A peek into customs and traditions of the Kisii during festivities

The Kisii community (also known as AbaGusii) have an annual tradition where they showcase aspects of their culture in a bid to guard their customs.

“Every end of year, the elderly go to places considered holy ground such as on hilltops, rivers and shrines where they celebrate their culture.

They do so by carrying out traditional celebrations such as dancing, singing and showcasing their various regalia,” said 90-year-old Nyarunda Ondieki.

Ondieki was speaking during this year’s cultural event held in Kisii town.

According to the elderly man, the community would hold these annual events as a means to educate the young, which ensured continuity of their traditions and norms.

“This was an event that was held in high regard by everyone and both men and women would come decked out in animal skin in honor of the day. The skins had to first be dried in the sun before they were worn,” he said.

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The duty to skin the animals was assigned to men and young boys and Ondieki says women and girls were expected to keep away from the slaughter places as their presence there was considered taboo. If any of them accidentally came upon the process, they had to be cleansed to remove the ‘bad omen’ from the community.

Once the skins were dried, they were then smeared in thick blood which gave them a shinny brick red hue. This was to further beautify them and give them a uniform look.

“Married women were allowed to put on necklaces which had to fall on the two sides of their breast. They would also tie their foreheads with shiny beads chokers and adorn their legs with decorated rings which completed their look,” he said.

According to Ondieki, decorations worn by all other women and girls was to symbolise beauty and humility to the men who were heads of the community.

On their part, the men and boys would carry arrows on the left arm while holding bows with their right. This was to symbolise their role as the community’s defenders from attack.

Once fully attired, a feast would be prepared to solemnise the occassion. Women would carry firewood, pots, water, vegetables, fruits and milk and they did all the cooking.

“A group of specialised women would cook the traditional brown Ugali made of wheat and served in one traditional hot pot. Men would slaughter the animals and roast the meat. When everything was ready, the women would serve the men and the two groups would not sit together while eating. Each group sat apart as per the dictates of culture,” he said.

After this, Ondieki says only the men were allowed to drink traditional alcohol (Ebusa) which was prepared early and left to ferment to give it a bitter taste. To symbolise unity, the men would sip this delicacy from one pot using traditional straws.

After eating and drinking, the community would form a circle comprising both men and women and they would sing different celebratory songs.

“Women were allowed to ululate at the start, middle and at the end of the song while the men and boys were to whistle as the song goes on,” Ondieki said.

As part of the celebrations, young women and men were given an opportunity to show-case their different talents.

“The young men would have a wrestling match to show off how strong they were. The winner would be given a huge title and honored in the community. The girls would show off their household skills such as balancing pots on their heads,” he said.

Coming back to the present, the elderly man says he is saddened by how much the Kisii culture has been eroded by: “Young men and women who have no values”.

He also laments that the current generation is caught up in ‘western’ trends and are now engaging in practises that can “bring a curse” to the entire community.

“Today, our young men and women go to pubs and clubs to drink alcohol while sitting together even on top of each other as they enjoy themselves. These things are taboo and can bring a curse to families. People need to be cleansed,” he says.

Ondieki is glad to have occasions where the youth can meet with and hear from their elders on the tenets of their traditions.