OF WORLD WAR AND THE FORGOTTEN HEROES FROM OUR VILLAGES

-




Photo/bbc: African Carrier Corps during WW 2.

By Thomas Chemelil

Sometimes back when I was young, I came across a few old men who had heavy military trenchcoats, military caps and medals of honour who said that they participated in the World War of 1939-1945.

I was young then and my memory cannot serve me right. One old man fondly bragged in our village that he helped capture Mussolini in the "Kiptalian" War. I later on deduced he must have been talking of Italian war!

I also met another man from my village who fondly talked of having gone to a place he called "Puur ma". Later on I guessed that he may have been referring to Burma. 

In Kapcherop Division, a mzee who was popularly known as Kalamat near the famous SS corner would always proudly put on his military coat and cap. He was a great orator and philosopher of some kind.

I once met him as he walked about in the area.

"How are you?" he greeted me in my native Marakwet tongue.

"I am fine," I jovially replied.

"What is fine?" he asked me in a reprimanding tone.

I remember walking away while asking myself questions on what really constituted being fine.

One thing characterized the exuberant tales of these African veterans of the World Wars: their ability to retell stories of their experience in the warfront often embellishing these tales by turning themselves into the heroes of the various theatres of war. 

Take for example Mzee Matthias Kalunya who would tell the eager crowds around him that he was actually in the plane which dropped a bomb in Hiroshima! Another one would outrageously claim that they flew in something called 'sabmarin'!

My own dad would also recount to me the heroic tales of a man called Kiptingiliil of Kapkomora Village. I suspect the name Kiptingiliil must have been derived from the many military medals he had.This is the man they all agreed captured Mussolini, Hitler's friend from Italy. 

As the world marks the WWI Armistice Centennial , I am requesting all of you to share your memories of this war here and celebrate the few heroes of the war we still remember from our villages. 



tchemelil04@gmail.com

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