ABANYALA BA KAKAMEGA: Story of the Twins and its Twins'Dance.

Owukhino wa ebasa, can be translated as the 'dance of the twins.' It is a dance done on the day of bringing out the twins to 'see the sun' for the first time. It is usually vulgar in performance both verbally and non verbally. This dance is usually done by the elderly from both mother and father's families for the purpose of 'cleansing' the twin.

If the family of the girl or the girl herself refused to participate in the twin dance, then the girl was send away in case of first born twins. It was an acceptible divorce case.

Unfortunately for culture lovers, this dance is among the few cultural dances that is almost getting extinct due to cristianity. Birth of twins is still being witnessed but the cultural practice of the dance has now almost become dead. Its vulgar content has made it an easy target for attack. Indeed, it is a dance that cannot be showcased during Kenyan Music Festival. However, the story of the dance shall remain immortal. Welcome to the story of this dance side by side with the story of the life of twins.

Amakhwana is the name the Abanyala of kakamega use to refer to twins. Issues to do with twins were refered to as oubasa. Because of this, it is common to find a twin being refered to as ebasa (pl. amabasa.)  A twin was usually associated with the mother. If a family got two sets of twins, then the parents received some names. Thus, if any of the twins was female, the mother  was referred to as Naukhwana. However, it was only when both sets of twins were males that the father was referred to as  Balongo.

The birth of a twins was greeted with mixed feelings: it was feared yet acceptance. It was accepted for it was seen as some sort of coded communication of blessing from the creator, Were Khakaba- Omulongi. However, birth of twins was feared for it came with the fear of the unknown- the fear of that other unknown coded message of destruction from Were Khakaba; or the fear of the challenges associated with twins' growth.

Unlike some communities that killed twins, the Abanyala of Kakamega never killed twins- unless, the wife came from a twin killing community. The fact that the Abanyala had names and elaborate culture for twins is evidance enough for their being part of the people from start of time. However, sad stories are told of non Banyala born women married to Abanyala who planned and executed the killing of twins based on the culture of their non Abanyala clans.

1. The birth of twins
Once the birth attendant realised that the case before her was a twin case, she alerted the husband and demanded a goat from him before continuing with the process. The sex of the goat to be given was to relate with gender of the first of the twin to come out. Before the last of twin comes out of the mother, there was to be total silence in the room, a medicineman was send for to plant a spear called efumo lya amakhwana near the door and nobody was to utter the word 'twin.'

Upon completion of birth process, any other children or visitors staying in the house where the twin were to be confined were relocated. A woman who had given birth to a twin or who was old enough not to bear children was called in to make a meal for the twin's mother. The meal consisted of esiteru (platefull) of ugali from millet, two unpealed boiled bananas (with two fruits naturally twined into one peeling- twin banana) and a dish of bony meat. It was believed that bony meat made her back strong. This meal was not to be shared with any other person or be eaten by an animal and it was measured such that nothing had to remain.

Once the twin were born alive, their placentas were mixed with charcoal and some herbs then 'dried' for almost twelve hours. They were put in guards before being separately buried at 'close-'whisper's-distance' to each other at a secrete bushy places within the man's compound. Attempt to bury the placentas far apart brough constant sickness to the twin. The guards were given a mould of clay from a black anthill of esikeke before burial. Upon burial, one danced around them twice before taking off without looking back.

2. Naming of the twin (and subsequent twin)
The first of the pair to come out is named Mukhwana while the second is called Mulongo. The followers of twins is called Sisa- whether boy or girl. Whoever is born after Sisa is called Khamala. After receiving Sisa or Khamala, any other twin thereafter had the first one called Khonokha and the second called Abanja. In summary the order of names were: Mukhwana, Mulongo, Sisa, Khamala, Khonokha and Abanja. In case of the death of either of the twins, the remaining one's name was changed to Walekhwa.

It is worth noting that the child given any of the above names, related to twins, had other names based on season, ancestors or time of birth.

3. More than the normal number of twins at a time.
At times, there were recorded cases of mothers who gave birth to more than two babies at once. Such a mother did not breastfeed them until she bathed and drunk some special herbs called amanyaasi ka ebasa. Apart from other cultural functions, the herbs allowed the sharing of the breast. The last recorded case of highest number of birth at once was of four children. Unfortunately, most of the other cases of triplets or more children have always lead to death of some of the children such that they remained two or less. Due to the deaths, most people came to believe that it is bad omen to give birth to more than two.

It is also said, in case of more than two children at once,  that either the mother or the child (or both) passed on if the mother did not undergo proper cleansing ceremony and calamity prevention rituals. Unfortunately, most elderly people do not know the exact ritual that was performed for such since such information was not passed on to next generation.

4. Rare cases of separation of twins at birth
At time, because of fear of calamities, there were cases where twins were separated.

1. A mother who had the first twins who died, had the sebsequent twins separated. This was the case if the twins turned out to be identical in all features. One of the twin child was given to a sarogate mother. 
2. First twins born out of wedlock were separated at birth.
3. A mother who came from twin killing community could arrange to cheat the gods by giving out a twin pair. This was common for identical twins as first borns because most communities, from which Abanyala married, did not like them. The uncles could kill them when the mothers visited their clanspeople.

It is worth noting that upon attaining maturity, twins separated in the above ways were to be united. The ceremomony for bringing the separated twin partner back was performed. It was similar to that of bringing back a child born out of wedlock. It included shaving the child and washing feet in herb filled water.

Also, if a woman gave birth to three, the extra number (third or forth) was secretly given out to be brought up somewhere else away from the other two by a sarrogate mother. Care was taken to ensure the ones remaining in this arrangement were not identical.

It was believed that twins separated at birth inhad such a way had to be reunited. Failure to reunite them made the two to rediscover the existance of each other.

5. Confinement of the mother of twin
The mother was locked in the house and confined in it for more days than the normal three for girls and four for boys. Also, the father was not to move out of the compound, enter any person's house- including that of his other wives, go to the farm and shake somebody's hand during greeting. If the twin's mother was to go out of house for a call of nature, she covered herself with oluteru (winnowing tray). During this period of confinement, she was not to greet anybody, talk ill against anybody's child or respond to somebody calling from outside the house. She was given herbs to wash herself with.

Informing the in-laws about the twins
Twin birth was associated with the mother lineage hence the 'owners' of the twins were to be informed. Upon burial of placentas (after twelve hours) a messanger was send to deliver the message of the double visitors to the parents of the girl. Such messenger carried a small hoe and a small hoe's handle. On arrival, he cleverly left the small hoe (akhasiri) and its handle (omuini) where he had sat and took off. On his way, he send children to communicate the message of forgotten items and then took off on realising the message has reached its target. If he was found, he was given a beating called esikhupo sya ebasa. On receiving the message, they knew they had to visit their daughter for a twin-removing ceremony. Also, upon the messanger coming back to the village, the villagers were informed not to go to their farms the next day in a form of holiday called ehonga lia ebasa. On this day men were warned against performing conjugal duties.

6. The dance of the twins (owukhino Wa ebasa) 
The dance was among the cultural activities called omuimo that marked the climax of twins removing ceremony. Twins were not to 'see the sun' before this day. Before the day, the father-in-law selected an elderly man to lead the ceremony and informs a few people to join him. The elderly man is one who had a wife, had sired twins before or had retired from procreational conjugal duties.

On the D-day some local busaa brew called amalwa ka ebasa was brewed (some who were alargic to busaa used porridge) from the father in law. Part of it was put in a special pot with two top openings (esikaye sia ebasa or enyungu ya namuimo). At times, in the absence of a two mouthed pot, the brew was put on a special calabash called omwendo kwa namuimo made by opening two sizeble holes on a guard's top. The two holes were symbolic of joining the spirits from the mother and father's clan. This omwendo Kwa namuimo with the brew was placed near the twins and the twins were laid on a fresh white goat's skin.

On the eve of the ceremony, elderly sisters of the mother of the twin arrived with grains in baskets. In the wee hours, at the start of the dance, the twin's mother covered her body in leaves of omukomachi and started to dance with the husband. The father of the twin was loudly cheered on by the women from his wife's clan. The two danced back and forth and then hit their behinds together several times. They sang the following song:

Solo: Ndi ndi Wasing'ong'o
Chorus: Ndi ndi Wasing'ong'o
Solo: Sendebala amatakho Wasing'ong'o
Chorus: Ooh ho Wasing'ong'o.

On hearing this song, those send by the father-in-law to the twin's mother were to move from her father in-laws house towards the man's house. The selected man lead the procession of mock reveller as he carried the spear of amakhwana and the forked stick from omusangula tree or omusitole tree called olubibo and a cockrel. Wife to the same lead man carried an old hoe called esisiri and pot of brew brewed from the father-in-law's house. The other group carried baskets of grains. The group sang:

Solo: Amalwa kano ka anu? (Whose busaa is this)
Chorus: Ka, owa omusitole wa omwendo: (For whoever has the forked stick and medicine guard)
Solo: Owuma, omusitole no mwendo? (Whoever has no forked stick and medicinal guard?)
Chorus: Si anywa, khu malwa kano tawe! (Should not partake to it)

Right at the door, they were not welcomed by those inside the house. The ravellers pushed at the door using the olubibo while singing obscenities and contorting bodies vulgaly. Those in the house, except the man, offered mock resistance as they also sang. The man in the house picked the babies and hid. He left the folded skin on floor. At this point, the ravellers broke into the house. The lead man asked where the babies were. "They are there!' He was shown the folded skin.

Using the forked stick, the lead man pressed on the skin, pierced the skin with spear as if killing the babies; as others danced around him sipping the brew and spitting on the skin. They went ahead to step-dance on the goat skin where the children had been put. They then shredded the skin into many pieces. The selected leader sipped more brew and spat it into each of the two holes on the pot or guard put in house by the mother to the twins. The last sip was directed at babies in the man's arm. At this point, the in-laws from wife's clan then joined in the dancing and shredding of the goat's skin.

It is at this point that the father to the twin carried the twin and slinked out of the house. The mother of the twins followed carrying a cockrel at her back. Dancing, she followed the husband to a nearby bush. From there, the mother and father of the twin were shaved their hair- head and other vital areas- before coming back to join the rest in a celebration at sunrise.

The lead man with the fork stick was tasked to throw away pieces of the shreded goat skin in the forest. Besides the two cockrel that he was paid, he was allowed to 'rob' some few item from the house.

7. Alternative to the twin dance
There were herbs that were administered in place of twin dance . This medicine was called amasusa ka ebasa. The Momordica foetida plant formed part of this herbal medicine. The herbs were mixed with entrails from a sheep and all family members washed their hands, feet and face.

8. Twin accidentally born at their maternal uncle's place
If such unfotunate thing happened, the father to the twin paid a fine to anable the in-laws perform a mock twin cleansing ceremony. The girl was moved out of the house and put in a make shift house in seclusion. It is in this house that her clan members were to perform mock ceremony. Unfortunately, reports indicates that if the girl came from communities that do not accept twins, they were killed and a report given that it was a miscarriage. This made Abanyala never to accept women going back to their motherland when nearing delivery time.

9. Cutting of the teeth by twins
This was the most feared time. The malevolent or the benevolent spirit in the twins was believed to show itself at this time. If any of the twins grew upper teeth first, then it was an indication of bad omen to the family and clan. For a clan, it was a pointer to a bloody war in which they were going to die. Herbs were given to make the teeth go back. If the teeth became adamant, they were removed physcally.

The presence of false teeth called amachimo was also seen as spelling doom to community. They were removed and herbs administered to family members.

10. Circumcision of twins
When twins or one of the twins was involved, then it was done very early in the morning between 4 am and 5 am in darkness for twins were considered weak. The elumination was done by use of glowing splints of emuli. Their circumcision is done in absence of crowd. A knife used to circumcise twins or one of the twins cannot be used to circumcise another who is not a twin. Whoever circumcised a twin was not to circumcise any other boy on the same day. Twins were always not among the first in a season to be circumcised during a given age set. It was considered a taboo for twins to be circumcised earlier to start off the age set. During their circumcision, the sister or cousin to the mother was supposed to join Naukhwana in sitting with legs stretched in the house. The twin did not stand khulwanyi- in front of the house- during circumcision.

If one of the twins was a girl, she also underwent a mock circurmcision together with the twin brother. The two visted their uncles together. As for the girl, a banana fibre was tied around her waist before being given a mock circumcision involving all the procedures of circumcision: order based who is Mukhana or Mulongo, then dusting, first cutting and then second cutting. Olukalakaso is done by two people simliteniously with small difference in pitch, tempo, start time and stop time. The 'foreskin' from banana is given treatment just like that for the boy. When entering the house, the two are treated as initiates. The banana fibre is not removed until the boy starts healing. On the day of graduation into adulthood, the twins go together but they do not run with glowing emuli  shouting the circumcisor's name. In future, the age set must remember to share olubaka with this twin sister to one of them. Failure makes het curse to any of their children potent.

If the twins were to be circumcised at their maternal uncle's home, then it was preferred that the circumcision be done in the evening just after sun-set and away from olwanyi. 

11. Growth of the twin
While young, they are breastfed at the same time- each suckling its own assigned breast. It is believed that whatever is done for one of the twins has to be done for the other. They were never roughed up or given tough tasks for they were children of olukoosi. A relative who never participated in a twins' dance was to give a present to both twins upon greeting them latter in life. If one of the twins made a mistake, then both were punished.

12. Twin and Leadership 
A person born as twin was never entrusted to lead a communial function within the community or put in leadership position. This was due to the belief that one of the pair would feel bad if the other leads it. Also, twins were believed to have mysterious connection with the creator as kings elsewhere in the supernatural world.

13. Marriage of the sister twin to one husband
Most people feared marrying two sisters born as twins for fear of siring many twins in their homes. However, a few daring ones  opted for one of them. In case one married a twin who had a brother, its twin brother visited and stayed around for some days before being escorted back.

14. One of the twin marrying another twin

It was not advisable for one of the twin to marry another one from another twin set. This was due to fear that the two twins, abebasa, would give birth to twins creating complications during twin dance. The other fear was that having more sets of twins born one after the other. Also, it would affect the naming pattern since the twin born never shared a name with its mother for the name Wesonga or Namusonge was adopted. Twin ceremonies could only be done if one of the parents to a child was not a twin. If both are twins, an albi parent had to be sourced at a cost.

15. Death of the twin
Upon the death of one of the twins, no moaning was done. Burial took place very early in the morning behind the main house. After burial, the remaining partner of the twin was not to be referred to as Mulongo or Mukhwana; the name Walekhwa was picked up. Burial was not attended by the other remaining partner or any other person born as twin. However, at the death of the last twin, the first one had to be remembered by calling out its name in moaning.

In case the twins came out of the womb while dead, they received unceremonious disposal. The two were thrown in a grave whille the one throwing them was facing away. Their placentas were tied and put in a guard and stored to ensure the twins do not 'come back' to be reborn.

Special birth taken as pseudo twins
When daughter-in-law gives birth at the same with the mother in law, a ceremony was done before the two could freely mix up their children in family gatherings. A goat was slaughtered and a ceremony held.

That is the story of twins among Abanyala ba Kakamega. Good day.