Monday, April 4, 2022
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
KAIILET-AP-KARIK
Kailet-ap-Karik is a traditional Kalenjin ceremony done in the last quarter of the moon ( around 40 days) after the head of family has died.
This is how this ceremony was done in the old days. Currently the event has different variations.
It literally involves oiling weapons and ornaments but also a succession closure event.
When the moon is in the last quarter after the head of a family has died, an ox is slaughtered and the deceased's relations and friends partake thereof. This ceremony is called kaiilet ap karik, as all present put oil on their ornaments.
One of the brothers, or, if there is no brother or half-brother, a paternal cousin, climbs on to the roof of the huts and solemnly breaks off the stick called 'Kimonjokut' which is bound on to the central pole. This shows that the 'Toloita' of the homestead is no longer there. This breaking is commonly referred to as "Kengisir Toloita".
After this he enters the huts and breaks the pegs from which the weapons were suspended, the beds, and the mud partition between the rooms ; he also cuts pieces out of the stools and baskets, and chips the drinking-cups.
The stools and cups are chipped as no warrior may sit on or drink out of a dead man's things. As long as a widow is in mourning, no warrior may enter her house. She may also never re-marry or again wear married women's ear-rings.
After cleansing, the dead persons personal effects including weapons can now be used by those bequeathed to them.
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Famous chants Amongst Kalenjins
KIPO GOTAAB NYIGONIK
Kipo Gotaab Mureen che irose kole "Oleiyo- Ho"
Kipo Gotaab mureen ruosto ng'won en tuloon,
Kipo Gotaab Murenchun kirop soi.
Kipo Gotaab lale maat,
Kipo Gotaab maluktany ,
Kipo Gotaab Maesmoi es Mindet,
Kipo Soot konyi Kimbo,
Kipo Eldoreet ng’eleel tariit,
Kipo Wareng’ negim tariit kot kogog,
Kipo Rigaat ole mi siguteek che ngoetany koi saram,
Kipo Pirar ole mi suguteek che kiparpar koita kole “pol’
Kipo Kapkuress ole kitonon kuress kot kobor kiwato eeng’ kemei,
Kipo Sotik Sotik Porporti mo kwonye,
Kipo Chesinge ole sing’enge tuga ng'eeny,
Kipo Kagypsirich ole kichur moi ak soton,
Kipo Chepterit ak Meko,
Kipo Songhor menen yany ak muren,
Kipo Gotaab muren cheporpori ng’ot kosete,
Kipo Tineet ole ingetiech tegaat kole “ros”
Kipo Keiyo keel,
Kipo tangulbei ole arusen kirugik een limo,
Kipo Tenges ole keben tuga romosweek,
Kipo Kitale nyalil beet ak kwemoi,
kipo Tuluop Konyo le lolong’bei,
kipo Soin ole ruosto muren karin,
Kipo Gotaab wondapuun koririot,
Kipo Mosop chelalang’.
Kipo Gotaab sitien kook een kuyanga,
Kipo Gotaab legetio nekisim anweet ak moing'
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Insects
01. Chemeliil -the army worm
02. Chepkiimyet -the carpenter ant
03. Chepkoitaapma -the praying mantis
04. Chepng'ing'iin -the wasp
05. Cheptaapmama -the millipede
06. Cheepuutyet -the hairy caterpillar
07. Isiryaat -the louse
08. Kalyaang'aat -the housefly
09. Kanyiitweet -the earthworm
10. Kerpesyeet -the tick
11. Kimityaat -the flea
12. Kipkepeper -the crab
13. Kipreng'endet -the locust
14. Kiprorogeet -the spider
15. Kipsiririit -the cricket
16. Kiptoolookoong' -the carpenter bee
17. Kiptoruruut -the beetle
18. Kololyoot -the bedbug
19. Kong'aiyaat -the rain ant/flying termite
20. Kuutyet -the hairless caterpillar
21. Leelmwaiyaat -the european fire ant
22. Luulusyoot -the stingless bee
23. Melmeldo -the stinging caterpillar
24. Mpulukyoot -the jigger
25. Meng'weet -the firefly
26. Ng'eendiniaat -the maggot
27. Piinaakyaat -the nit
28. Piireechoot -the common fire ant
29. Puutiik -the mites
30. Pusaiyet -the centipede
31. Sagamyaat -the honey bee
32. Saamuunyoot -the field ant
33. Solopchoot -the cockroach
34. Talamwet -the grasshopper
35. Tang'kwereryet -the dragonfly
36. Tapurpuryet -the butterfly
37. Teetaapmama -the water bug
38. Toiyoot -the termite
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
NAMES OF BIRDS IN KIPSIGIS
1. Raigootiit -the marabou stork
2. Tang'any-kwoony -the secretary bird
3. Cheepchuupo -the starling bird
4. Tergekyaat -the guinea fowl
5. *Soorooryet/cheptugeet -the dove
6. Suguruut -the owl
7. Sang'kiit -the vulture
8. Chepogilkil -the turkey
9. Ng'kokcheet -the chicken
10. Chepokipapaa -the ibis
11. Kong'oonyoot -the crane
12. Chepisakyaat -the weaver bird
13. Kipkon'goniet -the woodpecker
14. Kipkoosiitweet -the mousebird
15. Kipkosyeet -the honeyguide
16. Riryaat -the red-billed oxpecker
17. Chepkung'kurweet -the pied crow
18. Chepkoropit -the yellow-vented bulbul
19. Cherepesit -the nightjar
20. Hang'ang'eet -the hornbill
21. Tetee -the nightingale
22. Chemermeru - the swahili sparrow
23. *Chesiipiit - the Humming bird
24. Keereet - the kite
25. Chesiirereet - the hawk
26. Chepkogosyoot - the eagle
27. Chepkuikui - the skylark
28. Chepowiirit - the killdeer
29. Keek -the lilac- breasted roller
30. Ketutunyeet - the red black ground hornbill
31. Kongoyot-crested crane.
32. Kipsichit-Eagle
33. cheebobaba - Ibis
34. Taiweet- patridge
35. Chelogomiet
36. *Kiplalang
37. *Cherebenyit
38. *Chesiliot
39. Mashelelet-brown dove
*Subjects to rectifications
40. Cheptalamiat
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Names of personalities based on social roles amongst Kalenjins
- Judges - kipsarurinik
- kiruogik-chiefs
- chemosian-girl circumcisor
- boiyondet-male circumcisor
- chepkutiat-soloist
- tienindet-singer
- meiwot-worker
- kimonjororiat-prisoner
- kipsogorindet-spy
- bunotiot-alien person
- motellin-expert
- ngomut-traditional brain surgeon
- kipkoroisi/
ngetet-uncircumcised boy bcos of presence of prepuce/foreskin on his genital equivalent 2 hat - boiyotab komta/kibisho-initiation chief priest.....testai
Teta
Teta
Plural:Tuga
Other forms of the word:tany,tich (singular,plural respectively).
Meaning:
1. Teta-Cow, universal name, for both male and female. A male cow is called 'kirgit' if it is not castrated or 'eito' if it is. Plural is 'kirugik' and 'eik' respectively.
2. Teta- A valuable. Anything valuable to a kalenjin is a cow. Be it an electronic, a vehicle, a piece of land or even a woman. Especially a woman who is not legally someone's. A beautiful woman passes by and a Kalenjin man would ask another, 'bo ng'o tanyi?' i.e 'whose cow is this'.(For the benefit of modern day slayqueens, don't be offended if you are called a cow. On the contrary, feel proud). Of you encroach a Kalenjin man's land, he will ask you ,"why are you joking with my cows?'. A kalenjin parent will rebuke their child who has failed in exams as having wasted their cows.
3. Teta. Wages. To a very large extent, wages in Kalenjin land is measured in terms of cows. If you tell someone you have been in some certain contract or any other form of employment, he will ask you, 'how many cows did you buy'? You show them even if there are in another form be it land or something.
4. Teta-Identity. Different Kalenjin families and clans have different ways of piercing the ears of their cows for identification. As such, one can see a cow and know the owner or the family he comes from. So sometimes, instead of asking one's clan, as 'ii anora'(which clan are you), one can ask, 'ii antanya?'( which cow are you?). Next time you are asked so, you are required to say your clan.
Nouns associated with cows are 'botich' and 'batany' both names used to refer to grandfathers across Kipsigisland. There are many proper names that are Kaptich,Kip/Cherotich,Kip/Chepngetich,Taprantich,Taputany,Cherutany,Marintany,Kiprantich among others.
5.Children in kalenjin are counted silently using cattle,they normally asked ii kaptany at a? Meaning how children do you have
Cows among the Kalenjin are so important that a man who is from a long journey will first go to the cattle boma to look at his cows before inquiring the welfare of children. The ownership of cows is mostly a man affair but are said to belong to children. When someone is asked to sell a cow to buy something and he is not willing to, he will simply say, "bo lagok"( it belongs to the children).
The uses of cows include payment of bride price and 'muget'. 'Muget' is payment made after someone has murdered another person of the Kalenjin Community. The clan that the murderer comes from contributes nine cows to the aggrieved clan.
The young one of a cow(calf) is called 'moita'. Traditionally, Kalenjins don't brag and will usually don't brag or rather parade their wealth. They prefer mentioning it in a manner that makes it look small. A kalenjin man will go to the market and say he is looking for a calf to buy. He then goes ahead and buys a very big cow. 'Atinye moen tuten'(I have got a few calves), says someone with 100 heads of cattle.
Plural:Tuga
Other forms of the word:tany,tich (singular,plural respectively).
Meaning:
1. Teta-Cow, universal name, for both male and female. A male cow is called 'kirgit' if it is not castrated or 'eito' if it is. Plural is 'kirugik' and 'eik' respectively.
2. Teta- A valuable. Anything valuable to a kalenjin is a cow. Be it an electronic, a vehicle, a piece of land or even a woman. Especially a woman who is not legally someone's. A beautiful woman passes by and a Kalenjin man would ask another, 'bo ng'o tanyi?' i.e 'whose cow is this'.(For the benefit of modern day slayqueens, don't be offended if you are called a cow. On the contrary, feel proud). Of you encroach a Kalenjin man's land, he will ask you ,"why are you joking with my cows?'. A kalenjin parent will rebuke their child who has failed in exams as having wasted their cows.
3. Teta. Wages. To a very large extent, wages in Kalenjin land is measured in terms of cows. If you tell someone you have been in some certain contract or any other form of employment, he will ask you, 'how many cows did you buy'? You show them even if there are in another form be it land or something.
4. Teta-Identity. Different Kalenjin families and clans have different ways of piercing the ears of their cows for identification. As such, one can see a cow and know the owner or the family he comes from. So sometimes, instead of asking one's clan, as 'ii anora'(which clan are you), one can ask, 'ii antanya?'( which cow are you?). Next time you are asked so, you are required to say your clan.
Nouns associated with cows are 'botich' and 'batany' both names used to refer to grandfathers across Kipsigisland. There are many proper names that are Kaptich,Kip/Cherotich,Kip/Chepngetich,Taprantich,Taputany,Cherutany,Marintany,Kiprantich among others.
5.Children in kalenjin are counted silently using cattle,they normally asked ii kaptany at a? Meaning how children do you have
Cows among the Kalenjin are so important that a man who is from a long journey will first go to the cattle boma to look at his cows before inquiring the welfare of children. The ownership of cows is mostly a man affair but are said to belong to children. When someone is asked to sell a cow to buy something and he is not willing to, he will simply say, "bo lagok"( it belongs to the children).
The uses of cows include payment of bride price and 'muget'. 'Muget' is payment made after someone has murdered another person of the Kalenjin Community. The clan that the murderer comes from contributes nine cows to the aggrieved clan.
The young one of a cow(calf) is called 'moita'. Traditionally, Kalenjins don't brag and will usually don't brag or rather parade their wealth. They prefer mentioning it in a manner that makes it look small. A kalenjin man will go to the market and say he is looking for a calf to buy. He then goes ahead and buys a very big cow. 'Atinye moen tuten'(I have got a few calves), says someone with 100 heads of cattle.
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