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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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Saniaga Oral Genealogy Search Migori - II

A sign post near Anjego, inspred by a name from Vihiga

Maragoli Football Club, in its earlier time was cheered by communities as abaGusii to score against Luo. It is reported players from Maragoli would also be welcomed and given homage in Gusii, to count as abaGusii Football Club line-up. Here it meant a chunk of land where a player would feel at home even with family. This would be before an increased exodus from Maragoli as others followed and abaGusii sensed the impending pressure. The community repelled these continuing immigrants. 

Chief Paul Agoi, muMavi muRogovo, him too in need of space iMavi, would through the missionary and colonial administration get contact to Chief Pius Ulima of Kanyamkago. It is unconfirmed whether Agoi's ancestry was partly Luo. And Chief Ulima would agree to welcome in Suna (a land of mosquitoes) these migrating people who officially were 60 families/heads. 

These sixty families were given the present Oyani Division area, bushy then and infested with tsetses. Skins hurt from scratching and being stung. Time till fire was spread to clear the bushes and do away with other wildlife too. Of these 60 families the notable vaSaniaga were only three; Odinga, Bayi and Onyango. 

These vaSaniaga came from iMavi part of Maragoli. Rarely are clans found ivuKirima, ivuSari and ivuKizungu in Migori as compared to vaMavi. Much as there has been increased migration to Migori and land purchasing over time. 

For instance in 1950's as Zedekiah Agufa worked as a police inspector in Migori at Kababu Post, he would mingle with vaRogori and bought land at the present iMagina village near Anjego. Zedekiah Agufa was the son of Vusaka by Agufa's wife in the traditional rite, _mwandu_ . Agufa I had died, leaving his wife Dorcas Kedogo with four sons - Abubakar Agufa, Jotham Ndori, Nathan Injera and Charles Munyara. With Vusaka she begot Zedekiah Agufa and Elam Simwa. Moving to Migori was with his father, biological but not 'his', and 'his' brothers. The sons of Vusaka - Muhindi and Anyama remained home, Gisambai. Vusaka had already initiated his children in Tiriki idumi rite and considered vaDiriji while Agufa remained muRogori. Joash and Johana, other two sons of Vusaka did migrate too. The present Luhya Council of Elders Chair, Migori County, John Agufa married muMasingira and two vaSuba is the son of Jotham Ndori, the son of Agufa the son of Gwaka the son of Munyuvi. 

Employment too as in the case of Jamin Kesohore from Gisambai in 1938 as a teacher posted by the Kaimosi Mission to Kisii caused the migration of Kesohore and family. Though he would get a turbulent landing as Gusii repelled him. A confrontation had him severely cut on the head and it affected his brain. As a vagabond, he took to the old vaSaniaga free life of visiting long distance kins - in present Transmara where others had migrated to. His son Mbishia Kesohore would track and get him to his safety, PinyOyie, Suna West, where he would rest, in death. 

Many vaSaniaga have died and been buried in Migori. One notable death was of Harun Anzugira who worked as Chief Personel in the office of the President. It is said it was an accident on Jogoo Road Nairobi but undertones relate it with continued prioritizing the advancement of minority vaLuhyia in South Nyanza. He loved drinking, it was reported as his undoing and it was easy to kill such a spirit.

VaRogori did, opposing the tradition and lifestyle of Luo, held to their language and culture. Ladies would be taken for marriage to Kisii and Kuria than Luo. And least would vaRogori marry vaVo, for a long period of time. More so when either still termed another uncivilized and raids happened. It should be noted that following the tribal clashes and vaRogori houses were burnt down, the remnants did sow Tsisaga on the soil, which Luos would buy at market or ask for some. Maragoli themselves eating none. And being strict never to receive vegetables from neighborhood. It should not be overemphasized that when Luo ate in ignorance it payed deadly. But the very wish for peaceful coexistence has not resulted to a spur in development as these community, fourth generation now still grumbles with _Bantu jealousy._ 

VaSaniaga started their welfare in Migori in 1960's lead by Daniel Odinga in pre-independence Kenya. They held to the Saniaga love for education and entrepreneurship. Children from Bwari walked long to Anjego for education. Yet of present there are no educationists amongst vaSaniaga in Migori. Neither notable entrepreneurs. The group would go under, for a generation, recently thought of now. 

And the social thing to do, in the wishes of the Migori elders is to draw the family trees to know the generations. How to address one another - mwana, vubaba and uguga. This is because the moving from the distant villages of Maragoli brought them together in Migori; hence need to retrace the old line. 

With Thanks
Lung'afa Igunza
....

Comments

  1. Anonymous11 October 2022 at 15:28

    Seen information regarding my late grandfather, Zedekiah Agufa, that I had never knowb before.

    ReplyDelete

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