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With musokoro Nyambuchi at his home in Kenhancha, Kuria
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Had such a student as Asaka Abuso studied the Maragoli as he did the avaKuria, he would have come to the same conclusions and observations. Osogo's work on Luhya was too much a bite to swallow and since so much indigenous knowledge has eroded. That as avaKuria, the Maragoli are a society of clans that live together, sharing a language and culture but of different ancestral origins and prior to the settling of abalogoli (as commonly referred) there were indigenous clans. Or if indigenous is such a strong word for people have always settled where others are or were, Murogori and fellow migrants found people in their present location. A people who may not have necessarily migrated in dislike to associate but who, with time co-existed; their identity swallowed but somehow pumping in the veins and hearts of us, the present people.
For the Kuria speak of ibingingime, the pygmy statured people whom they found and sooner as overnight they were gone. The Maragoli has a name for short people, similar - sing. Kibiginyi; plu. Vibiginyi. There may not necessarily have had big heads for evolution does not work against a species physically but if they were short then it was an easy tribe to conquer and surrender. Their offsprings could be a result of the different sized statures around. If you are of a cheeky mind you might observe this. Who knows?
These earlier people, whether the Sirikwa, Asi, Athi, Gumba or the Khoisan are also indirectly the ancestors to a majority of the clans and population not only among the Bantu and Nilotes but also of the earliest East Africa migrants - the cushites. It is from the Cushites that the Bantu are said to have borrowed the practices of circumcision and clitoridectomy and much more indirectly if the aforesaid earlier communities had already accepted them.
The avaKuria clans have origins in Maasai, Zanaki, Gusii and Suba communities who at different times and fates settled in one neighborhood, slowly exchanging cultural ànd historical information as the agesets that are said to be Maasai and a language that is Bantu, akin to Maragoli and Kikuyu. As some of the clans recognized Yimbo and Mount Elgon dispersal, others explained different. Recognizing Mokuria as the tribe ancestor is the tale of two main clans - the avaSai and the avaChuma - from two wives: Sai the elder and Chuma the younger.
Culturally the Kuria lean to the Maasai while linguistically they reflect Bantu. A phenomenon best explained when we say that clans originating from the two communities 'fused'. The way tribes have been doing since humanity started reaching out. As new people arise from intermarriages they bring about a collective identity that morphs the previous ones. At present the Kuria language is at the mercy of passionate Kuria for Luo, Swahili and English keeps being used often in the homes and towns of Kuria.
A visit to Kuria shows a more or less flat land with distant hills that were security grounds in the insecure tribal raids times. A people of different complexions and heights. Living in the unique rectangular compounds where cattle are secured at the centre. The youths are housed at the entrances probably in subconscious fear of an attack anytime. For that has been the life of their ancestors for generations. First in fear of the Maasai. And later in fear of each other. For clans turned against another on petty things - results of idle peopling. With perennial theft that made Somali traders at Isibania commute from Migori.
Back awhile, it is remembered, the Suba would be massacred by Kuria in a meeting that was thought accommodating. As the Gusii are quick to temper and spoil, so is said of muKuria in stereotyping.
Musoma and Mara regions host more of avaKuria people than Suna, Migori County where only avaGumbe are the ones not also found in Tanzania. The avaGirango, avaGusero, avaSweta and avaSaki are some of the Bantu Kuria groups spread in Tanzania. The very clans are the thought corrupted names of Maragoli clans - avaMigango, avaMasero, avaSweta and avaSachi. These clans are also found in Luo and Gusii.
For people in Kuria who know little about ancestry and other lands, green and of hilly horizon as theirs, Maragoli is the umbrella name for Luhya people. Little is known about other Luhya tribes as the Maragoli at present know little about the larger Kuria composition. Same as there is thought links with Zanaki because a few went to live there. In speech, the words are more or less the same with Mu/mo, ch/z, nt/nd minor differences. Texts in the three languages of Kisii, Maragoli and Kuria would need little introduction to be fluently read.
Where history had confused the avaKuria as avaTende it may have also been a good coincidence unlike how the avaKuria clans reacted. The colonial office is said to have recorded a muTende man to mean the whole of avaKuria people for the community had elongated earlobes as the Maasai. Only to be that the small avaTende clan was rising above others. Not knowing that the whole of avaKuria people have been avatende (neighbours) all through. Much as in other texts it is recorded muTende founded the avaKuria. It is a lost history that warms the heart to speculate upon.
As I was told by Mzee Makwana that a muGusii man married a Luo against the traditions of the time. This muGusii would be chased amongst the avaGusii to become their neighbour (mutende). Às he wpuld also not be allowed in Luo, for the Luo had despised the avaGusii with their subhuman tasks of herding, milking and general bush life. This mutende would be muKuria. And the increase of Luo did put a wedge between, separating the two further. If this muTende and generation may have migrated to Maragoli where muGusii is brothered, he would be a muGusuhi. As there are avaGusuhi in Maragoli who are believed to be avaGusii.
For something is in a name. Each name has its story. Names that are leveraged to identity. To give us a sence of belonging and a space on the world table. That is why the avaKuria are active to stress this view. They preseved themselves against the influence of Maasai and Luo. Why not preserve selves even more strongly against the increasing erosion of indigenous knowledge in the closing in world?
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