THE STORY OF J.O. HUGHES AND KAMOTONY FOREST

-


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 environs at the present day dam site. 

Many myths abound about his burial spot with many locals believing, erroneously though, that he was buried with a treasure. The epitaph erected in his honor was still visible as late as 1989 as per oral accounts. 

Now you know where the Pkana Yuus name comes from. We will keep on retelling these tales.

Photo/ A colonial District Officer.  (trakt.tv)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE DAY TULA CHESAINA REFUSED TO PUT ON SHOES

-
Image
 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...
Read more

OF MARAKWET HIGH SCHOOL AND THE FORTY ONE FIREPLACES

-
  By Thomas Chemelil Marakwet Secondary School( now St. Peter's Marakwet High School) is definitely one of the old schools that has served the community well producing great men and women.  I stumble on one Mzee Luka Kotut at Wagon Wheel in Eldoret who narrates to me a hilarious tale of Marakwet High School. It must have then been an Inntermediate School. The year is 1966. The characters in the story? The likes of Cheptile, Kotut amonst others.  In total, there were 41 students in the school. 30 from Marakwet and 11 from Keiyo.  The interesting part of the story is that each of the forty one students had his own fireplace where he would cook his own meals! In total there were 41 fireplaces or what Mzee Kotut would funnily call " Kabekeren chole artam oko akong'o". Each student brought his own flour from home and other necessary items in order to individually cook his own meals.  Tired of the messy process, young Kotut asked the students to approach the Board of ...
Read more

MALALA'S TROUBLED PLAYS AND KENYA'S LONG HISTORY OF CENSORSHIP

-
Image
Photo/Butere Girls: Echoes of War.  By Thomas Chemelil  Cleaphas Malala's play 'Echoes of War' has generated immense heat in Kenya's political landscape with many wondering what the play is all about. However, this is not the first time that Malala has run into trouble with the authorities over his contentious plays. Somewhere around 2012, Malala scripted 'Shackles of Doom,' a narrative that detailed the exploitation of a  marginalized community in whose land  valuable crude oil had been discovered. What follows is a mad rush by an "investor" community to reap from the new-found oil at the expense of the locals. In order to endear themselves to the host community, the "investor" unashamedly marries a local girl  who would act as bridge between him and the community to facilitate the wanton pillage of the community resources. Like 'Echoes of War,' 'Shackles of Doom' raised enough political dust with the authorities taking note....
Read more