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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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Chicken needed for Logooli funeral rites

A black hen is one of the most sought hen for ritual purposes. Image source: Indian hen ritual

In observing Logooli funeral rights, a chicken is an important providence in the functions. It atones for the unfortunate turn of events. Yet they are not readily available for sacrifice. 

When bereaved and you have no chicken, it is important to go look for some. The bereaved is not the nuclear family alone but the large extended family and in-laws. Immediate in-laws to the diseased are supposed to visit the diseased before burial carrying a basket of flour and importantly a hen or a cock depending on the gender of the diseased. 

The first chicken is offered for the nature of death. Often if the diseased died in peace there is no need for this. Death in peace is dying at home. 

Other death natures would demand for chicken to atone. Death by suicide for example, a chicken, on the least, is given to the people who will handle the body. At most the charge is a livestock.

Another is if the diseased died in a home not own or theirs. Like a child dying at maternal home and the paternal home seeks responsibility for burial. Or if someone dies inside your house.

If a parent dies at the home of the daughter, it is a taboo and it would involve such atoning. It even calls for a breaking of the house to let the body leave from the sides, not the main door. 

If death happened away as on the road by accident or in the city away from home, the hearse used to bring the body is atoned for. The driver is given a chicken. This was on top of the pay. And the chicken is supposed to be released somewhere in the wild on the drive, to be eaten by wildlife. 

At the cut of the grave, the elder person who is given the responsibility will first be given a small amount of tokenism and after, together with grave diggers, refresh with a meal of a chicken. The starch is the staple Ugali. Another chicken would be needed the following day, after burial for the task done. 

Those who will compile the history of the diseased, it has come to be included as a tradition, feast on a chicken. The history is read at the gathering, brief as it might be. The responsibility of the church today.

The church which contends to be burying people in Christ in wait for resurrection demands for several chicken depending in the ability of the bereaved. That there will be many pastoral men and women attending, depending on the family’s influence. They will need to be refreshed by meals. 

It goes on for the church again when the bereaved have to visit the church after burial for prayers. From where the church escorts the family back to their house, to pray and importantly to feast, on a chicken or several others.

And in between the burial day and the church going, there is the hair cutting day. It is significant in wiping out the ill that befell. A chicken is supposed to be prepared, mainly for the old man and woman leading the process. 

Not to mention the local administration that today writes their budget and gives to the bereaved family. They also demand for chicken. Whether there is cattle meat or not. Their main work is being responsible for law and order (in a community-led function) and burial permit writing.

The earlier mentioned in-laws and visitors when they bring a basket of flour and a chicken or two, the number of those attending the real funeral does increase. That the little they brought would not even feed them. Which puts pressure in the diseased family. 

On its side, the diseased families try all they can to get money from people. They organize for fund raisers, over remind people to send in their monies, set targets for family members and friends, open side-contributions for colleagues, friends, and more. Just to meet the budget. 

If you deny the funeral chicken when you got some, the belief is, the tradition will come looking for them in an uglier way. It is the dead that bring good to the living, and if you gave, there will be reward. If you have no chicken to give, do not smile. You might grow poorer.

And mark you it takes a whole year under very difficult circumstances to have a mature local chicken. The diseases, petty thievery, animals of prey and even poisoning. What is often given does not amount to mature chicken as supposed to be, but young fowls of less than 2kg – that sells between Ksh. 800 to 900. 


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