BLOGS FROM THE MOUNTAIN

A Nigerian witch doctor in action. (Photo/pinterest.com)  Thomas Chemelil It is evening. Tired from a hectic day, you take a shower, have a meal and toss your tired frame on the sofa. A drink in hand, you opt to switch on the television to catch up with your favourite movies. The Nollyhood type dominate and you obviously have no choice. The story is of course riveting because of the simplicity of its plot. You can even tell your neighbour what will happen next. "You know she will visit the witch-doctor to find out why her husband is cheating on her," my sweetheart, who is seemingly enthusiastic about the movie, weighs in.Her excitement has blinded her from seeing the apathy I have for the film. Indeed, to her very words, the woman goes to visit the witch doctor! You switch on to a different channel and the guttural voice of the witch doctor greets you. "Why are you running? Why are you running?" the menacing voice demands.Indeed, every Nollyhood film will be incompl...

 Photo/Veronica: Tula Chesaina By Thomas Chemelil I have always told you hilarious tales in the past, tales that have defined who we are and where we came from. By knowing where we come from, we get the visa to where we are going. Today, I choose to tell you the story of Tula Chesaina a.k.a KopCheserem of Kapkomora  who is married to Nyirar. The story year is 1974. The occasion? The lovely wedding of Anne Mubichi from Kapkomora to Mubichi Mburugua of Naari  in North Imenti in Meru County. Anne Mubichi is the great mum to Mutembei, Asca, Mureithi and Tim Mubichi.  A delegation to the wedding is dispatched to Meru. The person to drive them to Meru is none other than the army officer who owned a Land Rover then, Daudi Kibuswa- the uncle to Jebiwot Bischof. Here is where the drama begins. Mzee Chemelil Yatich (RIP) buys adamant Tula Chesaina shoes at Eldoret in order to prevent the 'shame' of Tula travelling to Meru without shoes! For those in the know, Tula Chesaina hol...

Photo credit/trakt tv:  A colonial District Officer By Thomas Chemelil If you come from Marakwet and it's environs, you  must have heard of the story of a white man who was killed in Kamotony area near Cheptongei. The spot he died in has come to be referred to as "Metip Pkana Yuus". On the 23rd March 1914, J. O. Hughes was murdered by an Indian Assistant surgeon   who had apparently requested for leave but was denied by Hughes. He died around Kamotony area as Marakwet historian John Chemaringo records. Bwana Yuus, as the locals called him, died from the injuries sustained. Oral accounts from the locals however paint a different story. One account claims Arap chemorin of Kabasiran was responsible for Hughes' murder. He is said to have hidden himself amongst initiates in 'kaptorus' (seclusion place for initiates) to avoid arrest. There is the believe that the epitaph at Kamatony was erected at the crime scene whereas his actual burial grounds are at the Chebara ...

By Thomas Chemelil Prior to the 18th Century existed a large, vibrant community of cattle keepers known as the Sengwer, Sigerai, Senguer or the Cherang'any.  The name Sengwer is derived from the tradition of Sengwer women of adorning themselves with a dangling cowrie shell referred to by the Karamojong as the esigirait. Chief Kamussein noted at A.C.H Hoey's farm that the Sengwer were indeed a powerful. community then. Hoey was popularly known as Bwana Hoi amongst the local people around 1932. Sengwer territory is said to have covered a wide area ranging from Kiporoon River in Uasin Gishu, Kapsumbeiywet, Ziwa, Moiben Posta, Kongipsebe, Kimowo, Maron, Kamologon, Sebit, Somor, Kongelai to as far as Swom river. The Aoyate drought resulted in displacement of the Sengwer. Those who headed Eastwards are said to have met their deaths at Moru Eris due to starvation. The Kacepkai clan are said to have been displaced during the Turkana invasion of Moru Asiger. They are said to have fled t...

By Thomas Chemelil Mzee Kipturmor( one who grinds the remains of a maize meal-mor) of Kessom tells me the history of the Talai clan. Myth has it that the Talai clan emanated from a place the old man refered to as Jeselem/ Jeserlem. They then proceeded to Nyanja ber ( translated loosely as the swampy place) from whence they proceeded to a land called Riwo. Later on, the Talai journeyed to Kataleel, the present day Kitale. They later found themselves in Kipteber. It is here that myth has it that while the people were celebrating and making merry at a beer party that a crow came and warned them that a rock was falling from the sky. ''There are no rocks in the sky,'' the drunk men argued as they chased away the crow. But the crow was persistent. All over sudden, the sky was engulfed by a strange darkness. When the men looked up, they saw a huge rock falling on them. They made desperate attempts to run, but it was  all in vain. All but one of them were trapped under the huge...

Photo credit/Source: Fr. Florian of the Benedictian order By Thomas Chemelil Sometime in 1999, I was at St. Benedict's Arror Secondary School. As fate would have it, I was the only teacher on call that day. Tired from the overwhelming heat, I rested under a Mango tree. I savored the delicacies of the Canaan that is Kerio Valley as I cooled my system with juicy 'papai', My eyes strayed to the distance as I was still savoring the juicy contents of the 'papai'. Out there, a mzungu man who was humbly dressed in faded t-shirt and pants and traditional sandals approached. For a moment, I was lost in thought for I thought that the man could have been a child left behind by colonial forces who were fighting around Kolowa area(God forgive my thoughts then). The man interrupted my thoughts as he humbly greeted me. Handshakes exchanged, I offered him a chair  as I went for my stock of assorted fruits to welcome him. He introduced himself as Fr. Florian of the Benedictan order....