ABANYALA BA KAKAMEGA: Slaughtering of Animals During a Funeral
By Balovera Edwin Ongacho Among the Abanyala ba Kakamega , most funerals are punctuated by slaughtering of animals or animal related rituals. The animals slaughtered for funeral rituals are chicken and ebiayo. The ebiayo comprise of cattle, goat and sheep- of the three, the sheep is used for purposes of short-lived (six months) or long-lived blocking anticipated evils. The researcher (carrying esinama meat)with the informant the Retired Mwalimu Hon. Francis Mulika Nyikuri The Abanyala ba Kakamega believe that admission of the dead into the spirit world is achieved by, among other factors, performing appropriate funeral rites that facilitate the dead to join the spirit world. Key among the funeral rites involves use of animals. a) Basic taboos related to the animals There were specific rules in relation to animals to be slaughtered basing on some of the following cultural factors: The type of death involved - the slaughter of animal depends on the dead in relation to how the person