Cowry shells ‘catch thieves’ in Nandi

Kimagut arap Saina [Photo: Standard]

By Michael Chepkwony

Despite his advanced age, Kimagut arap Saina is one of the busiest men in Songoliet village in Nandi. His power to ‘see’ stolen property and lost people has made him more popular than the police. He is considered the ‘eye’ of the village. The 107-year-old man is said to have magical powers to ‘catch’ thieves. For this reason, villagers claim, theft cases are rare.

And unlike many ‘doctors or magicians’, Kimagut power resides in the cowry shells and pebbles that he uses to ‘point to the direction of the suspect’.

Curiosity got the better part of this writer and he paid Kimagut a ‘courtesy’ call at home.

Around him are several children listening as he narrates one story after another while he chews his tobacco. With him is his 60-year-old second born son David arap Magut who has ‘the eye’.

When the Kikwetu team requested him to demonstrate how he conducts his searches, Kimagut looked bewildered and asked Magut to inquire if we were was serious. 

“I do not demonstrate. I search,” he says and spits on the grass.

After a few minutes, Magut persuades his father who nods before calling his wife with a weak voice to bring his tools of trade.

 Tools of trade

The tools include a hide and a smoke-filled calabash with cowry shells and pebbles. Kimagut takes the hide and spreads it on the grass before stepping on the edge. He slowly takes the container from his wife Christina.

One of the team members acted as the ‘client’. He walks to Kimagut, greets him and is handed a calabash and kneels.

“Open the calabash, spit in and pour your troubles in,” he instructs as he hands the container to the client.

The ‘client’ ‘tells’ the calabash his problem.

Once the ‘client’ has done that, he hands over the calabash to Kimagut who also spits and speaks to it.

“Show me where the item is, show me now,” Kimagut says.

He then shakes the calabash four times and spills the pebbles and cowry shells on the hide. Kimagut then picks those that are in pairs and returns them to the calabash. He repeats the process until there no more pairs.

He is not happy with this demonstration though.

He sits facing us and says: “There is nothing you are looking for and we cannot have any results. All cowry shells have paired up.”

He, however, explains the process.

“Spitting saliva on the shell shows one is telling the truth and binds themselves to the process,” he says.

“The client and his property are connected by spirits and when you spit on the cowry shells, you are calling for spirits to intervene,” explains the son, Magut.

He explains that when there is a lone cowry shell pointing a certain direction, it indicates where the missing object is. If the lone cowry shell is surrounded by the pebbles, it means the missing property is within reach in the client’s house. The same interpretation is given if it is a missing person.

There are several shells in the calabash and Kimagut explains that the number that spills indicates those involved in a crime. The location of suspects is determined by the direction the pebbles and cowry shells landed — the four compass pointers.

“If the cowry shells form pairs, it means nothing missing. This happens especially in cases where money that a client thought was stolen is just misplaced in the house. I direct them to search the house,” Magut explains.

Magut has been on the trade for 20 years. He claims to have helped trace 20 missing persons and recover 20 animals.

“If the missing animal has been slaughtered, it cannot be traced. If a missing kin is dead, the body is found,” He says.

Magut says he has his father’s blessing.

“He shook my hand and placed his left on my head and that was it,” he says. He was also given tools of trade.

“Even though I am the second male child in a family of five sons and four daughters, I was chosen by my father because I was always closer to him than the rest and he says that he felt that I had the power,” says Magut.

 Generational handover

The power is passed from father to son.

“Daughters do not get the powers because they are considered ‘wild cats, meaning they get married and leave their families,” he says.

For all the trouble, the ‘search’ costs Sh100.

 “One can pay less if they cannot afford one hundred shillings. It is not a business where the aim is to enrich oneself. It is service to the community, some even gives as little as ten shillings and we accept,” Magut says.

Kimagut’s wife Christina claims he husband’s work is successful.

“Some people say it is unchristian, but it is not demonic. It is just a gift. Even my son Magut goes to church and yet he helps people recover stolen property. It is God-given power,” she says.

A neighbour, Benson Kirui, 35, says the Kimagut’s families ‘powers’ are real and people seek services often.  Kirui says the family does not do it for money. He even wants these sort of services to mainstream as part of protecting what he calls African heritage.