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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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VAVI - The new Luhya Community in Nandi

Pic: The Vavi community gathering at Chamarmar (Kimarimari) grounds near Denja

VAVI is an acronym for Varogōri, Vanyore, Vakabras, VaIsukha, VaIdako. The name is allegorical, ‘The bad ones’, perhaps if someone dared to play them foul. VAVI is a registered cultural entity of the said nations living together in Nandi County.

Nandi area occupied by the VAVI is full of festivities. This is due to the diversity found there; of social activities ranging from marriages, religious markings, deaths and births, school graduations, and to crown it all, the different circumcision rites among the inhabitants. Of the other many festivities, circumcision is taken more serious and much is given to it.

Going on, the VAVI in Nandi are a homogenous group almost birthing a one Luhya nation. Their likeness is resultant from their gradual settling at Nandi, migrating to new bought land, mainly a small piece, where the neighbour is not necessarily a relative. They were first a minority among the welcomers – Nandi people; now they are a majority.

Practicing circumcision, the people in Nandi are grouped into 3; The Nandi, The Tiriki and The VAVI. The Nandi circumcise yearly, the Tiriki after 5 years, the VAVI reduced from 10 to 7. Where the years coincide, one has to postpone, so that there is one-way fury, lest a local civil war breaks. The Tiriki and the VAVI however depend on declarations from ‘back home’. The declarations include calling for circumcision and naming of age-set. Because of the majority of Varogōri in VAVI, they determine the naming – while the Isukha and Idakho take up the circumcision role.

The year 2022 had been set aside for circumcision among the Maragoli, ten years from 2012’s last. It would however be postponed among the Maragoli because the country was going into general elections the very month of August. Come to December, there was little in the farm to warrant a suppliant circumcision, crops having failed. Yet the VAVI, due to their diversity, politically side-lined, took their boys to the knife.

As the VAVI initiates graduated on 24th December 2022 at Chemarmar grounds in Kiptuiya location, they lacked a name. Traditionally they should not have been circumcised before the ones in Evurogoori. The land East of Evurogōri is considered junior – That the Tiriki cannot circumcise before the Terik – for the Terik taught the Tiriki the custom. The Tiriki cannot circumcise before Varogōri – for they are offshoots. And also why the Nandi and Terik cannot herald Varogōri is because they taught the former the art – as the Idakho and Isukha did to Varogōri. This is observed whenever the years coincide.

Yet things keep changing. Were the Luhya in Nandi not politically undermined, their autonomy would pull them out of reliance for the Luhya back in Vihiga and Kakamega. They would go on freely, cut from ancestral home. Because the new generation, born and bred in Nandi, will usurp its own powers, as they do in the drums and dancing, and declare their own independence. Then, VAVI might court the pacified Tiriki sect before the staunch one – did they not cut four Nandi children with them in the last? And one in this? 

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