There is a man who had the gift of the gab that could make Barack Obama green with envy-the late Sr. Chief Ayoki Nyawanda. Let Obama shine in English but when it came to dholuo, Ayoki marvelled the people of Uyoma with words. As the area chief, he had the responsibility of announcing events and introducing government guests, a responsibility that left mourners tickled and masses trickling to listen to him.
His humour was out of this world, at a funeral he once tore into a section of mourners who were busy feasting as is the custom. He bemoaned his prize bull which he asked the mourners if they will slaughter and feast on when he dies. He urged the locals to reconsider eating at funerals in this harsh economic times. Ayoki past away a few years ago and I bet he peeped out of his coffin to see if his bull had been slaughtered. Oh my, people feasted at his funeral, weather he approved of it or not.
I am bringing these tales in lieu to the reactions in the press recently in regard to Luo customs. A widow in Alego had been banished as an outcast for refusing to be inherited. A good samaritan built her a house after it was highlighted by the media. Then followed the fiasco of former Assistant Minister the late Orwa Ojode's brother. He wrote to the Speaker of National Assembly on behalf of his mother requesting that the insurance benefits should not be paid to Ojode's widow.
My empirical and rational analysis of Luo customs took me to the core of the Luo mind. I have said before in my blogs that I regard myself as a backfired Anthropologist, so I look at people with a different lens. Being a proud Luo who marvels at how we a great people- have shaped the socio-political landscape of Kenya, Uganda,Tanzania and the USA (but do we say.) If you go North, you can add the Nuer (other sub tribes) of South Sudan.
I came to the conclusion that Luo customs; the do's and dont's are all about good food and sexual pleasure. You will hear blood must be shed (an animal must be slaughtered) then that evening, be assured a woman will be laid.
I dont have a problem with the customs on honour. That I must not do something that will in a way dishonour my father or elder brothers. My problem is when I am obliged to indulge in pleasures as a means of fulfilling social obligations. I am not against enjoying the pleasures of these world; we all know that positive pleasures is a by product of responsibility.
Wife Inheritance
I like spending time picking the brains of elderly people whenever I am in the village. I get wise counsel from these men, especially on the processes that preceded ter, as wife inheritance is known.
Only a married man with his own homestead was allowed to inherit another man's wife. He would only do so with the consent of his wife. The widow would approach the wife to the man she feels is responsible enough to take responsibility over her and float the idea. It is the wife who will discuss it with her husband and agree on the terms of reference. Not all inheritances came with conjugal favours from the widow.
Today, if you check back in the villages; young single men are inheriting widows left right and centre. Even the married men are doing so without the knowledge of their wives; who get to know of it from the grapevine yet it is a process which the customs bestowed some responsibilities on them. This to me has reduced wife inheritance to sexual relationships at the expense of the dead man's fortunes. In most cases it is the widow who feeds the inheritor who may happen to have other widows in his harem.
Feasting at Funerals
When it comes to the rule of slaughtering animals to signify an occasion, I have my reservations. As a community we are not inclined towards major celebrations. Initiation was phased out and it is the generation X who picked up holding church weddings. This left only funerals as the only gathering that brought people together. Funerals are more than just mourning ceremonies but social gatherings. This is what promotes the feasting as a means of catching up with relatives you may meet at the next funeral.
Post Burial Fueds
It is time Luos changed with the times and chose to embrace a way of life that is in tandem with the times. Death is as definite as sunrise for everybody. If you look at Luo Nyanza, most homes have a single benefactor. It does not matter the social status of siblings, there will always be one who will tend to shoulder the economic burden of a Luo homestead. This happens by default, rather than design.
You will find that Ojode has left many orphans, not just his son Andrew. These are people he used to support in various ways when he was alive. Not only his siblings and their families but across the whole village. When such a man dies, many peoples ambitions and aspirations go with him. It is such circumstances that has led Samuel Awuodi Ojode to write to the Speaker. Now that sirkal is no more, his widow may not be obliged to shoulder everything her husband used to do.
I will not dwell much into this, but to say that Luos should look at economic independence of family members as opposed to over reliance on one person. As we make transition to this new social way of life, we are bound to hear of hue and cry from the older generation. The wise way is for widows to look at ways of supporting their mother-in-law if they are in a position to. Even if it is not their responsibility, it is good to approach it as a woman who will end up as a mother-in-law in the near future. The rest of the dependants, can sort themselves out.
In conclusion
Culture is dynamic and it is good if we approach matters of culture pragmatically. What works can be retained, what does not work should be discarded as soon as possible. Meanwhile kanungo e teko but with moral and social responsibility...
Other posts on Luos
Women will save Luo Nyanza
we stopped removing six teeth, we can stop others
http://otienokenyatta.blogspot.com/2012/03/gor-fans-manifest-luos-siege-mentality.html
No comments:
Post a Comment