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The Kamnara of Sakwa are making ground to build for future generations

Greetings from the Kamnara of Sakwa! The Kamnara people of Sakwa on 27th December 2024 gathered at Village Park, Ajigo (near Bondo). Hosted by Kwaka Joseph, they hearkened to the consultative forum call, arriving in good numbers and early enough for a successful day. The gathering was chaired by Mr. Nying’ro James Onyango, a former (retired) assistant commissioner of Police. The introductions were excellent. The genealogies were mentioned in reverence, lengthy ones applauded. And courtesy of Enos Oyaya’s book, “Kamnara my people”, anyone who would need help had the documentation. Oyaya had launched the Kamnara book on 30th December 2022 at his home in Kamnara Mwalo, an event that gathered Vakamnara from far and wide. “What can we do that the generations to come will benefit from?” This was the clarion Mr. Kwaka Joseph called on all to fashion their minds to. And issues were raised in the fields of Education, health, agriculture, enterprise, politics and more that the swift dholuo would...
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Kijira Majira /Chigira Majira/

proto cover design

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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