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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 Rikambaya

With Muhindi at his home at Wazimbalo village
A Saniaga by the name Rikambaya was at Igunga (somewhere there). He gave birth to Muteve, Adakambiri and Muhindi.

There was family land at Zimbalo where Daudi Chore is (thereabout) that used to come to the present primary school. Daudi Chore is a renowned PAG Evangelist   in the 30's and 40's. For unclear reasons, the land was occupied by vaRungusia (a clan that dominates Zimbalo area). It is not sure if the very land was also ancestral to vaOgirwa at Chavakali. They claim Ogirwa was at Zimbalo and for unclear reasons the land was lost.

Back now, the three brothers came to Zimbalo from Igunga. Their mother called Mberesia, muRudanya. They came with her.

She would bore Murusia later, by Mwikara. A Saniaga from eRonyenya. And Murusia begot two identities. Isi vaviri, mama murara.

Losing the land at Zimbalo, Muteve and Adakambiri followed those who were migrating towards South Nyanza. Muhindi, having gone away for work and back, only moved from the Zimbalo primary area towards Mpaka road. It is said he sold his remainder share.

He would then be courteous to give Murusia, his younger brother, a share of his land. Murusia was also given more land at eRonyenya. But he grew, lived and died at Zimbalo, near Mpaka road.

There are three generations from Muhindi. But for purposes of this writings, it is not wise to write about them. Their names and information is however well collected and kept for future searches.

That therefore calls us to need to know more. Who was Rikambaya, what were the brothers, where did they go. Does anyone know more? Will following up with Mwikara give a clue? So that no family misses a trace up there on our family tree. One clue is that they are of vArago descent.

....

Did you know that Mpaka road means _mbaga_ ?  A boundary? Well, there was a time when vaMavi and vaKirima wrangled over boundaries and fought so. Then a white man came to solve the dispute. He was given a semi-mad man to show him where the boundary was. So the man walked ahead and that was considered the boundary. Eastwards to South iMavi and Northwards to West iVukirima. Mpaka! The reason why a mad man was because in case of insincerity he would only suffer more. Though there remained undertones that the boundary should have gone towards Kegoye. It is Mpaka that joins Kigama via Chugi.

Still on the white man, did you know there once was a clan census in Maragori? Yes. At Kidundu, Vihiga. The administrative place then. It is said that people went to be counted mlolongo style, by clan. And the Saniaga line was overwhelmingly long that the white man called it the largest clan.

Last but not least, Mr. Muhindi offered the house of his father, Muhindi to be used as a community library.  The building is shared below and the story about it will be brought to this forum in good time.

-/With Thanks
Saniaga.org
Saniaga.blogspot.com

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