Skip to main content

Marriages amongst Kalenjin part I

Eight separate ceremonies were observed in connection with traditional Kalenjin wedding.Each ceremony could not be effected without maiyweek(Local beer).The first step was the engagement.This was preliminary visits made by the young man's father to the father of the girl selected to be his wife

The initial visit is known as kaayaaet-aap kooito.On this first visit,the father was dressed in a robe of blue monkey fur.Upon arriving at the girl's home he would stand at mabwaita(the family altar) and send a message to the girl's father.He did this by placing a noogirweet(ceremonial stick) at the mabwaita.This was the sign that he wanted to begin talks regarding marriage.No cattle tugaap kooito(cattle of dowry) were brought that first visit,but an initial agreement was made.The father's arranged another meeting day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

KALENJIN AGE SETS AND THEIR CALENDER

Eight age sets in The Kalenjin Sub tribes has eight (8) age sets revolving around 100 year cycle. Each age set span over a period of 13 years before moving to the next age set. The age sets are as detailed below. 1)Maina - 1800 A.D. - 1885A. 2)Nyongi - 1885 A.D.- 1900 A.D 3)Chumiot - 1900 A.D .- 1924A.D 4)Saweiyiek - 1924A.D. - 1940 A.D 5) Korongoro - 1940A.D .-1966 A.D 6) Kip koimet - 1966A.D .-1976A.D 7) Kaplelach - 1976A.D .- 1996 A.D 8) Kipnyiige - 1996A.D .- todate. Tugen lost an age set called Maina, after they were exterminated in a war. they had traveled all the way to Laikipia and found the Masais had gone to war at Tanzania. they took all the cows and while at Naivasha, they decided to feast. incidentally, the Masais' arrived and tracked their stolen cows and caught up with them unawares around the present Naivasha and killed all the raiders. The Maina age group was therefore skipped to the next, hence, Keiyos are behin...

TUGEN CLANS

1.Ringoi - snake (eren) 2.Siakwei - Bee (Segemia) 3.Kobil - wild pig (toret) 4.Kure - Quail (Taiwa) 5.Saniako - Monkey (Cheree) 6.Kapkuoi/kabon - Moset/kipekeyat (baboon) 7.Sokom - hawk (Chepsirere) 8.Toiyoi - Lightening (Ilat) 9.Tulo - Fox (Lel) 10.Kong'oot - Fire (Maa) 11.Tungo - hyena (kimaget) 12.Soti/chepkeres - Sun (Asista) 13.Teriki/kipngotop/kipkoitin - Elephant (Balio) 14.Talai - Frog (Mororoch) 15.Tarkok - Guniea fowl (terkekekya) 16.Chesibon/kabon - (Family Totem - moset- black baboon) 17.Kipyegen - (Family totem white baboon) 18.Kipkoitin - (family totem Elephant) 19.Kabarsitei - (Family Tortem - Leopard Kobilo) 20.Kipsochon clan(animal is Oloitige/zebra) .Popular in lembus people, 21.Chepsiror(tortem rat(muriat) 22.Kipboroge - chepkuliet 23.kipseger - monkey(kibiset) 24.Kipsegecha - kongony or kongot(crane) 25.Kipkuykuy/kimoi - kuikuye(crocodile) 26.Mokiy - Arawet(moon) 1.TALAI tortem is in three categories:- namely leopard, lion and frog ...

KIPSIGIS LION CLAN AND THEIR TOTEM

These are some of the Kipsigis clans whose totem is the LION (and their various war divisions). The Kipsigis (by extension, the Kalenjin) were a martial society, hence the boriosiek (war divisions or regiments) into clans were grouped: KAP-CHEBUMBWEK (Kebeni war division) KAP-CHEPALUNGU (Kipkaige war division) KAP-KESOGEK (Kipkaige war division) KAP- SOIGOEK (Ng’tunyo war division) KAP-SYORIRI (Kipkaige war division) KIP-BOKWOEK (Kipkaige war division) KIP-TUIYEK (Kebeni war division) TALAI (did not participate in war directly) KIP-SAMAEK (Kebeni war division)