Opitso austine cat luhya culture abaluhya community

JARAMOGI OGINGA ODINGA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CULTURE OF THE ABALUHYA

Promoting The Abaluhya Culture

23-Mar-14

OPITSO AUSTINE

REG NO.: B231/0804/2013

Course : International Tourism Management Course Unit : Tourism Resource Management Presented to: Mr. George Otieno

This paper entails details about the culture of the Luhya community: It contains an overview of the Abaluhya, the Luhya sub tribes, Religions among the Abaluhya, their cuisines, mode of their dressing, their cultural artifacts and monuments, Music and dances, their sporting activities, and circumcision in Luhya community. The paper various ways for safeguarding, preserving and promoting the Abaluhya community, and also the significance of the culture to the Abaluhya.


The culture of the Abaluhya; Promoting The Abaluhya Culture Page 2 By Opitso Austine ©Opitso Austine, 2014

NO. TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

1 OVERVIEW OF THE ABALUHYA COMMUNITY

3

2 THE ABALUHYA SUB-TRIBES

3

3 RELIGION

4

4 LUHYA CUISINES

4

5 CLOTHING

5

6 CULTURAL ARTIFACTS/FEATURES/MONUMENTS

5

7 MUSIC AND DANCING

6

8 SPORTING ACTIVITIES

7

9 COCKS SUPREMACY BATTLE

7

10 BULLFIGHTING

7

11 CIRCUMCISION

8

12 SAFEGUARDING/PRESERVATION OF THE LUHYA CULTURE

9

13 PROMOTION OF THE LUHYA CULTURE

9

14 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LUHYA CULTURE

9

15 REFERENCES

10



OVERVIEW OF THE ABALUHYA COMMUNITY

The Abaluhya or Luhya is a Kenyan ethnic community with rich vast cultural, social and

political heritage transferred through successive generations. Luhyas are also found in Uganda

but not as comparable to the number of the found in Kenya. It was the second largest ethnic

community in Kenya 2010 as per the census carried out by the government of the Republic of

Kenya in 2009. Their territory neighboured that of Baganda, Basoga and Bagisu of present day

Uganda and the Luo, Kisii, Teso and Nandi of present day Kenya. The ancestral homelands

occupy the counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, Busia and parts of Transnzoia County.

THE ABALUHYA SUB-TRIBES

The Abaluhya has 18 subtribes which diversifies the ABALUHYA TRIBE. The sub-tribes

include:

1. Banyala

2. Banyore

3. Batsotso

4. Bukusu

5. Gisu

6. Idakho

7. Isukha

8. Kabras

9. Khayo

10. Kisa

11. Marachi

12. Maragoli

13. Marama

14. Masaaba

15. Samia

16. Tachoni

17. Tiriki

18. Wanga

As said earlier, Abaluhya is a community enriched with a variety of cultural heritage, arts, and

activities among other things. Culture in itself is a tourism resource that can be ‘a tool of social,

cultural, economic and political advancement and development. These range from their cuisines,

clothing sports, economic, circumcision, weddings, burials among other activities and cultural

elements and events.



RELIGION

Most of the Luhya people subscribe to Christianity but with others to Islam (especially the

Wanga) and others still loyal to their African Traditional Religions (ATRs). A notable African

Traditional Religion is the Dini ya Msambwa with its spiritual father being the great Elijah

Masinde wa Nameme. Dini ya Msambwa follow the Luhya tradition as their focal point and

action of their activities and beliefs. But funny enough, Dini ya Msambwa also use the bible as a

reference book for its faithful. Most Luhyas call God as “Nyasaye” a word borrowed from their

close neighbours, the Luos. “Were” is also used to refer to God in the Luhya community.

LUHYA CUISINES

Luhyas have various foods and drinks they rake but the most

popular one is the Ugali (Swahili) called Obusuma in Luhya

language which is synonymously served with Ingokho (chicken).

The traditional vegetables also served with obusuma include saga,

Obwova (mushrooms), mrenda among others. The vegetables are

cooked by spices such as the mselekha

to make them soft and for quick

cooking. Other food crops in the Luhya

community include sorghum, finger-

millet simsim, tsimbande (a variety of

nuts), tsing’oli (a variety of peas),

pumpkins, sweet potatoes, yams in their

rich basket of food. The Luhyas are also

more often seen chewing sugarcanes.

Their drinks include sour fermented

porridge called the Obusera and Busaa,

traditional liquor which is served in

traditional gourds cut into two halves

for individuals. Busaa is also served

inside a container during ceremonies

from which it is drunk with aid of pipes with those involved seated around the container. The

community is also famous for chewing a root plant called the Mkombero. Mkombero is chewed

for medicinal purposes and also as a ‘stimulant’. It is always specifically chewed by men to

enhance their ‘bed arousals’.



CLOTHING

Luhyas nowadays wear similar clothes just as other communities in Kenya but it is different

during their cultural activities, ceremonies and events. The

cultural activities such as ceremonies especially where

dancing is involved, cultural attire are worn to show the

great appreciation to the Luhya culture. Strings of beads are

worn round the waists and necks and not to forget the

tsindeke which are little bells worn around the wrist of the

legs when dancing. Women wear special skirts made out of

sisal which is called Liboya in the abaluhya language.

CULTURAL ARTIFACTS/FEATURES/MONUMENTS

Luhyas make special cravings like

chairs especially one designed for the

owner of a homestead who is always

an old man. It’s always done with

special designs to differentiate it with

other furniture. The community too

has Eshimwero at times made of

special sisal plants or from a hard

grass type. The eshimwero is a basket

that’s used for pounding grains and

also for carrying food bought from

the market. Cooked food is also

placed in eshimwero and hanged

from the top of the roof for storage.

The community also makes Ikhafwa-

a fishing trap-an art borrowed from

their neighbours, the Luos.

A great cultural monument/feature among the Abaluhya is the Crying Stone found in Ilesi in

Kakamega County. The Crying stone is 40 meters high it a small stone at its top with water

running from head to toe. It looks like a gowned figure in perpetual tears. The Luhya community

is much attached to the crying stone in that it’s environ is used for cultural and religious

ceremonies by the community. The activities around the stone include traditional dances, cock

fights and Bunyala wrestling which in combination attract many visitors to the site.



MUSIC AND DANCING

Special songs were made for beer parties as well as for the special dancing festival called

Omwimo. The Abaluhya traditional dances include the

1. Isikuti

2. Tindikiti

3. Litungu

4. Bakhana

5. Shilli, and

6. Indembele.

In the dances and songs the community used instruments such as the:

1. Ingoma (large drum)

2. Isikuti (small drum)

3. Obukhana (harp)

4. Ehiriri (lyre), and

5. Flute

Notable and famous Luhya musicians include:

1. Daudi kabaka

2. Jacob luseno

3. Sukuma Bin Ongaro

4. George Mwamba

5. John Mwale

6. Justus Omufila and

7. Sharon Wangwe- Lady S



SPORTING ACTIVITIES

Luhyas are famous in the sporting activities where they perform very well such as in Rugby.

Notable figures include Collins Injera, Humphrey Ayange, and Willie Ambaka among other.

Football is a field that draws a large support base with notables such as Victor Wanyama and

McDonald Mariga. Back at home the community has always given overwhelming support to the

Abaluhya Football Club (AFC) Leopard (also called Ingwe) which was formed in 1960 with its

main ever rival being, Gor Mahia FC (also called K’Ogalo) which is associated with their ‘in-

laws’- Luos. Other sporting activities include the Bunyala wrestling, cock fights and the famous

bull fighting. There is also the bicycle race which is center of attraction to many viewers and

participators. It is in Kenya and East Africa countries that one can witness use of bicycles called

Boda Boda as a means of earning livelihood.

COCKS SUPREMACY BATTLE

Cocks involved in the fight are always fed and nurtured by the owner before the fight. They are

fed on maize grains and remnants of Ugali.

The cock fights are always near market

places where there is a referee who blows a

whistle to signify the start of the fight. In the

cock fights, the owners of the cocks that

emerge victorious always get rewarded. The

cock always fights it out with their fellow

rival cock until the winner emerges. While

fighting, when a rival can’t sustain the fight

and finally decides to take to its heels, then

the remaining cock/bull becomes the victor

and is endowed with respect from the community members especially in bull fighting. The

winner cock earns the owner recognition and respect among his peers who is also joined by

chanting fans in a victory song.

BULLFIGHTING

The bulls are spurred on by an excited onlookers blowing traditional horning and chanting songs.

The bulls in the pitched bulls always represent villages. The bull always fights it out with their

fellow rival cock/bull until the winner emerges. While fighting, when a rival can’t sustain the

fight and finally decides to take to its heels, then the remaining cock/bull becomes the victor and



is endowed with respect from the community members especially in bull fighting. The victor bull

is led around the field in a victory show

accompanied by a chanting jubilant

crowd- from the winning village. Other

people bring their cows or hens to mate

with the winner bull respectively with the

hope of getting better genes transferred to

the product of the mating.

Bull fighting is popular but not limited to

the Idakho, Isukha and Tsotso sub-tribes

of the Abaluhya. Tere are Annual

Bullfighting competitions organized

which attract many visitors outside the Abaluhya community.

CIRCUMCISION

The Luhya especially the Bukusu are

still strong traditionalists when it

comes to circumcision. A candidate

for circumcion would take a chicken

to a blacksmith in exchange of two

bells to call people and relatives to

come to his circumcision ceremony. A

candidate is given a bull from his

maternal uncles. One of the uncles accompanies him on

the circumcision day to the river where the candidate is

smeared with mud and grass put on his head. The

candidate is escorted back with a group of villagers with

circumcision songs. During the escort the candidate is

completely naked. The candidate is circumcised while all

the sexes are watching. The candidate is not supposed to

cry as this will bring shame to him and will also be a

show of weakness. The candidate graduates from

Omusinde (un-circumcised) and becomes an Omusiani

(circumcised). After the circumcision, the candidate is showered with gifts. The Omusiani is

isolated with fellow Omusiani candidates to go through the healing period. During the isolation

the fresh Omusianis are taught what is expected of them after the transition from childhood to

manhood.



SAFEGUARDING/PRESERVATION OF THE LUHYA CULTURE

Sustainability is a key issue that necessitates proper management of resources in industry,

tourism included. Culture as a resource need preservation. There is need for cultural authenticity

and originality among other issues as means of safeguarding a cultural heritage, languages,

status, antive religion, traditions and artifacts of a people or community.some of the ways that

ought to be taken in preserving and safeguarding inlude

1. Construction of Luhya Heritage museums

2. Protection of its cultural heritage and resources

3. Access to and usage of cultural resources . The best way to preserve culture is by

practising it.

4. Teaching luhya generations of various luhya cultures to keep it vibrant.

PROMOTION OF THE LUHYA CULTURE

There various ways to promoting a culuture and these include:

1. Conducting and organising cultural exhibitions and expos with stalls erected to showcase

diferrent cultural aspects of a community.

2. Organising cultural activities such as the bulfighting, cock fighting for public viewing

3. Direct marketing and promotion of culture.

4. Condusting public awareness of the culture.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LUHYA CULTURE

The three main of the significance of the Luhya culture to the Abaluhyas are:

1. It gives the Luhya people Identity of who they really are. This is evident through the

character and clothing among theAbaluhya

2. It bond the Abaluhya together, which is evident during cultural festivals and ativities such

as bullfighting and circumcision. They are brought together with the values they share.

3. The luhya culture acts as a system of social control among the Abaluhya. It establishes

principles and philosophies among Luhyas as they will tend to align with the Abaluhya

culture.



REFERENCES

Manali Oak, (2008). Importance of culture. Why is culture important? 15 November.

Business Recorder, Pakistan Today, Pakistan Observer, (2014). President stresses promotion of

country’s rich culture, 23 March.

Protecting Our Heritage and Fostering Creativity. (2014) UNESCO(United Nations Educationa,

Scientific and Cultural Organisation) (Online)

http://en.unesco.org/themes/Protecting-Our- Heritage-and-Fostering-Creativity

The culture of the Abaluhya; Promoting The Abaluhya Culture By Opitso Austine ©Opitso Austine, 2014