Author Topic: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl  (Read 810 times)

Offline KenyanPlato

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My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« on: March 01, 2022, 03:54:49 PM »
It was about 35 years ago
 I attended the wedding. So on Friday before the wedding they had a traditional wedding at the brides home. It was clear to me that these were two tribes sharing a region. I wonder how they got grouped into one tribe



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Offline KenyanPlato

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2022, 04:00:41 PM »
?t=xc7Oys1bcnV8RYWV4QNArQ&s=19

This is funny. Weta and mudavadi talk in English because they can't say something that they will both understand in their local dialect

Offline Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2022, 04:09:57 PM »
Most Kenyan ethnic groups share a language.  But Luhya, Kalenjin and Mijikenda are an exception.  I think that is where the confusion come from.  There is more to ethnicity than language.  Maragolis and Bukusu are the same folks genetically, same to Marakwet and Nandi.  But more importantly IMO is what is their consciousness of ethnicity?  Do they think of themselves as one group?  In that sense I think of GEMA as a potential "tribe" with Kikuyu, Meru, Embu, maybe even Akamba as sub-tribes - they just have not been made conscious of it.
"I freed a thousand slaves.  I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."

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Offline RV Pundit

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2022, 04:11:28 PM »
That why we had to get both Weta n madvd

Offline KenyanPlato

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2022, 04:29:45 PM »
I don't thing a maragoli see themselves as a BUKUSU. In Central  we consider ourselves kikuyus if you are from kiambu, muranga, nyeri. Waiguru is a NDIA and so is Martha karua. Their language is something totally different from kikuyu but we share a culture. I think politics is what gets this groups bundled together. Even within gema there big differences in language and some cultural practices

Offline Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2022, 04:39:38 PM »
I don't thing a maragoli see themselves as a BUKUSU. In Central  we consider ourselves kikuyus if you are from kiambu, muranga, nyeri. Waiguru is a NDIA and so is Martha karua. Their language is something totally different from kikuyu but we share a culture. I think politics is what gets this groups bundled together. Even within gema there big differences in language and some cultural practices

No.  But they see themselves as Luhya.  Much like GEMA communities see themselves as GEMA.  It's just the GEMA has not been socialized to see themselves as one ethnic group.
"I freed a thousand slaves.  I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."

Harriet Tubman

Offline KenyanPlato

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2022, 04:56:09 PM »
The way luhya as a term has been socialized is not the same way as Gema. A kikuyu in the village thinks there a Bhaluyha that is different from a Bukusu or Maragoli. This is the biggest misconception. When a Meru votes we know it is a Meru but in kenya when a Maragoli votes we say a Luhya voted

Offline Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2022, 05:06:40 PM »
The way luhya as a term has been socialized is not the same way as Gema. A kikuyu in the village thinks there a Bhaluyha that is different from a Bukusu or Maragoli. This is the biggest misconception. When a Meru votes we know it is a Meru but in kenya when a Maragoli votes we say a Luhya voted

And that's what I am saying.  I agree that Kikuyu(and other tribes aside from Kalenjin, Mijikendas who share in a similar breakdowns) tend to be confused.  Luhya as group were lumped together way after colonization, but in a way that reinforced the idea they are a one tribe with many subtribes.  That's why I say ethnicity is just socialization.

It might help a bit if you think of who is considered black in America.  For instance Ben Jealous is black and anyone who has lived in the US has no problem accepting that.  But Ben Jealous anywhere else on earth is almost anything but black.
"I freed a thousand slaves.  I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."

Harriet Tubman

Offline RV Heavy Hitter!

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2022, 05:25:33 PM »
A large section of Tiriki should be Kalenjin. I guess there are Tiriki Luhyas and Kales, but they are lost somewhere. 
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Offline Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2022, 05:35:01 PM »
A large section of Tiriki should be Kalenjin. I guess there are Tiriki Luhyas and Kales, but they are lost somewhere. 

Those are edge cases.  Same thing with the Tachonis, Sabaots etc.  I think colonization froze their movement to one or the other group.
"I freed a thousand slaves.  I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."

Harriet Tubman

Offline RV Pundit

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2022, 05:51:18 PM »
Yes colonization froze the Tirikis/Tachonis were becoming Nandis - while the Sabaots were becoming Bukusus. Basically small tribes had to find allies with big tribes. Maragolis and Bukusu were big tribes and stood on their own. For Kalenjin the precondition was circumscion. Down in Busia - Luo-Luhyas - all the way to Uganda is complete mix & match -
Those are edge cases.  Same thing with the Tachonis, Sabaots etc.  I think colonization froze their movement to one or the other group.

Offline Kadudu

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2022, 05:54:40 PM »
Such groups like Tirikis exist everywhere there is inter cultural mixture of people. See the Samia around Busia who culturally are like the Luo, but the language is more Abaluhya. Tirikis are also culturally more like Nandis (not Kalejins), but their language is also more Abaluhya.

A large section of Tiriki should be Kalenjin. I guess there are Tiriki Luhyas and Kales, but they are lost somewhere.

Offline RV Heavy Hitter!

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2022, 06:40:49 PM »
Such groups like Tirikis exist everywhere there is inter cultural mixture of people. See the Samia around Busia who culturally are like the Luo, but the language is more Abaluhya. Tirikis are also culturally more like Nandis (not Kalejins), but their language is also more Abaluhya.

A large section of Tiriki should be Kalenjin. I guess there are Tiriki Luhyas and Kales, but they are lost somewhere.
Nandis, Kipsigis, Keiyos, and Lembus (Tugens) are culturally and linguistically the same thing. Some tirikis are more Kalenjin than Marakwet, Pokots, and Arror Tugens. I'm saying if we have pokots and Marakwets as Kalenjins, Tirikis should also be in.
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Offline RV Pundit

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Re: My cousin a Maragoli married a BUKUSU girl
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2022, 06:57:14 PM »
Terik are kalenjin.
Tiriki are Luhyas?
I believe Terik are those Tiriki that had completely assimilated to Nandis...changed their language/culture/intermarried with kalenjin - Sally Kosgei/Choges.
Tirikis are those that held in as Luhyas alied with Maragolis....practically still luhyas but cultural similarity and intermixed - like Khaniris
Nandis, Kipsigis, Keiyos, and Lembus (Tugens) are culturally and linguistically the same thing. Some tirikis are more Kalenjin than Marakwet, Pokots, and Arror Tugens. I'm saying if we have pokots and Marakwets as Kalenjins, Tirikis should also be in.