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Chahilu history in Lulogooli : Gaa kale gaa Chahilu (1942-2025)

Bernard Philimona Chahilu 1942-2025  Liivulwa Mukuluundu Bernard Philemon Chahilu yivulwa muhiga gwa 1942 mweli gwa kavili guvee sita (6/2/1942). Nu mwana wa Elam Kilago na maama Jelida Modani ma vosi vaakuza. Nu muyaayi Mukizuungu Mudidi mwifwa Mumasiingila Muvisonye. Yiivulwa muyaayi munifu mulidaala lye Gaigedi, Gaigedi logongo, Wodanga Lusoma, Sabatia Sub-county, Vihiga County. Kuviikilwa makono. Yaaviikilwa ku makono no mwilwazi Daudi Kadenge muhiga gwa 1942 mulidaala lie Gavudia mulivugaana lia Valina. (Friends Church). Likevwa Yaakevwa muhiga gwa 1952 kekevo chalaangwa Silula. Lisooma Yaataangila lisooma lilie ha Gaigedi masoomo go muluguki. Yaamanya niazya Gahumbwa Primary muhiga gwa 1955 mukilaasi kia kavaga. Yaakola ligela lia vaalaanga C.E.E. (Common Entrance Exam) muhiga gwa 1956 ha Gahumbwa. Muhiga gwa 1957 yaazya kusooma mukilaasi cha kataano ha Kericho Township School. Muhiga gwa 1958 yaazya kusooma ha Kigama Intermediate mukilaasi cha siita niakolela ho ligela liala...

Maternal Names; Why not?

-: I don't know how true this is: that Maragoli men dislike being named from their maternal grandparents home; yaani 'ivifwa'.

-: I think I might have heard different people once or twice say something derogatory about the fact that I'm named after my maternal side. I think it's just the deeply ingrained paternalistic, umwaana ni wa Baba attitude. Personally I'm somehow proud of the fact and I kind of tend to bond more easily with my maternal relatives though. I just think that having had three older brothers named after paternal relatives, and my grandfather having passed on just before I was born, perhaps my father decided to honour my mother and her father by allowing me to be named after him.

-: Not all Valogooli ignore amita gi vifwa. In fact many are the names that crossed from mother's side into father's clan. I know some.

-: True my dear. My brilliant maternal uncle confirmed to me just last week while chatting with him, and am glad you asked... The Lovely Mr Johnson Muhavi says that his name Muhavi (maternal) was never to be called and was never on the radar but some incident happened to him that called for Muhavi name after all paternal names were completely exhausted. So, yes there was dislike by paternals for maternal names 🤷🏻‍♂🤷🏻‍♂🤦🏻‍♂🤦🏻‍♂😭😭

-: Yes, will try. 

@⁨Neccy Flossy⁩ was wondering here why it was discouraged to name children maternal names. 

One, it was both men and women agreeing not to name maternal side of the child. A child was rarely named by the father/mother but by a grandmother/grandfather. 

And this grandmother would least name the maternal side of navizara. Having established herself and now getting visukuru, she preferred names of that home than any other. You will also relate with mother-in-law issues. 

Two, a woman once married was required to have a mind shift, from her motherland to the new marital family. Trying to name children from where she came from was not in anyway showing respect and stability in the new family. 

With an average of four children at most when mortality rates were high, it was difficult to first exhaust naming paternal side so that you start maternal side. Where it was agreed, at least it be the fifth child or so. 

A maternal name was also hard to stick because people would find hard to relate with it. And people would tend to call grown boys and girls by their father's names.

Among other reasons that the society, without discrimination whatsoever, tended to preserve itself.

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