Skip to main content

Featured

Posted by

The struggle with many a rigid Logooli cultural practices

  The Logooli community is one of the deeply cultured societies – with near everything supposed to have been done as per custom – to allow another custom to follow. One example is that for a mature man (with a child or more) to be buried, there must be a house structure at home. Another is that a boy must be circumcised and nursed in father land. If maternal family decides to, the boy will have a hard time reconnecting with father people - a dent on his masculinity. There were two children who got burnt to death in a house in Nairobi. The single mother had left for night work. Elders were told that one of the children was Logooli. The other, the woman had sired with someone else. The Logooli family wanted to burry their little one and long discussed the do’s and don’ts. Of a man who died childless and the grave was placed as if he had died as a man with children. It should have been dug on the sides, the grave. A real thorn should have been thrust in his buttocks, his name go...
Post a Comment
Read more
Posted by

Disco Matanga - entertainment that best espouses Logooli (luhya) culture

Near every person in Mudungu village and beyond can act. Awinja has broken the ice; encouraged, psyched and incensed the village to skills of acting. Both the young and the elderly. 

Many of Awinja's online followers wonder how she manages to convince the village to seamless action.

Through Disco Matanga [Disco at funeral], the world is introduced to Logooli [Maragoli] environment, lifestyle and beliefs. The Luhya rhythm is showcased and Kenya, Africa, is made proud.

Mudungu village is live to new visitors, people often seen on TV. Their presence in Mudungu rekindles its glory of dead notable names as of Peter Kibisu, Gimode, Bonanza and more.

Well scripted, the first series exposes the conflicting modern life with logooli traditional observations. Disco Matanga is both a tragedy and a comedy to the youthly generation who are developing a big preference of urban life.

In the 20 episodes of serieses 1 and 2, Awinja’s brother (Izianunu) dies. She steals the body from the city for custom rural burial. Through the days to burial much more is revealed about Izianunu. Peer diseased’s friends visiting from the city are mere revelers than mourners -  potent to cause more harm to the unsuspecting villagers; mock, steal, lie, get free sex.  

Perhaps that is why a majority of the castors are famed comedians in Kenya. A logooli native would have it pitiful, strict, passive, unworthy and maddening – as it has defined Awinja’s character. Bad language and bestial snaps as the goat-dick-suck torture can come out as far-fetched. Yet the language remained ethical.

Yet again it would evade the senses of many where the comedy overtakes an important traditional practice. The ugly is beautified in comedy.

Though not everything should be plainly explained. It can later be in next serieses. Or it would be the work of ethnographers and anthropologists to point out hits, misses, overdoes and much more.

And all works are inspired. Izianunu, Awinja’s brother is not new to us. Many of our luhya sons have had similar ‘shame’ in death. Awinja is real. One would ask: But what is the opposite? Is it all doom? Everything falling apart for the luhya? No antidotes for strict Logooli custom?

In the cast, Awinja, the crazy, is denying she was the only not cursed by her grandfather. But her brother is, who sees her as equally disturbed. With cursed sons (one dead) and a bipolar sister in denial we are set to see much more film. Severally does Lil Mbilu confirm that indeed they are cursed. What entertainments do ‘perfect lives’ have? If anything culture and its demands only gains relevance to those who try to evade customary requirements.

Of lessons, this is a good opportunity for those who reminisce rural life can have a window to it. Many Valogooli and Luhya people are found far and away. By watching Disco Matanga they are reconnected to their roots, community and traditions. And also given eyes to perhaps interpret what goes on around them. 

So Awinja is offering all her creativity and resources to her Mudungu community. Higher than the need to advance her A-WISH creative content works, she is having memorable moments with her blood people, helping them relieve their worries, laught at what weighs them down – poverty, failed expectations, premature deaths, failed marriages, traditional/modern demands and skeptical mentalities. What Awinja did at launch of season 1 is that she also organized for Cinema Community Viewing (see image) at Mudungu Primary courtesy of her sponsors – and it was all beautiful, one of a kind.


But Izianunu never died. That is discovered at end of series 1. He appears on the burial hour and all run berserk. Awinja faints. This is definitely a huge twist of things and all followers of the film are expectant. Any person with some knowledge of customs can start filling in the blanks – what happens when a wrong body is buried? What should the ‘assumed dead’ go through so as not to ‘sooner die’ as ‘already mourned’? etc

Season 2 was a chase for Izianunu to agree and prepare for cleansing yet he spoils the chance by being more slippery and participating in con activities, we are left with wonder. Would he rather reform or continue with his bad life as Awinja calls it in the cast? The willing elders have resigned - dangerous!

May the Team think Season 3 soonest!

.... Watch on YouTube

Comments

  1. Anonymous21 October 2024 at 11:03

    kabisaa my brother

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous24 October 2024 at 23:13

    Going back to the roots, lovely. Waiting for ssn2

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous24 October 2024 at 23:49

    Interesting Writeup

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment