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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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Kijira Majira /Chigira Majira/

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You are now further presented with an extended piece of reading to add to the writings already posted on Saniaga Oral Genealogy Search. It is a deeply informative course that as an expression of gratitude there should be as much written and shared. 

This is a quick fictious jot of what I have been able to come across and away from the main Oral Documentation activity engaged the informants in questions surrounding culture, customs and attitudes on the same. Unreservedly, the people interviewed have been greatly helpful and generous with what they know, attributes worth adopting. This is why I would not lazy with the information, taking a few minutes early morning and late evenings to twist for you this tale. 

Kijira Majira is written in the rich and beautiful Maragori language, as per Saniaga's second mission; Advocacy for Indigenous Knowledge where language is a greatly rich and reliable forum in achieving that. There should be increased efforts from Maragori speakers to come up with as many and diverse literary writings for the same. And in that way, we shall be able to not only induce another wide area of learning from but gain greatly as language is part of identity units that can inform and sustain community development. 

 *Kijira Majira* is third in the series after *Vindu Visarana,* a Maragori translation of Things Fall Apart and *Riavukana* , a Maragori translation of Utengano. These are baby steps to the many works, both original and translated that can gain increased understanding and be of positive effect to Maragori speakers and people interested in it. 

Kijira Majira is a fictional story unraveling the mystery of extended family, relationships, perceived agony, real challenges where weaknesses are interpreted otherwise and the general bleak future which banks on gods and sacrifice. Maragori is richly endowed with customs and practices for purposes of peace, law and order among the young and old. Reading the book will expose you to that understanding. You will also be able to enjoy the freeness of action, simplicity of life and at large, human dependence from the Ubuntu quote, you are because we are. 

Many thanks to Saniaga elders who have lead to this tale in a short time, only two months into Saniaga Oral Genealogy documentation. I believe that as the exercise is going on, there shall be other points of knowledge worth settling on. Which, in equal motivation should be packaged as this work, or better, for the benefit of us all. 

Finally, the language therein is as of spoken, making the work easier both in writing and reading. Complexities as of colonial times to adopt b instead of v, l instead of r or ts instead of z have all been avoided. Bringing the work closer to informing the efforts towards developing Maragori orthography. 

-/With Thanks

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