a dealer in skins and hides. He was chief in the cattle market at Stendkisa and Ogora liked him so - for favours. Even the cereal board place for sometime had the name of Visero. 

Days went by and Adagi ruled the area. Riguruguru was then getting smaller and smaller. He was a world war fighter. He had a bone disease. One day while drunk, it happened. 

Fellow drunkers snarled this, 'we gave you a wife, we gave you land. What are you?' It made him marry a second wife, Migango. 

Adagi was one time in such hatred dragging him to court in unclear reason of the time. As savage as you can assume. A shouting match ensued. And this is what Riguruguru told Adagi: 'My family will be as stars in the sky, great men and great leaders.'

NB
Did you know that some clans/families due to conflicts or such taboos did not share water springs? Maraha and Maroka are an example. It happened even at the coming of Churches that if they were in a similar place different churches of the same faith were to be built. 

With Thanks

-: The Saniaga of Chavakali are cousins to thise of Lunyerere. Exact association eludes me to date but my father pointed me there when I needed wazee to escort me to things like Dowry negotiation.... A patriach in the family died recently, Gadonya was his name. Wish you had chance to interview him. His son Kigarave is a great father figure to me uptodate. Lunyerere and chavakali Saniagas are cousins

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