Dr. Chakava's funeral painted him as a less conservative Logooli elder

Son of soil Dr. Chakava Henry was buried yesterday Saturday 23rd March 2024 after a decorated funeral ceremony attended large and wide. There was observed change in Logooli burial customs, not unique to him only.

An elder will remark that ‘your life will be reflected at your funeral’. And in Dr. Chakava’s funeral, less of traditions were invoked, even a woman being the lead priest. Would Dr. Chakava become a less conservative elder in opposite of his heyed former days?

In the lengthy speeches, he was praised as a father of Publishing in Africa, specifically having championed for local content, including indigenous languages. Speeches made him to be buried past traditional time (at or before 2.00pm).

In 1986 Dr. Chakava was 40 years, having already established himself as a visionary cultural leader by championing Vihiga Cultural society earlier in the decade. He took on the labour of publishing some  Logooli materials that needed collective consultations (Committee formations).

One notable title, Liyavila Mukuzu (Burying the dead) (1986), would have come in handy to give Dr. Chakava a traditional send off yesterday. In the book he states the importance of knowing burial traditions and abiding. Yet, informed, the community often choses to ignore. Putting him to many speeches on Dday.

It would take 3 days between death and burial before the upcome of morgues, ‘stakeholders’ and ‘convenient burial days’. Died on 8th March 2024, it took 15 days to bury Dr. Chakava. He had been transported from Nairobi on 21st, and for two traditional days, he was at his rural home. A mighty son, he was not welcome with Kilemba (the mock war dance). 

The order of speeches, page 11 of the book(1986) has the ‘care provider to time of death’ as first speaker. Today, this often comes as last as the care provider is the widow or widower. The main guests are often unseated at start of funerals.

The second person to speak is a key family member to speak but today this is divided into fathers, mothers, in-laws, brothers and sisters, workmates, administration, politicians and others. 

Third to give speech in the book is one of the sons and one of the daughters in the event of a fallen parent. In the official eulogy magazine of its kind, Dr. Chakava was of one wife and three daughters. That may have answered the night singing women who were at askance of his son(s) to sing together. 

In eulogizing, the granddaughter of Dr. Chakava spoke good grade 1 English and it would inspire little village age-mates, unattending. The larger Logooli community pulled from the neighbourhood, passive, half-heard the speeches of Dr. Chakava sisters, Englishly done. Doesn’t traditional approach to traditional rites start with language conscience? The European family members would be translated to later or ask them to learn Lulogooli as we learnt English...

Plastering (before later putting tiles) graves had started being common by 1986 and the book okayed it, only that it should not go ‘up’. But we have, in some families, structures erected on graves. Dr. Chakava’s grave, put tiles at night as young boys sung and idled at the fireplace can only be explained – by circumstance. 

A grave should be dug in the day, 11am as the biography is organized, on the eve of burial. The digging should not be charged, the burial booklet (1986) adds. What would be the quotation today for a furnished grave as of Dr. Chakava? It cannot be free. Digging and putting tiles would go to late, overnight even. 

The young drunken and idling boys who spend the night at funerals would not find their moment of madness if the young adults and clan men were present. Men today do not spend a vigil out, where they’d gather by the fireplace and stamp their own clan secrets. Not so in the era of funeral committees and the young 'family' culture-less treasurer as the boss. 

In a funeral as Dr. Chakavas, a believed traditional man, traditions should take center stage. For it is easier to communicate to the rest of the tribes-people how things should be done. For Avalogooli, quick to funerals, do not attend burials to cry or eat, they attend to partake of the gossips and seek clarity. Since families became bigger than clans and communities, much is hidden, assumed, censored, unmet.  

...

I take this opportunity to pass my hearty condolences to the family. I met Dr. Chakava at Chavakali when he called me. I had just translated Things Fall Apart to Lulogooli and he was curious to know who and why. 

pic1: tnx.africa

pic2: cover page of his published book on Logooli burial customs