Play time: 32:43 minutes. Recorded in Mago, Kenya, April 5, 2014.

Lidiku Lya Kekevo

Difena Aseyo

Kale vandu valogoli ni venyanga kuhira avana vavo yani mu kukevwa vavugulanga avana vavo vene yavo vayayi nivaduka ku lidiku liu kuhila avana, vayayi vang'ele vavugulanga kumbalabala vivisa vavola vahihitsanga. Vimbanga na vana vakana vasieveranga avana vavo vayayi. Lwa vimba ndio, lidiku wa liadukanga liu kuhila avana, valogoli sivavisanga avana vavo dave; vavugulatsa avana vavo vahila tsa kali kumbalabala havaginiyi tsa ninde mukevi havundu hene yaho ndio yamala ho tsa avana vene yavo; avana vatura ho na vivuli vavo ma vavahila mu nyumba vatsia vamenya mu nanga vo. Lidiku lia kaduka avana vakahona vamanya vavatulitsa mu vatsia havundu havali ni valaji ni havundu flani ha kumanya kutsie kwalukitsa avana vitu. vavugula avana vene yavo vahila havundu hene yaho na vasakulu vali va kale vene yavo valange ni kindu ivembe. Ivembe yene yeyo vatsitsanga kwiha ma vanava kindu kuli lijambi; vanavila ku visala. Kindu chene yicho vakilanganga liseng'esu. Vatsitsanga mu lidiku liu kwaluka ma vavugula avana vavo vakahila ku lushia; vavugulanga kindu chene yicho vatanga vivichi kindu ni vanava kindu chene yicho valombe ku kindu kuli makono ni kindu kuli kagofia. Vavugulanga kindu chene ceh ivembe yicho (liseng'esu) vatanga kusieva vimbila avana vavo:

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Vatigara muhende mioyo

Mbo*4

Vatigara muhende mioyo

Mbo*4

Vatigara muhende mioyo

Ma vimba ndio vasievela avana vavo na vasakulu vene yavo vavungula mavega ni vasung'usa liseng'esu liene yilio na vaveye ni misala jialangwa midigilu; misala mitambi vavatsanga ni vasieva ni vaduya hasi.

Mbo*4

Vatigara muhende mioyo

Mbo*4

Vatigara mmuvano gwarura

Ni vasieva ni vivungula kabisa ni vayanzitsa avana vavo na vakere vakuba vigalagala. Vakora ndio ma valukitse avana. Vakalukitsa avana, yani vadinyilitsanga valuichi yava vene yavo vaviti ku na vatigala vamanye lwa valitsia ku vamanye nu vudinyu; vahende mioyo. Mang'ana gene yago ndio yalange iraha inenene sana ku vandu valogoli kuivugula avana vavo kuhila mu lushia ma lwene yilwo kandi vasakulu vene yavo vanwetsanga malwa; vamanyi tsa kunyi vana vitu lwa kwakahila kwenye kolombe ku malwa isherehe yitu kwenya kutsie vana vitu kijira kwa kalukitsa kwenya kutsuie kunwa. Valomba tsiseke tsiavo; kaseke kaveye ni itundu mugati navutsa vavikanga kandu kandi kavalanga kidumi; kijungilu. Valomba kandu kene yako vavika ku kisala chu luseke ma lwavatsitsa kuvika malwa gavo ni vanua, gatsia kahingikane mu kanyingo ka vatengeki yaho yako ma valanga mukere mulahi mwene mukungu musuvilwa (mukaya); mukere utalange ni tsimoni yiyi ni yiyi; nalola vandu vasakulu nahuyahuya navo dave; atsie avuguli malwa ma yitse avugili vasakulu yava na usigami; asigame hasi ahane luyali ma avatsukili; vavol;anga kivugu. Ma kandi valeta amatsi mashu vita mu inyingo mwene yimwo ili malwa gene yago lwa vatsuki mu genyanga ganguhi ku kijira lwa gavohani yilwo si ganyala kuvita mu kachungilu yimwo dave. Ku vasakulu vatange kunwa; mulola tsa inyingo yeryo ni ihingikani kandi vavugula gandi mashu vatsuka mu. Malwa yago vakamanya vonolu vwakafwa mu kandi valeta gandi vavika mu vavuganga. Ku yalange isherehe yavo lwa vavugulanga avana vavo vahila kuivayanzitsa kijira ichai lwene yilwo yalange ho dave kijira isukari yalange ho dave; vanwetsa malwa gavo yagho iyo yalange ichai yavo. Kali vakere vanwetsanga na avana vadididi ni vatsitsa mu vatsukilwanga ku kandu kuli kasanda ma mwana anwaku ma vamukunga vamuvolela "tsia kabisa kwenya kokolole ahimbe dave." Ku ichai ya kunwetsa yiyi mwana yitsi nyala kumuha ku kakombe ma atsie navutsa vakere ku manya kwikala kabisa kunwa kolola kwenya kwiguti. Ku yavo valange va malwa; yani valukitsa. Ma kandi kare maduma galange ku dave. Kwalange ni kindu mavere na mavere gene yago galange kavaga. Kwala na mavere ingumba; gene yago gavetsa malavu, kwavetsa na mavere kisudi; gene yago mamugi pa, kisudi ni wasietsa kali nuluga vuchima vumugiha tsa papa pa; na gandi valanga livwoywa; gosi na mavere. Livwoywa liene yilio liayesa tsa ndi livula kusingila vulungi dave na kisudi ni ingumba viene yivyo viatsitsa tsa vurungi. Manyonyi gali gayanza kulia ingumba sana; ganyala kunyanya ingumba yeyo paga gamale kisala. Na kisudi kijira ni kimugi si gayanza dave; na livwoywa liene yilio liyeselanga ligwa; gene yago ganyanya ku dave kijira livula wa lisingila ku nangwa linyanye dave. Mavere gene yago ndio ma valimanga voro. Voro yivwo vavugulanga embegu yo voro, tundu tumwamundi ma vamitsa. Twakamera vasakulu na vekere vasemberanga voro vwene yivwo. Vikalamu tsa vasembela mu tsa ni kindu kero; vavatsa kasala kakolanga hasi haveye hadinyu vatotsa na vulimu vutula kijira vasembelanga. Vikalamu tsa na lwa vatulamu tsa walola tsa vumuniki kijira vikalanga mu na si vunyala kohona dave. Navutsa umanye ugaluki onyore vuvuki. Voro vwene yivwo na mavere yaga vavugula vasanya halala. Nivavugulanga voro vwene yivwo sasa; vwameli vuviluchi vwakama sasa vutiya kogesa; vagesanga mavere no voro. Voro vavugulanga vatsia vita havundu ni vatemi matu ga magomia vakwala hasi ma vavugula voro ma vatsia vita ku matu gene yago. Yani vavugulanga vatsia kugunaminya vufunyi mwayo mulahi; vuvuli kufwanana na mavere dave. Ma vavugula vavika yaho ma kandi vavimba ku matu gandi igulu. Ma vumala lisitsa lilala ni inusu vwamenya tsa hene yaho vwagunama. Sasa wa vatulitsanga ho vavugula isingu ye eng'ombe ma vatsia vahoma halwanyi; vasisula kiguti ma vahoma ma vavugula voro vwavo yivu vugunami ma vatsia vavagala. Ni vavika ichova nu vwameranga vwene yivwo vwakola vulahi dave; kali nugula voro vwene yivwo lidiku liduchi nu wenya utsie kutaga si vwameranga dave kijira vwali vwamera kare embegu yene yatula mu. Lwalangangwa lumeramere; kandi vwene yivwo ndio ni watsitsa kuruga si vwa gimila vuhambana dave; vwayeka vutsa. Nu gimila ku vuva vodotolo sana; si vwagimilana vuchila halala dave. Na mavere yaga kandi gavagalangwa ma guma. Lidiku lia kaduka vali vavatsa misala jia valanga mmbango venya vatange kuhula gayuma. Vakahula; valange ni mihinda vakeya halala ma vatanga kwilula ma vavika ma nivavuguli voro yivwo ma vasanya halala. Vasakulu vali va kare valange ni tsiningu tsinenene tsiarangangwa tsisika ma kandi vavetsanga ni vindi vindu vanava kuli vikabo valanganga tsindahi (tsindede). vavugulanga voro vwavo vwene yivwo vahuli vulahi ma vasanyie mu nu mwogo ma vatsia vita mu tsinyingu tsiene yitsio ma vavugula vahomera. Lidiku lia kaduka kuli linu ndi lie inzala, ku venyanga vatsie kutulitsa voro vwavo vwene yivwo venyanga vasie; kwasigama hasi ku lugina ma kusia ni ligina. Nu wasietsanga vusie yivwo gatuli masia vamanya mukali uyu yamanya kusia mba; navutsa ni wasietsa ni walola vusie vugwa kindu vusie vwivumbi ndi; kwalanga imbundu, negomagoma tsa nitsie kwitula imbili yeyo, wamanya kusia vunyuki. Kuli madiku ga kalunu unyala kuha ku mwana wa kalunu kuli kunyi kwasietsa ku lugina kwene yikwo na mavere yaga asie dave. Lwi tsingina tsitsa kalunu vavugula mavere yago vahila mu lugina vatsia vasiera mu lugina yimwo ndio. Na kare kene yako ndio lwa maduma gamanya ni gavaho, nigitsa; vavugulanga maduma yago valange nu lugina lundi lwa makono valanga ilegalego. Ilegalego yene yeyo vavoyong'anyianga kindu yicho ni vatsuchi mu kitulitsanga maduma masia masia. Ga kwafwamu kandi mwenye mugarukitse mu. Vavoyong'anyianga tsa ndio paga vwene vutuli vusie vwu kutsia kuruga. Kalunu lwi tsingina tsitsa kuvugula tsa maduma kuhila mu ma kutsia kusia navutswa yilwo ndio yalange Ilegalego nu kusia ku ligina. Ligina mwalomba isio yeyo ma nu klugina lwene lusietsa yilwo usigama ku lugina kabisa nu wimba lwimbu lwolwo ligali.

Kutsia kolola ma vasietsanga*2

Sie sie sie

Na yive wifunamili kabisa nu usia. Ulasia tsa mu kiruvi cha kusiela mu kalunu sirinji shirini wenya usie vusie mu du. Ni ndio kwalange na mang'ana gene yago kwaitimila ku tsingina kabisa nu kusia. Ku vindu vitsa kalunu ndi yivi vitsi kalunu navutsa ga kunyi kwalange kale galange gene yago ndio.

Vugunga kale mukana niyalange ni inda anoho mundu mukere ni yalange nu musigo mukere mwene oyo niyahulilanga inda niluma kwalange na vakere vandi vahanga tsinyasi na yavola ndi mwana lwa aveye munda yimwo kijira nagendagenda mu yenya kutula kwalange nu vulwaye vundi vwalila mwana mwene oyo munda; vwaharagatanga mwana mwene oyo nu vusambasamba. Lwa vwasambanga mugunga mwene oyo yalange nu lunyasi lwa aduyaga lulala na yatsuka mu ijiuba ma akohe akovolele utsitsange kunwa. Na lundi ave yasamba lwo kokomba ligoke. Yagula lunyasi lwene yilwo akohe utsie kokomba na vulwaye vwene yivwo vavulanganga inyama. Nu wakanyolanga tsiynasi tsiene tsie kimwamu yitsio kuduka mwana alatula kijira vwasamba mwana onyola mwana yahia kali natula magodo gafuvukili munda mwene yimwo ndio. Navwo vugunga vwene yivwo vwa kwalange navwo. Ma kandi mwana mukana niyatamangwa kwivula madiku gene yago ndio ni yatale ni myika jiu kusuguma mwana yivuli, vavugulanga mundu musatsa yenya yitse avuguli munwa gwegwe yenya aviki mu gwu mundu mukali yigwo, yenya ahutsange na mugumiyi. Ye jijye myika yenya yesese dave. Sasa badala yo kokola wooi, ah ah sasa wooi yeyo yilwo lwasugumanga mwana oveye munda oyo ndio atuli na uyu mundu musatsa avuguyi tsa munwa yigwo ndi uviki mu gwegwe umukamati. Madiku gene yago ndio mukali yamanya ni yivuli navutsa ni yali yikutsiyi kabisa kijira uvuli myika lwa vatsiyi kulanga mundu musatsa kutsa komokonya kuhutsa, mwana yatula munda nakutsi. Vavola mukali uyu nu musilu wikutsiyi mwana ukutsiyi munda kijira yali ni tsinguru dave. Navutsa mundu musatsa niyahutsa tsa kabisa niva ni myika, mwana yivulwanga. Kalunu nalwo lwa vadagitari vitsa ma vahiranga vakali mu sivitali ma vakonywa. Navutsa kare galange tsa ndio m,a kandi mwana ni yali niyikala munda anoho niyali niyatikala mu vulahi dave, kwala na vakere valange ni tsinyasi tsiavo vavugulanga vahomola inda yene yeyo vavola mwana yaikala munda aveye mu vulahi dave anoho yachiama sa aveye vulahi dave; ku vavugulanga inda yene yeyo vahomola ili mwana mwene oyo alungiki yitse mungono vurungi lwa yenya kwivulwa yikale vulahi mwana mwene oyo ku nangwa yivulwe. Ni yalange niyikaye mu vagunga vahomolanga tsinyasi tsiavo tsiu vudaktari vwavo na kuiduka gakorekanga kijira valange nu vudaktari vwavo vwene yivwo paga mwana yivulwa na aduchi ku madiku gege gu kwivulwa. Na muyaga nu gwala tsa nu muyaga kamili nu gutsiyi ku mwana mwene oyo yatula tsa na akikili kuduka mu madiku gu kwivulwa dave kijira ugendi mi vivanda mwi miyaga jiveye ma kandi unweye amatsi gatenyekana avuli kunwa dave. Miyaga jiene yijio jiatsitsa kutumula mwana munda ma atula. Nindio kolola ku vugunga vwa madiku gene yago ndio kwala na vadaktari kandi vakola igasi.

Kugulika mita

Mwana ni yivulwanga yalilanga kandi anyangana sana kali maliga gene yago galuha gakamulula mwana mwene oyo afwa kijira rita. Na rita ni litsa tsa vulahi ni valanga tsa mu vandu vu luvamba lwu mwana mwene oyo ndio lwi ifamili yene yeyo; ni valanganga mundu mwene ni yali yakutsa na aveye musakulu ni yakuitsa; lwa valangi tsa yive nive vuyu, mwana niyali nalilanga alila kandi dave; mwana agona vamanya rita vaduchi ku mundu wene. Na undi aveye ho niyivisanga mwana anyangana akuba ku kivi vatsia gu wanga musakulu vakuba kivula; valanga ku wanga mama mwana; ni liveye litsiyi kutulila wanga mukali mu luvamba lwavo, valanga ingulika, kali ave mukana anoho muyayi galange ndio. Rita kandi litanga. Mundu niyivisanga niyakalolekanga agulikwi dave, sasa mundu yatenya kugulikwa oyo yalange mundu mulahi dave. Undi aveye ho yitsanga ku mwana vudamanu; avugula mwana atsia naye; yita mwana. Mwene oyo nu mundu mudamanu utenya kugulikwa. Navutsa mundu wi ingulika indahi yene lwa valanji tsa ni fulani, mwana achiling'ani ma agone. Na niva mukono gwa handa havundu na mulanga tsa mita gandi gosi gosi anoho mwana ave yalema asiena hasi dave na rita lia yivisa. Lwi rita litsa tsa kali nagenda kerenge chene yicho kilasiena kijira avetsa yaivisa; yitsa vwangu dave: ingulikwa.

Kovega

Mwana niyivuliywe, kokole ndi mwana anoho mwana muyayi anyala kuva walomba vulina nu mwana ilwanyi mwana mukana ma mwanamukana ava nu musigo. Mwana mwene oyo genyekananga atuli wavo alete mwana hango lwa yivuliywi, muguli ku isavuni, maguta, itaolo, baby powder mwana wivuliywi ichova na valeti hango. Vindu viene yivi viosi vitulitswe ku ma vaviki. Sasa munyi vandu va mutsiyi kusinga mwana mwene na mutsiyi ni vindu viene yivyo venya vamuhe amatsi yaha ma vamutere yaha ma muvuguli isavuni yinyu ya mutsiyi nayo musinge mwana ma muvuguli itaolo yinyu vamuhe. Ma mute mwana ku magulu. Na mwenya mumurahilitse muvole yee, yive , wava nu veye mwana witu kukuvika mu itaolo yiyi; kunyi kuveye viti dave; ugase, uhindiri, uve muramu na ulivula vandu. Murahilitsanga; yanio muinyala kutsia kuvugula mwana wa vandu vandi ma muvuguli mutsitsa kusinga na aveye mundu undi maguta yago ni itaolo yeyo muvugulanga muta ku mwana wa vene nataveye winyu dave amanyanga akutsa; mwakutsia kwita. Na ni aveye ni winyu lwa murahilitsanga agase agasanga. Na kale kene yako vavugulanga vusandu vatsia vasiavula ligomia vavugula vusandu vwi ligomia vatsia vavugulsa vatonyila mwana mwene uyu mmunwa, kandi varahilitsa vavola; nuveye witu ugase, uhindiri; vatonyia mu na nateveye, ndio mwana wene oyo akutsa kijira mwakutsia kugadira vandu yavo mwana oyo nu winyu; amanyanga akutsa ma kolola asara ni ya vandu vene; ni yu mukana mwene yavula kumanya muyayi mwene wa mukora inda yene yeyo. Ni naveye ni wa hango mwana agasa vutsa. Tsinguvu yitsi mwana avukilamu. Lidiku lia kaduka mukana aleta mwana hango vitsa kovega; ma valeta mwana hango agona ho ma vagula logembe vavugula mukana wa hango hene yaho, mukana munene; nataveye ho, undi uveye ho. Vavugula logembe vaha mukana oyo; ni vahenzi kabisa valola mwana uyu nu witu kijira tsimbara tsiveye ku vavola fulani yalange hano na yala ni tsimbara na vandu valwana kale vatotswanga matimu vaveye ni tsimbara. Imbara yiyini ya vuyu watotswanga mundu yali mu vulwani ula. Ni yalange tsa ni imbara havundu; kali masanda, tsimoni ni virenge vavola tsa uyu nu witu ma vaha mundu logembe ma mundu atanga kovega mwana ni yakasinga ni isavuni ni vaviki ho maguta kandi vavaka; mwana wingiyi hango. Na naveye nu mwana wu vuveshi yakutsanga.

Mukali ativulanga

Mukali oyo yatsitsa lukali lwelwe avugulana nu musatsa weve vamenya naye. Mukali wene oyo ni yamenyanga amala muihiga sita anoho jitano kali atsi kuduka mu likomi musatsa niyikutsila kijira yali yalola uyu ni mukali wange mbuguyi mulete kuve naye. Vene hango vivuli vu muyayi na vavotso muyayi na vandu vi ihiri vahenzanga vavola "aye, mwana uyu yakuletela hano isunu yaki? Yitsa hano tsa kuta icho yeng'ine? Kunyi kwenya mukali yivula; wa kulanga uvamba lwitu luve luranda." Vamanyanga vavolela muyayi wavo, "ulete mukali undi kumanye yivi nivi woneka anoho ni mukali wu waleta niye woneka." Muyayi yamanyanga ahula mang'ana ga vivuli anoho vivuli vene yavo vatsia vamwenyela mwana wu mundu; kidwadi, chali chivula ku; vamanya vamuletele wivula ku kolole alivula? Niva ye naye woneka kijira komoletele mukali wivula ku mwana. Vamuletelanga mukali wivula ku; kidwadi. Niyivulanga nu mukali wene oyo vamanya mukali uyu naye mugumba (idasa). Mukali mwene oyo mwene niyahenzanga alola limenya lilye siliveye kuli lialange dave musatsa yakaleta mukali wivulanga mwene yatula ho tsa atsia avola, "kuna nzikale kuliha hano. Valeti mukali wa vene wivulanga aveye na avana; mbo yinze mbeye kindu vutsa. Mwene yalola atula ho atsia na musatsa niyalolanga mukali wange ndali ndamulola menye naye aveye munyumba yeye na uyu munyumba yeye; mukali mwene ula ni yalange mwikutsili mwene alalola ku ninze woneka; si mbeye mwivuli dave ma yikuytsila. Na likutsila liene yiyli si lialange sana dave kijira yalolanga vutsa makao gange ku na mavi; inze ninzi woneka, yatula ho tsa mwene atsia.

The day of circumcision

Long ago when the maragoli wanted to take their children for circumcision, they used to take those children, one the day of circumcision the youth used to hide them and say that they were hunting. They used to sing and the girls were dancing for their brothers. When they sang like that on the day of circumcision the maragooli were not hiding their children. They used to take their children on the road, where the initiator is. He then circumcises them and they return home and stay with them. When the initiates have healed, they could then be taken to the place where they had agreed to meet for the initiation party, ready to release their children. They used to take their children to that place and the old men had "ivembe" they could uproot it and make a mat; they were making it on sticks. That thing was called "liseng'esu" on the day of party they used to take the children to the field and they take the mat and make something like a hand and a hat. They used to take that liseng'esu and they dance with it as they sing for the children:

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Those that have remained you should be worried

Mbo*4

Those that have remained you should be worried

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Those that have remained you should be worried

They used to sing like that as they dance for their children and those men used to shake their shoulders and the liseng'esu and they had sticks called midigilu. They were long sticks, they sharpened and danced with them as they hit down.

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Those that have remained you should be worried

Mbo*4

Those that have remained you should be worried

They used to dance vigorously as they please their children and the women were jubilant. They used to do that to encourage the initiates. They encouraged the intitiates, so that the remaining ones will know the consequences and get worried. Those things were of great happiness to the maragoli, they used to take their children to the field and the old men were drinking beer. They knew that since they have taken their children for initiation, they want to make beer, and they want to make a party because they have intitaited their children and they want to drink beer. They used to make their traditional straws. The straw had a whole in the middle but they used to put a sieve (kidumi; kijungilu) they put it on the straw that they are going to use to drink their beer. Then they call a good woman, who is trustworthy, and does not move here and there or move around with men, to go and bring the beer and then she serves these men while she kneels down. She kneels down and gives honor then she pours for them. They were saying "kivugu" they then bring hot water and add to the pot since the beer is thick it cant pass through the sieve, hence it has to be mixed with the hot water.

Then they begin to drink the beer, then they add in hot water again. When they know that the sweetness is over they add in more beer. It was their celebration when they take children after initiation since there was no tea, and the sugar was not there. They were taking their beer and that was their tea. Even the women used to drink, and the children also, they used to pour little on a gourd then the woman tastes and they chase her "go away, we do not want to see you near here" like the tea that we are taking when a child comes I can give her a cup, then she goes, but women we normally sit and take tea until we get contended. Those were taking beer. Long time ago there were no maize, we had millet and they were in three types. We had the "ingumba" type and these were white in color. We had "kisudi" they were red in color; whenever you baked it was red in colour. The other one was called "livwoywa" and all of them were millet.

"Livwoywa" was bent and it didn't grow up straight and the "kisudi and ingumba" were straight. Birds like eating the "ingumba" they could eat and finish the stem. And because the "kisudi " was red they didn't like it and the "livwoywa" was bent they were not eating it because they didn't have a place for standing on inorder for it to eat it. Those were the millets and they were planting wheat. They were taking its seed and then they sow. Then they grow and men and women were weeding them. They were weeding it. They used to sharpen a stick that they were using to dig the ground, and the grass is removed since they are weeding. They used to stay there and when they come look like they are broken because they were staying there and they were not able to survive. But when you return you will find it has straightened. They used to take that wheat and millet, then they put together, now it has grown and ready to harvest. They were harvesting millet and wheat. They used to take wheat then they put it somewhere where they have cut and kept banana leaves, they take the wheat and put on the banana leaves. They used to take it and then they turn it so that it has a good smell, and should not look like millet. Then they take and wrap it in banana leaves.

Then it stays for one week and it's going through post-harvesting stage. Now when they were removing it, they used to take cow dung and they mob outside, they remove the grass from the ground and they mob the ground then they take their wheat and they spread it there. When they kept it outside and it grew that wasn't doing well. On the day of planting it wasn't growing well, because it had already grown and the seed was open, it was called "lumeramere" and when you baked it wasn't sticking. If you hold it while it was still not mature, it wasn't coming together. They used to sharpen sticks called "mmbango" they wanted to hit it since it was dry. When it was the day of doing that they had sharpened sticks that they wanted to use to hit them since they were dry. After hitting the wheat, they had baskets for winnowing the wheat, after that they put it together. Men in the past had big pots called "tsisika" they also had others that were looking like bags and they were called "tsindahi or tsindende" they used to take their wheat, that they had hit well, then they take their cassava then they store in the pots and they cover it. When the day of hunger comes that is when they go and remove their wheat and they want to grind it. We used to kneel down then we grind it with a stone.

When you grind the flour and it was not fine, they used to know that you do not know how to grind it. And if you grinded it and it was smooth, we used to call it "imbumbu" it was a sign that you know how to grind. Like these days if you give it to the child to grind she cannot manage to do it, the way we used to do. The way the mills have been brought, they take the cassava and grind it on the machine. Long time ago when maize was introduced, they use to grind it traditionaly using a hands and something called "ilegalego" they used to turn it until the maize is grounded to make flour for baking. These days we have the posho mills, we just take the maize there and it is grinded. But those days it was just "ilegalego" you have made the stone and it the one that you kneel on, you grind the maize as you sing this song:

We go and see the way they are grinding*2

Sie sie sie

And you are busy grinding the maize. You grind using the basket that we currently pay 20 shillings at the posho mill; you will fill it with the grounded flour. That is how we were going through it; we have done a lot using the stones to grind. Things have just come in recently but in the past that was it.

They used to take a pregnant girl or woman, when in labor pain we had some women who were herbalist, and she could say that the child in the stomach was walking because he/she wants to get out. We had another disease that was attacking the child while in the stomach and it was burning the child. When it was burning the herbalist used to have medicine that she was putting in a bottle then she gives you and asks you to be drinking it. Sometimes she had also another type of medicine and it was inform of ash. She used to give it to you and then you take it, and the disease was called "inyama" meaning meat. If you didn't receive the traditional medicine the child was coming out before time because the child is burnt and the remains of the skin are in the stomach. That is the care tat we had. If the girl was unable to give birth during those days, due to lack of gas to push the baby, they used to take a man then he puts his mouth on the womans mouth and he push in air as you hold her. Know instead of doing wooi, ah ah now that wooi is when she is pushing the baby who is in the stomach, and the man has put his mouth on her mouth and he is holding her. Those days the woman used to give birth but she didn't have enough gas to push the baby and the baby used to come out dead. They used to say that the woman is a fool because she has left the baby to die because she didn't have the energy. But if the man pumped her with the air, the child was delivered. This days the doctors are there and they take the women to the hospital where they are assisted. But long ago it was like that, and also if the child was eated or not positioned well in the stomach, women had medicine that they used to apply on the preganant woman's stomach, and they used to tell her that the baby is sitting or not having a good position. They used to apply the medicine on that stomach so that the child gets back to a good position so that he/she can be delivered well.

And if it was fever that had attacked the child, he/she used tot come out before time of delivery, because the woman had walked in stagnant areas of the river, and also taken water that she was not supposed to take. That sickness used to hit the baby in the stomach and the baby comes out. That was the care given to the pregnant women during those days; we had doctors who did that work.

NAMING

When the child was born he/she used to cry a lot and the tears used to cause the baby to loose weight because of naming. And if the name was good, if they had named the baby after the people of that clan of the baby in that family, if they named after that person who had died if it was an old man who had died, if they name the baby after that person, the baby will stop crying. The baby sleeps and they know that they have reached that person. And there is another one who used to hide; and cause trouble to the baby they go to the father's side there is nothing, they try calling from the mothers side, if it was causing trouble from their clan. They used to name even if it was a girl or boy it was like that. They used to start naming again. Someone who was hiding and didn't want to be named after was a bad person. There is another one who was approaching the baby very bad. He could take the baby and kill her. That is a bad person who could not be named after. But a good person when he/she was named after, the baby used to keep quiet and sleeps. And if the arm was stuck somewhere, and you are calling the baby any names, or the baby is lame, and does not step down and the name is hidden. When the name comes, the baby begins to step down, because the person who was to be named after had hidden him/herself and was not coming very fast. That is naming.

SHAVING

When the baby is born, what shall we do to the baby, or a boy may have made some friendship with a girl outside and the girl gets pregnant. That girl had to leave the home where she was born and brings the baby after she has given birth. You buy soap, jelly oil, towel, baby powder that is the baby that has been born outside and has been brough home.they had to bring all of these things. Now you people who have brought the baby to be bathed, and you have come with those things, they will give you water by keeping it there for you, you will take your soap and use it to bath the child, then you take your towel and wrap her in. then you put her on the laps. Then they say "if you are our own child, we are keeping you in this towel, we are not killers, you succeed and grow, you be well and you will give birth to people" you do that. You may take a baby that belongs to other people you bath her and you put her in your towel and she is not yours, that baby normaly die, hence you have killed. And if she was yors when you speak a blessing the bay is blessed. Long time ago they used to take the sap from the banana unripe fruit and they drop it in the baby's mouth, then they speak again "if you are our child, be blessed and grow up" they used to drop it like that and if the baby is not yours that baby dies because they have lied that the baby is yours (*There was no DNA during those days, hence it was a way of determining if the boy is the father to the baby) and then we see that the people from the girl's side are wasted. The girl is wasted because she didn't know the boy who impregnated her. But if the baby belonged to that family, the baby is well. The baby wakes up while in those cloths. When the day is ready the girl brings the baby home for shaving, she spends the night there. Then they buy a razor blade, they take a girl from that home. The elder girl, if she is not there, one has to be there.

They take the razor blade and give that girl (sister in law to the baby's mother) they confirm keenly if the child is from that home, they check for the wounds and say, "someone was here who had such wounds" people who were fighting in the past used to be speared with spears and they had wounds. If he/she had a wound somewhere on the nails, eyes or feet, they used to say that the baby is theirs then they give the razor blade and that person begins to shave the baby. After bathing the baby they apply the baby the jelly oil and the baby has now entered the home. And if they had lied that the baby was from that home the baby used to die.

A BARREN WOMAN

That woman used to be married and she takes her husband and they stay together. That woman used to stay for six or five months or even ten years while the husband is patient, because he had seen her as her wife and he had taken her and stay with her together. The owners of the homestead, the parents and the sisters of the man and the people of that clan used to observe and say, "this child has brought us a barren for what? She has come here to fill the toilet only? We want a woman who is gving birth so that out lineage can expand" they then tell their boy to bring another woman for them to determine whether it him who is spoiled or the woman. The boy used to listen to the words from the parent or the parent used to go and look for a girl for him, a girl who had given birth before but had not been married. They normaly bring her to him and they wait and see if she will give birth. If she does they then know that the first wife is the one who has a problem (she is barren) the barren used to observe the way things were moving, if there was no life there, she used to leave and say "where will I seat here, they have brought a woman who is giving birth and I am nothing" she used to see that and she goes. And if the man had seen and wanted to stay with her in a separate house and the other woman in a her own house, if the wife was patient she used to see that she is spoiled and she was not a parent and then she perservires. That patience was not there for long, because she was seeing that her environment was not good, she is the one who is spoiled, she used to leave and go.