Play time: 21:00 minutes. Recorded in Sabatia, Kenya, May 13, 2014.

Livulwa Lyange (A)

Herman Asava

Sasa ndatanga ndi; inze ndivulwa muhiga wa 1930 mweli wa munane goveye1 lidiku lia jumamosi, na ndivulwa mumima jia kitamduni. Ndali ni vudinyu vonene ssana. Inze nimwana wa saba, vayayi kwali sita mukana nakola saba. Inze ndali mukogoti. Vivuli vange vanyangana sana kumba mita. Mimajia kitamaduni jiavolanga kulanga mwana mita ga hando. Na inze ni mwana mukogoti kolondekana na kitamaduni genyekanga nangwe mita wa mama yatula. Vananga mita manyinge sana. Lyita liamanya lingulung'anyia linomba nimba vulahi samu liali Lukalu. Na lyita linde lie inyuma linde vamanya vanda ku lyita Mulinya; lyita lia baba wa mama wange. Mita ga ndalangwa gali Mugoywa, Vihelitsa, Angala, linde Mmbayi, Mariko, kandi vata ku linde Masitsa, Atonya, navutsa lww inyuma ndi nangwa musukulu vakamanya vanaga Herman, nababa wange iye Asava. Ma ndakasoma mu tsisukulu tsinyinge na ndali ni linyangana sana kijira baba wange yakakutsa ni mbeye ni mihiga jivaga. Ndali nu vudionyu vonene sana. Na avana vitu si kwali ho ni unlala kwitulitsas kosominya dave nitali ndamanya ningwa kuli mutugwa mu avana vitu yava. Ninzia kuvalela avana nimbakola miyinzi jia hango. Ku mwene ndamanya ninzia musukulu nindanga kwesominya. Ndasoma Igabvudia mu A-school, Igaiyedi kandi mu A-school, nindula wa Degula, kandi ninzia Jemovo ma ninzia Vokoli muhiga gwa 1942 nisoma yo kidogo inzala niva inyinge nindula yo ninzia Ivutsotso. Ivutsosto iyo wa ndamanya nimba yo ku yilwo lwa ndamala yo muhiga mula na muhiga gwa 1943 yilwo lwa ndilana Vokoli. Mu masomo gange Vokoli, nyasaye yamba kihanwa kenen. Ndali mwimbi, munyaguli, mukubi wu mprira, ndava wi mima lugano jia vigitsi vanyanza ku vunyinge sana. Kali ndafwana ku musomi dave, ndafwana kuli mwigitsi. Mang'ana gu vulimi, vwali vwe kivune kenene sana yivwo vwajira nesoma kijira ndagulanyianga vindu via ndataga nesoma kali vigitsi vatsa kucheka hango kutsa kolola miyinzi jiange kuli menyi. Kandi ndafwanakuli mwigitsi kijira ni yaduka isaa ya lunch vosi vavohela ku inze venya vandeve mateva. Ndavetsa kuli mtamaduni, mundu we ibible, kali mang'ana gu vulimi venya kwiga ku inze. Ma nimba mutumwa mulahi vigitsi vanyanza. Kali Vokoli yila ndamenya yo mbandu vanyinge kijira ndali nu mundu unyala kulinda hango dave, nzia losengeli nzia komenya nayo, nzia ivusali komenya yo. Na ihiri ndala ya ndamenya nayo ni ihiri ya vasaniaga anoho kamunara. Ihiri yene iyi ndiga mang'ana gavo nenyola na vandu vaveye scientific. Kali nuhula mu vulogoli muno vandu vimba tsinyimbu, numuchungusa vulahi ulanyola ni mundu musaniaga. Vasaniaga vaveye ni ingavi enene sana mu kivala kinu. Na ndiga mang'ana ga vasaniaga nimba mwimbi mulahi, munyaguli ni vindu lugano kijira kwayanzana na vasaniaga sana. Ndakasoma paga muhiga gwa 1948 ma nimala nimbeye mu kilasi cha katano. Na musukulu yange ivukoli nmbeye mu nisoma mu vananga British kijira lusungu ndali ndalumanya vulahi sana. Avana vanyinge vahanda kuinze venyanga vige lusingu kutula ku inze. Lwa ndamanya ninzia Nairobi, ndamanya ninzia kogona wu muyayi witu wu jmusungu yala mu Shell company. Lwa usungu yatsa nanjelitsa nateva ni mwana ki uyu. Naye namuvola nu witu. Nateva yamala isukulu. Naye yee, yamala nyenya munyole igasi. Ku musungu lwa yahula nemoloma lusungu lulahi yahanda tsa ku inze nambola nzitsa kuha mwanauyu igasi. yamanya nambila mu shell company ningaribishwa vulahi. Musungu natsia kutangasa mu lyita liange, ndali tsa muafrika wu kutanga mu shell. Yatsia navola vasungu vandu konyoye munu mwana mula muafrika na yamanya lusungu lulahi we mima. Vasungu vatsa vafwera ku inze vandeva mirembe mu rusungu. Ndamoloma lusungu vasungu vanyanza kabisa. Vangilung'anyia hakutsutsu kutula office messenger, ni nzitsa kuva store keeper, ninzitsa kuva kuli mu ofisi kuli receptionist, kandi kuli store keeper. Ma kandi vanzigitsa miyinzi jia kusimu, kukaribisha vandu; telephone operator. Nimba mu shell mwene mula na mushara gwali 40 vujira chukulia vujira inyumba. Ndava mu shell mwene yimwo ningenya si manye nangole ndi, ndinyola ndi mukali nambeye ni eng'ombe dave. Ku ndamanya ninzia kwiyunga mu igasi yu mu tsihoteli. Lwa ndatsia, ndatanga kwoguitsa vindu, kweyas hasi no kolomba madirisha. lakini kolondekana nende limoloma liange nu lusungu lwange vasungu vatamana lusungu lwange sana kali ndaguinza ku mang'ana ge igasi iyi dave. vamanya vatanga linzigitsa mang'ana go kodeka viukulia. Ndamanya nindanga mang'ana ge tsihoteli hene hala, vasungu vanyanza sana nindanga kusingila tsihoteli, nimba kalunu receptionist, kandi kusingila mang'ana ge viukulia mu dining room. Ninzia kwigitswa mang'ana ga book keeping na vindu vinyinge sana vasungu vahanda ku inze sana ni nziga miyinzi minyinge jie mu tsihoteli. Kali tsigasi tsia ndatsia kuyinzila mu tsia mu hoteli vasungu vatsa mu vavola leka kuvuguli mwana uyu atsie kukuyinzila. Ku ndatsitsa mwne mula ndamoloma vavola uyu nu mungeresa, vayanza miyinzi jiange. Na ibahati enenen yo kogenyia kali si ndamanya ku ndakunguhila munu dave. Vasungu venyanga vambile wavo yila, nzie amereka anoho ivungeresa nzie kuyinzila yo miyinzi jiange lakini ndamanya nimba mudinyu nendola mbe munu nyinzili yengo miyinzi jiange. Ku ndakayinzila mu tsihoteli tsinyinge mu Kenya muno. Nimba meneja mu tsihoteli lugano, kali kwatsitsa ku interview igasi itangasiywi havuindu onyola ndakuguta vasungu vala inze mbugula igasi. ku ndakava mwene mula ndakayinzila madiku matambi. Kali lwa maang'ana ga Mau Mau gatanga muno ndali mbeye Kiambu koveye na vanga Kenyatta. Mau Mau ndagimanyila wene yila kali nimanyila Kenyatta wene yila. Inze ninze mulala wa vasungu vali vanyanza ndatsia nivamentsanga isiri ya Kenyatta lwa vikalanga vamoloma ku mang'ana ga Kenyatta, tsikatasi tsiane tsila ndanyola ku tsicopy. Ninze waha Kenyatta lwa yatula nimanyia ku mang'ana ga vamoloma koye. Ndaha Kenyatta lwa yali naveye parliament na inze nisingiliyi Werstern Province. Vasungu va kwalanage navo ndali ndamanya mima, siasa, vafrika vitu valange muno kuli vanga Tom Mboya, Ronald Ngala, Ogonga Odinga vamanya vahanda ku inze vavolanga mbe kuli advisor wavo. Ndagenda navo tsibega tsiosi komoloma navo. Kali Kenyatta nahanda ku inze kali ninze wasala Kenyatta lwa yatsa mu Western province muno ma nava kuli mundu wu kutanga kwingila mu province muno. Na ndakava kalunu muhindila ndakavikwa mita gandi lugano kolondekana na vindu via ndakakola muno, ndakalangwa na vandu Ligina tele. Yili ni ligina lia unyala kosena ku unyala dave, paga oteleke. Ni utsiyi konzegera wenya usalitse. Lyita lia kavili vananga Dedan Kimathi. Lwa Dedan Kimathi yakamanya nagimilwa inze iye ndamanya ni ndigala. Lwa venya kungimila ni nziluka ni nzitsa yinu, ninzia Lodwar, kapenguria, Maralal, Marsabiti na nziruchi muno. Lwa ndali nimbeye Kiambu na vagikuyu, vata ku inze Muru Waitina; kovola mundu wali wi myika kabisa. Vali va imba heshima. Vameru navo vamba linde Muthuri wa Mwaki. Yani musakulu wu kuhambitsa mulu. Ndahambitsa gwange mulu gwasima dave. Lyita linde liali Kivolovolo. Na lyita Muru Waitina ndali mundu we myika kabisa wu mundu atanyala kukina ninze yanyala dave. Kandi lwa ndakava muno nu vulimi vwange, vakata ku inze mukulima. Ndakava muno na irigation ni viukulia viosi muno ndalima. Ndakalima muno kali vasungu vakatsa hano, tsisukulu tsiakfwera hano vata ku inze mukulima. Na kolondekana nu lusungu lwandamooma ni mima jiange jiali milahi, vata ku inze musungu mmali. Yani inze mumwamu lakini mbeye ni mima jiavasungu. Nimbeye havundu handi vananga British, mima jiange ni jie kisungu. Na lwa ndamanyi ninzia ku mang'ana ga kitamaduni, vanyinmge vananga mundu wa kitamaduni. Mima jia kitamaduni si nyenya kujireka dave. Lwa ndakalomba viukulia muno ninze wa ndakasingila WEKO nimbila mu viukulia ma vanyinge vananga WEKO. Ndakatuga muno mang'ana gwu vwuki kandi vanyinge vananga Asali, kandi mang'ana ga kienyeji kandi vananga daktari wa kienyeji. Kandi vakandovola kuli councillor, kandi vanananganga councillor. Lakini lwa ndasingila igasi yu vubunge venya kunzita ndi nyenya kupinga vandu vandi muno, ndatumilwa PC ngimilwi mbuli kupinga Mudavadi dave. Na kwali kusingiyi koveye nanga Kibisu naye yatumwa kutsa kumala. Inyumba yange yamanya niduywa, ndasalitswa sana. Na hanyuma yaho inyinga ya Mau Mau, ndali mulala ku vandu vavofwa, nimbofwa mieli sita Kodiaga yila nende Mark Asembo, nende Otieno Oyoo. Na mundu undu walayo valanga Lawrence lovega lwa Kericho yila kwavofwa navo. Ma kolondekana na mang'ana gene gala, ndamanyi indanga lihandika vitabu via kitamaduni vata ku inze mwandishi wa vitabu za kitamaduni. Kolondekana ninde vogeli vwa ndali nangavwo kandi vananga professor we mima na kindiki. Lelo inyima ndi nanga kalunu tsicounty 47 lwa kwa kava Nairobi muhiga gwa 2011, tsicounty tsiosi saba tsiavola musakulu uyu kwamuhula sana, vamanya vata ku inze chairman wa masujaa mu Kenya. Lilonda ku kandi vanaga kandi mwana historia kijira history ye inyuma yila mbeye nayo inyinge kali kutula ku inyinga yanga Kenyatta yila mbeye na history yavo. Ma kandi lwa ngenda muno mbeye muno na avana vanyinge vananga baba na vandi guga kijira mbeye mundu wigitsa mang'ana manyinge. Ku mang'ana ga mwikanisa vananga pastor kijila mbetsa pastor mu livugana lyitu lia vafriends. Na kijira ni ndegela vandu vanyinge venya kunzita nimbasalitsa ni viluka, kali ndatemaga ku vandu munu vandu vatanao vatsi kunzingila, vata ku inze enzogu; undi mundu si anyala kulwana ku inze anyala dave. Ma kandi kalunu kolondekana na mang'ana gwa kwahila tsing'ome tsinyasi vananga kandi vetenari ku mang'ana ge tsing'ombe nyala kwaira tsing'ombe muno tsinyasi. Kuduka hene hala, miyinzi jia ndakakola muno ni minyinge sana na mbeye ku ni lisosa dave, kalunu mbeye ni mihiga shimbe 85 lakini si mbeye ku lisosa dave, ngenda hosi ni mbana migitsu, seminars; mumias yila vananga yo kutsia kwigitsa mang'ana ga vutamaduni, paga ivunyore yila, Vanyore vainyanza, ma kandi mu vulogoli muno ndi nangwa. Idako iyi mbetsa yo, vakisa mima mbeye nangajio, vatsotso, vamarama, vosi mima mbeye nangajio. Ma kandi vagikuyu mima na mang'ana gavo mbeye nangago manyinge sana. Kali lwa ndatsa komenya yinu vavolanga uyu ni mugikuyu, mulogoli dave, kijira vulimi vwange ni miyinzi jiange muno ndali kuli mugikuyu ndali mundu wu kwikala vutsa dave. Ma viukulia viva muno vinyinge lugano na lugano. Ndakatula muno lwa venya kusalitsa ninzia Tanzania, kwanza ninzia Mombasa. Vatanzania vanyanza sana, hasa Msakulu Nyerere na vajumbe vala vosi vanyanza sana. Vaduka havundu venyola vatsanga hango hange hamugorova kukuba navo tsimbaka. Ndatsia nindanga kusingila tsindege, igasi ya ndavugula mu yali yu musungu; food and catering meneja mwene mula. Ma ninyinzila mwene mula ku madiku matambi. Ndamenya Tanzania madiku manyinge ma ninyola yo vugasu vunyinge sana. Kali mulimi gwange yigu tsisendi tsia Tanzania, tsinguvu yitsi tsia Tanzania, vindu viange vinyinmge via Tanzania, mima jia mbeye nangajio minyinge jia Tanzania. Kali vamanmya vambugula vambika mu chama chavo cha TANU nimba executive mwene mula. Mima jia Tanzania ndajiyanza sana, valanga ku mundu muheshimiwa dave, valanga ndugu. Vandu va heshima. Kali Nyerere yali kuli ave president dave, yakunula tsa vandu tsisoda na avasavitsa valia chukulia. Ma nava mundu wa heshima sana. Kali vanyinge vatula ivuganda vanyola tsigasi Tanzania, vakenya muno vanyola tsigasi. Tanzania ni kivala kilahi ma inze mbola mukenya muno si manye na kokole ndi kwiga mang'ana nemima jia Tanzania dave. Na vandu vi kivune sana na vavula ubaguzi dave, ndakakola mang'ana ga usalama wene yila na polisi kuchungusa vusalama mwene mula. Mang'ana ga olola valeti muno ga nyumba kumi ninze

My history (a)

I will start like this I was born in the year 1930 the august month when it was 1st on a Saturday and I was born in the traditional cultures. I had many problems. I am the seventh born, for the boys we were six and the girl was the seventh one. I was the first born and my parents had problems in giving me a name. The culture says that we call a child the name and I was the first born I was supposed to be called names from where mother came from and they called me many names. The name that made me look well was Lukalu. And the second name I was given was Mulinya; the name of the father to my mother. The names that I was given were Mugoywa, Vihelitsa, Angala, another one was Mmbayi, Mariko, again they added another one Masitsa, Atonya, but when I grew old they called me Herman, and my father is Asava. I have learned from many schools because my father died when I was three years old. I had challenges and among our children there was no one who could stand to educate me and so I was the one looking after them. I went to help them at home and that is when I went to school to read. I learned at Gavudia A-school, Igaiyedi again in A-school, I left Degula, again I went to Jemovo and then I went to Vokoli in the year 1942 I read from there and there was much hunger and left to Butsotso. At Butsotso is where I was and that is where I spent one year the year of 1943 that is when I came back to Vokoli for my education and that is where God gave me my gift. I was a singer, a runner and a footballer; I had good behaviors that the teachers admired from me I was not looking like a student I was behaving like a teacher. The issues of farming were important because I was selling the harvest as I pay for my education even the teacher used to come and look at my farming. I was like a teacher because at lunch time they used to gather around me and I was like a traditionalist a teacher of the bible and the issues of farming they were consulting me. Even at Vokoli I used to stay with many people because I didn't have a person who could take care of the home I used to stay in Lusengeli, I also used to stay in Busali. And one of the clans that I was staying with was vasaniaga or kamunara. I learned more about this clan and I found that they were people who were scientific. Even when you observe people singing songs in maragoli you when you are keen you will realize that they are Vasaniaga. Vasaniaga have a great blessing in this world. I learned a lot of things from the Vasaniaga and I was a good runner and a runner because I was in good terms with the Vasaniaga. I read up to the year 1948 and I finished when I was in class five. Back at my school in Vokoli while I was a student they used to call me British because I knew English very well. Many children were coming to me they wanted to learn English from me. When I went to Nairobi, I went to sleep at my brother who was called J.Musungu who was at Shell Company. When the white man came he greeted me and he asked who I was and he said that I was his brother. He asked if I had finished school and my brother said that I had finished school and he was looking for work for me and the white man heard me speaking good fluent English and he said that he was going to give me work. He took me to shell company they welcomed me well. The white man announced my name and I was the first African to work at shell. He went and told other white men that they had found one African and had good English with good morals. The white men came to me and asked for greetings and I was speaking good English. They changed my positions greatly from office messenger to store keeper and then office receptionist again as a store keeper. They taught me the issues of the phone and also how to welcome people as a telephone operator. And I was at Shell with the earning of 40 without food or house. I was at shell and I wondered what I could do, how I could get a wife and yet I didn't have a cow. I went to join the work of the Hotel and when I went, I began by washing utensils, sweeping down and cleaning windows. But because of my English the white men admired it and I was not delaying with work. They taught me how to cook food and I began the issues of hotel from there, the white men liked me and I began managing hotels, I was the receptionist, and also managing the issues of the dining room. I went to be taught the things about book keeping and many things the white men were with me and I learned many things about the hotel. Even the work that I went to do the white men used to come and they ask that I go and work for them. I used to go there and I speak and then they say that I was a European. And the fortunate thing is that I didn't know that I will grow while I am here. The white men wanted to take me to United states I do my work form there but I was hard and I refused and said that I wanted to wok from home. I have worked in many hotels here in Kenya. I was the manager in many different hotels even when we went for interviews I used to defeat the white men and I take the work. I have been there and I have worked there for many years. Even when the issues of Mau Mau began I was at Kiambu I was with Kenyatta. I knew Mau Mau while I was still there even Kenyatta while I was still there. I was the one that the white men liked when Kenyatta was being spoke after; I used to get a copy of those minutes. I was the one who gave Kenyatta I showed him the word that they were discussing about him and I gave it to Kenyatta when he was at the parliament while I was representing Western Province. I was with the white men and I knew the culture, politics, our Africans were here like Tom Mboya, Ronald Ngala, Oginga Odinga they asked me to be their advisor. I moved with them all over. Even Kenyatta was with me I was the one who prayed for him when he came to Western province and he was like the first person to start a province here. And I have grown today and given other names because of the things that I was doing here, I have been called by people a slippery stone. This is a stone that you cannot step on. When you step on it you will slide. When you have attacked me and you want to injure me. The second name is Dedan Kimathi. When Dedan Kimathi was arrested I was the one who remained. When they wanted to arrest me I ran and came here and then moved to Lodwar, kapenguria, Maralal, Marsabiti and I ran away. And when I was at Kiambu the Gikuyu called me Muru Waitina; to mean a person of energy. They had respected me. The Meru gave me another one Muthuri wa Mwaki meaning a man who light here. I was lighting my fire that was not blowing off. Another name was Kivolovolo and the name Muru Waitina I was an energetic man and they could not play with me and I also had my farming here and they called me a farmer. I had irrigation and all the farming. I was farming here and the white men were coming here all the schools were coming here and they called me a farmer. And according to the English that I had and the good morals that I had they called me an English man a man who was behaving like a white man. When I was at a place they called me Briton because I was behaving like a white man. And when I went to the things of traditional they called me a cultural traditionalist. I do not want to leave the things of tradition. When I came with the culture I was the one who represented WEKO I was taking food there and they called me WEKO. I was keeping bees and they were calling me honey and I was also treating people with herbs and they called me an herbalist. They appointed me as a counselor and they call me a counselor. When I stood for MP seat they wanted to kill me and they called for me a PC to arrest me so that I do not oppose Mudavadi at all. And we were with Kibisu who was sent to come and kill me. My house was broken in and I was hurt. And back there during the season of Mau Mau, I was among the people arrested at Kodiaga for six months together with Mark Asembo, and Otieno Oyoo. And another person was called Lawrence from Kericho there we were arrested with them. And according to that, I began writing the books about the culture and they named me the writer of traditional books. According to the wisdom that I had they were also calling me professor of the culture. Back then we have now 47 counties when we were at Nairobi in the year 2011, all the seven counties said that they had heard about me and they appointed me as the chairman of heroes of Kenya. Again they were calling me a historian because I have a lot of history even in the history of Kenyatta I am there. And when I am walking here there are many children who are calling me father and others are calling me grandfather because I have taught them many things. The issues about the church they are calling me pastor because I am the pastor at our Friends church. And many people wanted to kill me and when I prayed they used to run away, I have even cut people here five people attacked me, they called me elephant; another person cannot fight me and succeed. Again today about the issues of treating cows they are calling me a vet nary I can treat cows using traditional herbs. Up to today I have done many activities without education and the I am about 85 years but I do not have education, I am moving everywhere, in seminars; Mumias there I was called there to go and teach about the things of tradition, up to Bunyore there, the Nyore love me and even here in Maragoli. I am also at Idako, I am teaching the culture to the vatsotso, vamarama, all of them I have their culture. And even the Gikuyu I have their culture. Even when I came to stay here they were calling a Gikuyu, and not a mulogoli, because of my farming and my behavior I was like a Kikuyu I was not just staying there. And there were many types of food here. I left here when they wanted to kill me and I went to Tanzania, I first went to Mombasa. The Tanzanians liked me especially Nyerere and all the politicians like me. They used to come to my home in the evening and we share stories. I went to work in an airport and the work that I did was the one that I took over from a white man which was food catering and management. I worked there for many years. I stayed in Tanzania for many years and I got blessings. Even this land that I am having is the money that I got from Tanzania, these clothes are from Tanzania, most of my things are from Tanzania, and most of my behaviors are from Tanzania. They elected me and I was in the coalition of TANU and I was the executive there. I love Tanzanian behaviors very much, they do not call someone honorable they call him a brother they are people of respect. Even Nyerere he didn't behave like a president he was opening drinks for people and washing their hands as they eat. And he was an honorable person. Even many people from Uganda are getting work from Tanzania; the Kenyans here are getting work in Tanzania it is a good land I do not know how here in Kenya what we can do to learn the behaviors from Tanzania. They people of value and they do not neglect others, I have worked as a security person together with the police there. The things that you see they have introduced here about the ten houses.