IBINWEKAB KALENJIN AK SALANIK (AGESETS AND SUB AGESETS)

A) MAINA (Mainek)
- Founded in 1750. The first cycle started in 1900 and ended (keng'asur) in 1922
- Its Salaniks are:
a) Mesiewa
b) Siling'
c) Chemorta
d) Silobai (I)
B) CHUMO (Chumek)
- Founded in 1790. First cycle in 1924 and ended in 1945.
- Its Salaniks are:
a) Silobai (II)
b) Sileta
c) Kiminget
d) Kimoino
e) Kigenya
f) Kimatagur
g) Kiptobot
C) SAWE (Saweiyek)
- Founded in 1800. First cycle in 1947 ak kengasur en 1961
- This age set had no salaniks
D) KORONGORO (Korongorek)
- Founded in 1820. First cycle in 1963 and ended in 1976
- Salaniks are:
a) Kipkoimet
b) Kipsor okwot
c) Kiptor mesendet
d) Kimariri
e) Kibelgot
E) KAPLELACH
- Founded in 1840. First cycle 1977 and ended in 1998 and in some parts of Kipsigis 1999
- Salaniks:
a) Kimut oiywet
b) Kimasiba
c) Kebebucha
d) Kibol oeng
e) Keny age ni
f) Bin laden
F) KIPNYIGE
- Founded in 1860. First cycle 1999/2000 and it is yet to end (it is a taboo to say when).
- Salaniks are:
a) Kipsil Choget
b) Tabarit
G) NYONGI
- Founded in 1890. First cycle yet to begin (taboo to predict when)
- Salaniks are:
a) Kiptil garit
b) Kosigo
c) Kipsir got
d) Kimel siagit
e) Buluu

Kalenjin myths of origin of"Nandi" name:

The different Kalenjin communities have had different references for each other. Thus, the Nandi were derogatorily or otherwise called Chepng'al (watu wa maneno mengi!) by the other Kalenjins. There is, however, a myth that indicates that the name Nandi was given by some Arab merchants in reference to a community of vicious attackers, much like a swift bird called Nandi. It is perhaps important to mention that the term Nandi is used in the Indian language to refer to a goddess whose symbol is a bull! Does this have anything to do with the love for a cow by the Nandi and Kalenjins? It is a matter of conjecture, perhaps, but the love for a cow is found in the most flowery and unflattering language forms. "Koonyit ko toroor ko tee tany ak muren", respect is equated to a man and a cow! Ostensibly because when a man has cows, he can marry a woman and thus completely earn his respect 'koondit'.

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.

God will never ask

My Son! i have faith in you and of the generation which has given unto you, but remember this questions;
God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.
God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won’t ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.
God won’t ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed.
God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life.
God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary.
God won’t ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones.
God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others.
God won’t ask what your job title was, but will ask if you reformed your job to the best of your ability.
God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others.
God won’t ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.
God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.
God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character.
God won’t ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn’t.

Lesson Learned

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”
“It was great, Dad.”
“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.
“Oh yeah,” said the son.
“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.
The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”
The boy’s father was speechless.
Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

BUTTERFLY

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.
So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

A Glass of Milk.

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.
She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."
He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the nameof the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.
He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
She read these words.....
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."