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:

1. The type of death involved- the slaughter of animal depends on the dead in relation to how the person met his or her death. Different deaths occasioned different rights that demanded different animals.
2. Colour of the animal- some funeral rituals demands for animals with specific colours. Some colours are less valued for funeral rituals while other colours are prohibited completely prohibited.
   
3. The sex of the dead against the sex of animal- some specific funeral rituals called for specific sex of the animals to be used relating with the sex of the dead.
4. The age of the animal- very old cattle called makanya or young animals called esimosi/esimeeme are not allowed.
   
5. The physical nature of the animal- a cattle with physical deformation such as lame (eneme) or that which has reached menopause (makanya) or that which cannot give birth (esuuna), the pregnant one (namukhoma) and which had no horns (kumo) or horns facing down (makoombe) is not used for key rituals except when declared that it is being slaughtered as mere 'vegetable.' 
6. The immediate source of the animals- animals paid as dowry to the family of the dead from his daughters or for  circumcision rituals in honour of the dead- within a few years of payment- are not used for a funeral rite meant to originate from within the home. Such animal was declared 'vegetable' or exchanged.
   
7. The physical place of slaughtering the animal is also very important based on the sex of the dead and the graveside place. For instance, animals in honour of dead males are slaughtered on the right hand side of the grave. Those for females are done on the left side of the grave. The grave or place of burial became the physical shrine site for most of the activities except in a polygamous home where one animal can be slaughtered near the other wife's house okhuseula mwene dala. In case of a conflict in families where one is completely blocked from performing the rite at the burial place, then herbs were made and the person moved with the animal up to a junction next to the home, amasang'angira, and then slaughtered it in his home. this also applied when one was extremely far from the grave site or when the dead
   
8. The observance of specific rules during slaughtering: there were specific time for each animal based on the occasion, the animal was not moo for if it does, the occasion was postponed or a replacement given; not to struggle such that it stand after knife contact, and its blood is never collected- has to spill on ground.
9. The cause of death- different funerals have different animal rites involved based on the type of death.
10. The person to offer the animal for slaughter- specific people had specific responsibilities to slaughter an animal upon the death of a person. Some responsibilities are minor while others are main.
    
1. Married sons sired by the dead man- they did it in the order of seniority in case all of then were doing it during the same occasion. Cattle given by sons to the dead are always slaughtered and not diverted to another roles- advisable for blood to flow. Those who had no animal by the time of death could do it during any other day preceding burial up to the second burial. After close of funeral, then whoever missed could do it in a ceremony called okhufuwa. It was advisable, in case any of the son is married, to give at least one animal in honour of the dead by the time of death as others prepare in case they did not have. An animal that is given after group contribution is not considered to belong to a given son unless it is the contributions are paid for. When given out by the son, the same son had to lead the animal to the slaughter point by himself, hand it in to the slaughter man, wait until the animal is dead and some blood has sunk in the ground before moving to attend to other duties. If he gives anybody else to hand the animal over to the one to slaughter, then it is believed that it is that other person who has performed the rite. A small portion of a skin called esikhaba is tied on the hand wrist to mark whoever was the owner of the animal- on whose behalf the rite is being performed.
2. Married daughters sired by the dead man. After slaughter, one of the hind quarters was carried back home by the owner of the animal who was presumed to be the husband to the daughter. It was advisable for at least one of the daughters, who is well off in marriage, to do it. If any other animal from the daughters is exchanged for any other function, then some property equivalent to the hind quarter he would have taken home is given. If more than two daughters have offered to give the animals, they are slaughtered in the order of seniority.
   
3. Married brothers to the dead man- they did it based on the close friendship with the dead.
   
4. Married grandsons to the dead man- they did it on behalf of the dead son or on basis of friendship and love for the dead.
   
5. Other friendly relations such as vasakwa and omukulo.
   

NB: People, who had married at time of a given death, but remained with a cultural debt after failing to slaughter a mandatory animal in honour of the dead, were advised not to offer an animal for slaughtering in honour of a death of a person out of their immediate genealogy until they clear their internal family debt. Also, those who were unmarried or had nothing at time of death were advised to participate in a ceremony of olung'anyo or  okhufuwa.

b) Animals involved before, during and after the death of a man.

1. Esyayo sya Okhuyiisia Amakumba

This was a goat or a young bull that was slaughtered in a rite called okhuyiisia that took place before the death of an elderly person. It was done by the brother or elderly son, upon the request of the sick man. This was in preparation for an unavoidable impending death. It was among the few death related rites performed before the actual death.

When all symptoms pointed towards impending death, the sick man was placed in front or in the center of his major wife's house. All his children and a few relatives were informed about the impending matter. Every member was supposed to come. Those who did not come for the ceremony of okhuyiisa were either said to be disrespectful to the dead or suspected to have had a hand in the cause of death. This animal was considered as the final donation of the man to his living dead and a means of pleading with them to receive him peacefully. During this rite, the man accomplished some acts: he made a sick man's wish in relation to his wealth, he bid farewell to his family and apologized for the offenses he might have committed unawares against the members of his family or relatives.

Surprisingly, it was after this that the man peacefully passed on. Some men were also reported to have been lively before their time of death after this rite.

This rite was the Abanyala ba Kakamega's procedural way of leaving a will. At times, the man pointed out whoever has information about his family in relation to the will. The following are a few issues related to okhuyiisa amakumba.

1. Assimilation of children- this animal had a sheep included to serve as esitiso sya okhumonalula in case the man had some adopted or surrogate children- who where not biologically his. The animal made him and the clan to take a covenant to own the adopted children leading to permanent assimilation into the clan. There were different names of children who officially became the man's property after death due to such rite. The following are the main one: unclaimed children from daughters (abewa bamiriwa), unclaimed sons who came with wife when still young (abana ba khulubekhero), son who was in womb of an inherited wife and sired by original husband (abana ba amasanja), children sired with a widow during moaning time (abana ba amasanja), children born out of wedlock by married man (abana ba elwanyi), children sired by man before marriage (abana ba esimba), children the wife may have cunningly got out of marriage (abana ba echango) or children sired by any other person with the man's wife upon request due to impotency in the man (abana ba khu siuno). All these mixture of children became culturally his and clan members upon partaking this meal. However, he could disown any of above non biological children upon slaughtering this animal. By doing such, this animal killed oluswa in case members of the clan ended up marrying from the children sired by the expelled sons. If this official expulsion was not done, then the non biological children became children in the clan unless they officially returned to their real clan or parent in a ceremony of returning the children (okhukosa abana). If the originally affected children had children and grandchildren, the ceremony of returning them was similar to that of assimilating a new clan in tribe. Children expelled in such way were not allowed to slaughter any animal in honour of the dead during his funeral.
2. Okhweyiisa amakumba- this is where the initiative of slaughtering the animal came from the dying man. Thus, the dying man was willing to do it. It is said that some leaders, upon choosing the heir, could take some poison called esitata such that he passes on for the two leaders not to share one home.
3. Okhuyiisia amakumba- this was done when the extremely sick man has refused to die and to talk sensibly because his spirit has refused to leave his body. To many, it was considered a form of witchcraft. At times, some people did it unknowingly only to get affected by the spirit of the dead after burial. To hasten death and 'save the sick from agony', the family members organized for okhuyiisia the sick person. It was done in various ways.

1. First, by slaughtering of the animal, cooked it with some herbs and then searched for a left handed person to give the meal to the sick man. 
2. Also, the wife could secretly go for an out of marriage love affair (okhulia embeba), prepare a meal and give it to the sick man helped by a left handed person. It is because of this reason that Abanyala never accepted a left handed person to nurse the sick upon stoppage of talking for it was feared he or she could be misused unknowingly.
3. Furthermore, the wife or very close relative could go for a funeral then directly visit the sick and give a meal to the sick telling the sick the story of the dead person. 
   
4. Lastly, the children sired by the man, without help of a brother or grandchild, could be asked to carry their parent out of the sleeping room when extremely sick to take in some sunlight or to another room. This action is said to have 'eased' death. 

In case the feeding of the dead or any of the above was done intentionally by a family member for this purpose of okhuyiisa amakumba, then a sheep had to be slaughtered for purposes of blocking the spirit since it was similar to a murder felony.

2. Eng'ombe ya Olwanyi

This is the first animal to be slaughtered once a man with a home passes on. Specific clans had specific conditions in terms of the colour of such animal. It was usually selected from the man's animals stock. It had to befit the man's status. Animal paid as dowry, given by uncles to the dead as esikamo or given as presents by wife's clan were never used for this purpose for it was believed they had effects on the children's generation. If such animals that were never used were the only one available, then they had to be exchanged.

In a polygamous home, where the wives lived in separate homesteads, then two or more animals could be provided by each of the wives in order of seniority for slaughter at the burial place.

At times, this animal is usually that which is selected and ordained by the dead, okhubiita, while still alive. If the dead had no animal, then the eldest biological son or any brother could give it out. If an adopted or assimilated son gave out this animal, he was said to have acquired clans rights as a family member. In cases of traditionally conducted slaughtering, a skin called esikhaba is tied on the arm of the owner of the animal (dead man) during the time the animal is undergoing skinning to show on whose behalf is the skinning of the animal being done. Slaughtering and skinning of this animal is done in the home where the body is to be buried and the hind leg (with a tail part) hung in the house by a brother to the dead or grandson to the dead or grandfather to the dead.

If no echio ceremony (ceremony to seal a marriage) or no dowry was paid for the wife, then she cannot have this done in her home until an animal to mark the ceremony called echio is given or slaughtered. If only dowry was paid, then they could allow it to be done but the hind leg was never hung on esiro or main house.

3. Esiayo sya Echio

This is slaughtered or given out for a wife whose marriage had not been formalized by a ceremony of echio. If dowry had not been paid, it is accompanied by paying some token of dowry. The esiayo sya echio is slaughtered in order to allow the wife to participate in all burial rites of the husband. It can be a she-goat or a heifer. At times, it can be given alive or slaughtered. It is picked from the dead man's stock of animals.

The sons or daughters cannot give the animal for the purpose of echio for their dead mother or living mother. If they have to do it, then they give the animal as a gift or on soft loan to the brother or paternal cousin to the dead. If no echio ceremony was done, but dowry was paid, then the hind leg was not hung in the house since doing this was akin to bewitching the wife's daughters. It was placed on the floor in the house.

The children are not supposed to eat this meat or participate in the process of their mother's echio. Echio was the traditional wedding for the parents- children are hidden during parents' wedding.

It was believed that echio cannot be done for a child if the parent have not done it and they are still alive.

4. Eng'ombe ya Eliani.

Once an animal is slaughtered, it meat is called eliani. Eliani refers to any of the animals, though serving various functions, given after eng'ombe ya olwanyi has been slaughtered. This can be by the grandchildren, children, brothers, grandfathers, cousins or any relatives and friends- for slaughter during funeral or during second burial.  If they are many animal givers at one time, then there is a specific order followed when slaughtering them to avoid a felony of okhukhalaka amukongo. For example, cattle from a daughter could not be slaughtered ahead of that availed from the eldest son(s). If such mistake is made, then the effect was on the dead man's daughters. 

Also, for the daughters, they gave the animal to their elder brother or paternal cousin to lead it to slaughter place on their behalf. A piece of skin called esikhaba was tied on the daughter for some few minutes as a sign that it was her who gave it out. A daughter married to a man who never slaughtered a cattle for his dead father cannot do it for the father-in-law. If a daughter slaughters an animal in honour of the dead father while her father in law is still a live, then it is a guarantee that the husband will do the same upon the death of the father.

The owner of the animal was given the hind leg known as esinama esi'omukhira. A basket was placed near the slaughter place for the owner's share while the rest of the meat was shared by the members of the clan. For animals given by the daughters, the esinama esi'omukhira was given to her to take to her home.

5. Eng'ombe Yifumba Amakumba

This was the main animal during an elderly man's funeral. It was the symbol of whoever has buried the husband. At times, the man made a choice of the bull to be used for this purpose while still alive. It was from it that the skin to bury the dead was made. It was slaughtered just before preparation of the body for burial. In a polygamous home, it came from the house (children of the wife) culturally mandated to bury the husband. If any other wife's house, not mandated to bury, slaughters it, then it is said that the dead slipped out of the skin when being carried or fell from the skin into the grave or those carrying the corpse could fall or skin could split or a hole was made on the skin. After slaughtering this animal, no other animal (esiayo) was slaughtered in the home until burial.

Slaughtering any other animal (esiayo) in the homestead before burial is done canceled the first rite and the slaughtered one became eyamakumba. If the one who slaughtered this last animal is different from one who gave the animal for the first skin, and is the right one, then a hole was secretly made in the first one with a spear to mark it rejected. Also, a son who was not a biological son to the dead was not allowed to slaughter this animal for the 'father.' Once this is allowed, then the son has to remain in the clan as a clan member unless such son is claimed back by the real father. Attempts to go away spelled doom for the son's generation. Attempts to send him away affected the generation of the remaining sons.There were rules on how esombo (stomach) was to be split and carried out of the slaughter point. A woman who was involved in unfaithful acts out of marriage called okhulia embeba never dared to pick this esombo from the slaughter point- she send the grandchildren or sisters to do it for her.

A small skin was tied on the hand of the wife whose 'house' provided this animal. The daughter-in-laws and son-in-laws to the dead man were NEVER allowed to eat the meat from this animal called eyifumba amakumba. Non-relative pregnant mothers were also prohibited from eating it since it was believed that they may be carrying future daughter-in-law or son-in law to the dead.

During burial, the skin is put into the grave before the body. Before carrying the body to the grave, the dead is usually washed and prepared for burial during the proceeding night by elderly members of same sex. The water used to wash the body is supposed to be disposed off well. If the washing or dressing was done by non relative, those who washed were given a chicken. When preparing the body, the mouth is closed, foreign objects removed, eyes closed, fingers stretched and the manhood positioned appropriately. For example, it is believed that it is a taboo for the manhood to be trapped between the thighs or to face the wrong direction.

It was because of this rite that sons were not supposed to buy for their parents any bedding material directly for they have this final rite.

6. Esyayo sya Okhusewula Omusakhulu

It was commonly done in a polygamous family by co-wives to whoever had the opportunity to bury the husband- though it was not compulsory especially if the houses for the co-wives were very close together in a homestead. In fact, when performed, it was only noticeable to keen observers since the houses were within the same compound. 

 

It is a way in which each of the co-wives expresses love to the dead, peacefully says goodbye to the husband, cleanses her home and children and connects the generation of her house, enchu, to the dead.

 

If the polygamist man was well off, then each of the co-wives slaughtered it near each of their houses- in case the body 'slept or entered wife's house' en-route to the place where it was buried.  

 

To perform this rite, the widow is helped by the children, grandchildren or in-laws. The evening after burial, an esiayo is taken to the grave then lead to be slaughtered near the houses of any of the co-wives. Slaughtering such an animal before burial was said to be akin to "officially chasing away your husband." Therefore, it destroyed the family of the one who slaughtered by okhukhalaka omukongo, unless an immediate reconciliation is made before the end of funeral time.   

 

Its meat is shared in a culturally predefined way for the relatives to go home with meat.  During the sharing, part of its share had to reach the wife who finally buried the body near her house.

7. Esiayo esiokhufuwa.

This esiayo slaughtered during remembrance activities after burial and preferably done during a non circumcision year called esikumunya. It had no seniority rule in relation to who does it first. It can be done by the widow, brothers to the dead, sons to the dead, grandchildren or great grandchildren. Done at grave site and its meat distributed by the one doing the cultural rite basing on the cultural rules of sharing meat. The person walks around giving meat portions to be received by hand.

If female parent passes on while young, at an age you could not offer an animal for slaughter, eng'ombe ya okhufuwa becomes compulsory. Sons whose cattle is not slaughtered at the graveyard or is given out live for payment of debts during funeral ceremonies will have to perform the ceremony of okhufuwa as compulsion in future before they can give an animal for slaughter to any other petson out of family

 

8. Ekondi lya okhuchundula Echumba or okhuchundula Esibeere

Used only during the funeral of a person who had esikufu (hunchback) and esibeere/esifwa (swollen hernia of the testis area). Given by any member of the clan including the bereaved family. The one who split esikufu or esibeere is given some animals but after slaughtering this a sheep by the family. If not slaughtered, it is taken by the person invited to carry out the activity.

The tools used for the above rituals are buried or thrown away together with the sheep's skin.

9. Engokho ya Omukulukho.

It is strangled and roasted on the communal fire by the grave diggers. Its sex depends on the sex of the dead. Grave diggers were mature circumcised men- those with pregnant wives never dug the grave. It is given by the sons to the wife who is culturally mandated to bury the husband. At times, it can be given by the brother, grandson, grandfather or widow to the dead. This is usually done on the same evening after burial. The chicken never had its feathers plucked for it was thrown into the fire by the leading grave digger; okhumamula. Children and women were not supposed to eat it.

10. Esiayo sia ya Olubito

At times people have an animal that is ceremoniously installed as part of a ceremony called okhubita. This can be a clan totem or personal totem. Upon the death of the owner of such an animal, this animal is advisedly slaughtered before the second burial.

1. Personal chicken- this was slaughtered by the brothers or grandchildren when the man was seriously sick or before burial. It was among the first to be slaughtered before the first cattle called eya olwanyi was slaughtered. At times such chicken was demanded by the physical owner or 'spiritual owner' when he or she was seriously sick on deathbed- it just disappeared from the home just before, during or after the funeral.
   
2. Personal goat- this is slaughtered on a selected day before burial near the burial site for people to eat.
   
3. Personal cattle- this is a personal animal that does not have any association with the ancestors of the dead person's clan. It can be from the uncles or relations out of clan. This is slaughtered in a ceremony held in the home where the ceremony of okhubita took place before, during or after funeral as per the demands of the origination clan.
4. Clan totem cattle- this is a cattle that is common with other clan members. Such cattle is slaughtered where the burial took place. Its meat is shared by the members of the clan with each person getting omukabo or ekumba that he or she deserves. When this animal is slaughtered, no other vegetable can be sourced after its slaughter. A small portion of the meat must be roasted in the houses of each of the married children and married grandchildren to the dead. Esombo, the stomach, of such an animal is left at slaughter place for some time and handled in a culturally prescribed manner.
   

11. Ekondi lya esibanga

Death such as suicide, drowning, poisoning and fire out of the homestead were treated as bad omen. Such bodied were returned home via an opening in the fence called esibanga. During burial, a sheep is slaughtered to block future occurrence of the dead spirit.

12. Ekondi lya Omwikalo

This, though slaughtered, was considered to be a form of witchcraft by those who believed the dead spirit may be unsatisfied in the spirit world. It was an extremely confidential affair. The sheep was killed in the night of burial day or any other day and its entrails used together with herbs at the burial place. A sheep from the same home or one that was once fed by the dead is never used to block the evil spirit of the dead from haunting the living. Some people physically blocked the mouth of the dead by herbs, specific 'treated' stones or borne from the sheep used in the ritual. However, some blocking tuned out unsuccessful since the dead could bring dreams in protest.

Skull, exposed due to erosion, of the dead having stuffed mouth with omwikalo

Such sheep, used for this purpose, was only slaughtered when the death was unusual such as suicide, drowning or murder. At times, it was used where there were all signs that the dead was unhappy about specific actions by members or section of the members in the family.

At times, such sheep was not slaughtered; it was speared to death- hence the phrase okhutisa ekondi. The colour, sex, age and breed of the sheep was specific.

13. Esyayo sia okhucheresa (okhumaala) esirindwa

Upon completion of second burial, no furthers digging or amendment to the soil on the grave can be done. For example, if erosion affects the grave almost exposing the dead, then the soil is returned upon slaughtering esiayo. the type of esiayo will depend on the effect on the soil on the grave.

14. Esiayo sia okhumaliyisia etoondo

Slaughtered as part of rituals before burial of an albino. Most times, it is a young he- goat or she-goat that is used-based on the sex of the dead. Traditionally, albinos were buried in secrecy by family members without any noisy funeral ceremony. This made people to believe that albinos just disappeared; never died.

15. Esiayo sya Esikamo

At times, some men gave the sons to their sisters a goat or cattle called esikamo when they were still alive. Upon death, they cannot demand it if it was given. Never dare inherit one of your uncle's wife if you were given esikamo. However, in case the dead man did not give esikamo to the sister's children, then they had to receive it before burial. Cases abound where they team up and block burial processions until they are paid esikamo.

Corpses have been seen strangely folding palms into fists in protest in case such is not given.

16. Esiayo sya esibiikho

When a son to ones sister passed on, then her nephew, her brother or an uncle to the son received an animal in compensation of esiemiko called esibikho. If esikamo was not given, then esibikho was also not given. We have ebibikho for abewa, wakhasi and khocha

17. Eng'ombe ya Okhuwuyia Amakumba.

Exhuming a body was not common among the Abanyala but there are times it happened. When exhuming, the skull and hip bones were the most important. The ceremony, if done for a person was called okhusikhula. The bones were carried in a skin from the said cattle. Those to carry out the work of exhuming were supposed to be old men past siring stage.

However, such was reserved for leaders and those who brought dreams that they were berried at the wrong place. The skull of a leader buried at one place was at times exhumed and moved to a new location during migration in a ceremony called esiwuyisio. During this ceremony, a bull was slaughtered. In the new location, the skull was not buried- it was put in a hole made on a fig tree (Mukhuyu) tree or omutoto tree for it to be 'swallowed' into the tree stem as the tree expands. That is why it was a taboo to cut such old trees in the society. A skull was only moved once. 

At time of moving it, local brew was made and drunk. A sheep was killed and buried without partaking anything- those burying it faced away from it. A banana was buried or planted in the place where the skull was exhumed.

18. Engokho ya okhuwaala

Upon the death of the husband, the wife goes to their home to officially inform them of the death in a ceremony called okhuwaala. She is given a cockerel and some flour then escorted by brother, nephews or any relative back to her home. On coming back, she takes the cockerel and ties it on the front leg of the matrimonial bed overnight. After burial day, brothers and grandsons to the dead are to slaughter and eat this chicken. On this occasion, the children to the dead are supposed to be in his home. The remains of the meal are never shared- they are thrown away.

In case of a polygamous family, all the other wives are to visit, with ebituuko, to the door of the house where the man is to be buried, wail a bit while holding the items and then move with them into their house. The houses were always at close proximity. Failure to observe this always lead to calamities such as sickness or even a mysterious death of the chicken or disappearance of the flour itself called a traditional concept called  okhuemanusa.

19. Engokho ya okhwenda esisiko

It is slaughtered to pick the spirit of a man who died away from home back home from the original place of death. This is the case of accident, house away from home, drowning or to the medicine man's home after long stay of more than one moon.  Brother, mother, father or cousins to the dead are involved in this ceremony.

In case of visit to a residential place, the members of family visits the place, cooks the cockerel from there, eats it and, picks some soil at the place and comes home. The soil is thrown on the grave.

If it is not a residential place, then the cockerel is slaughtered and cooked at home but no blood is allowed to spill to the ground. The feathers and blood are collected. The blood collected, carried and poured at the place. The cockerel meal is taken at the place, soil picked and the family goes home.

20. Esiayo esya okhufuwa

Okhufuwa involves a ceremony of slaughtering an animal in remembrance of the dead long after the second burial; olung'anyo. It is done during a year known as esikumunya. Its meat is given out, by the candidate involved, to the people around based on specific cultural rules. Those to receive specific parts of omukabo from this animal are predetermined by culture.

21. Esiayo sya okhung'anyia

Olung'anyo is a ceremony that was done before the disappearance of the second moon from the day of burial. This sighting of the moon translated to about 30 to 45 day. It officially marked the end of the funeral and last day of putting of the fire of amakenga by ensuring that the firewood are fully burned to completion and ash scattered by the grandsons or brothers to the dead.  It is a ceremony done to allow the spirit of the dead move from its purgatory existence to become bona fide member of ancestral spirits. 

The animal(s) slaughtered for this occasion is to have its sex related to the sex of the dead, not to have any blemish or visible physical deformities. For a man, the animal was slaughtered in the evening, in the presence of family members, on the eve of the ceremony. Its meat was shared and collectively cooked for the visitors with special attention given to the owner of the animal, the widow(s), child(ren), maternal aunts to the dead, sisters and brothers to the dead, age set member to the dead and others with omukabo. In a polygamous home, the various wives were given a share of the meal to carry from the designated slaughter points to cook for their respective visitors.

Children born in the family who  have never stepped in the home since their time of birth  are supposed to partake in the eating of this meat or any other slaughtered at the burial home. This was enough welcoming medicine since no sheep was to be slaughtered for returning such in future.

22. Esiayo sya Ekoko.

When a body of person was not found and the clan buried a banana, then the animal for the banana stem called esiayo sya ekoko was slaughtered depending on the dead's sex and the nature of the death. We had 'female' bananas and 'male' bananas. If it was self inflicted death then a sheep's sacrifice was added. 

For a man who resurrects when a grave has been dug, the banana is buried but the sheep is not slaughtered. When such a man finally dies, the same grave is dug out and he is buried in. The banana was that of the red banana species.

Banana used during burial

c) Animals used before, during and after funeral of a woman

1. Eng'ombe ya okhukunja amakumba

This was provided by the husband or last born son to the dead. It was basically for old women who had grandchildren. It was slaughtered on the left side where the grave is supposed to be dug.

2. Eng'ombe ya Eliani.

It is done in the same way as it is done when the husband is dead. It is usually from the husband, the sons, the brother- in-laws to the dead or the daughters.

It is unheard of to have an old woman owewula erambo to be buried without slaughtering an animal. The animal was usually a healthy mature animal. If the father was unable and no animal was forthcoming, then the blame fell flat on the sons and grandsons.

3. Eng'ombe ya Omuchwe.

Done for a wife. It was a taboo to bury a non clan member in your community. The spirit of the dead affected her clan members back at home. To do this, you had to slaughter an animal (cow) and give part of the meat to the members of the clan of your wife. This gave the husband's clan permission to bury the 'head' of a non clan member away from their clan. It is usually considered as the last dowry.

4. Eng'ombe ya Efumo

This becomes mandatory for one's dead wife who died due to complication at birth arising from the baby. The baby, efumo- the euphemisms of the foetus that lead to the death, is believed to be a clan member who has killed a non clan member yet the two are supposed to be buried at close proximity. It is given out while still alive as a fine. It is a fine to be given by the man's clan to the wife's clan. 

In case it is the child who passes on after a midwife forcefully removed the child to save the mother, then efumo is not given but the clan of the girl is given a small token called omuyoolo kwa esiacho.

5. Eng'ombe ya Okhukhumbia Olushwa.

A wife who was kidnapped at time of war such that his clan was never known or a wife whose his father was never known slaughtered this animal confidentially after burial of the husband. The ribs were left open facing up at slaughter place as symbol of a practice called okhukona mwikhokho and given out in the morning. Since the father to their mother was unknown, this animal helped to pacify the effects of oluswa in case the children coincidentally marry or get married to the clan which was the unknown clan of their mother. It also cures subsequent instances of children being born of olushwa in family.

This animal was slaughtered near the house or kitchen of the wife believed to be involved in the same issue and not at the graveside.

During the time of skinning this animal, a piece of skin is tied on any of the living children or grandchildren.

6. Eng'ombe ya owukumba

This is slaughtered during the burial of a woman called omukumba- who never got married and was suspected to be a virgin. The man involved in virginity cleansing ritual was at times given the animal. See explanation on burial of omukumba. Graves of abakumba are flattened and not left to heap. Tools used are not left at the grave side.

7. Eng'ombe ya owukhwe

These were usually three cattle or a group of more cattle paid as dowry in case the woman has died a natural death and the husband did not pay any dowry. They were called eng'ombe ya esibeko, eng'ombe ya okhuseera and eng'ombe ya embako. Out of love, and the children sired, the husband can add more. These were usually paid before the man can be allowed to bury. In case these are not paid, then the clan members to the wife carried the body back to their home. This spelled doom for the man if he allowed it. The children are also taken and can only come back upon payment of dowry for the children.

If no payment of dowry is done for one's mother, then the child had to ensure it is done before paying his own dowry in future. The child could facilitate the process through the father, uncle or grandfather.

8. Embusi ya omukoko

Slaughtered during funeral of teenage girls. It was usually a he-got, not esaho- castrated goat, though it was not compulsory.

9. Engokho ya esisiko

It is slaughtered to pick the spirit of a person who died away from home back home. This is the case of accident, house away from home, drowning or hospital after long stay.  In-laws, husband and children to the dead are involved.

In case of visit to a residential place, the members of family visits the place, cooks the chicken from there, eats it and, picks some soil at the place and comes home. The soil is thrown on the grave. If it is not a residential place, then the cockerel is slaughtered and cooked at home but no blood is allowed to spill on ground. The feathers and blood are collected. The blood collected carried and poured at the place, the cockerel meal is taken at the place, soil picked and the family goes home.

10. Ekondi elia esing'uulo.

A wife who participated in nursing the husband is bound to perform some tasks which she ought not perform to the husband. For instance, wiping the behind of the sick husband. This also applies to children who nurse their father or mother and come into contact with the nakedness. A sheep is slaughtered to wipe away the felony.

11. Esiayo sya omukasa

This is slaughtered by any of the children who is the rightful heir to omukasa from the father. It is done before noon. This must be done at the grave side and esombo left for the owner of the homestead where the grave is situated. If omukasa is wrongfully acquired and the animal is slaughtered, it affects the family that has wrongly got it. 

12. Esiayo sya omwoulo.

Omwoulo is not compulsory and it is usually an rite done before death. There are two types of omwoulo. One, the brothers to a dead woman could appreciate the kind of good stay their in-law had with their sister by giving a male goat or bullock called omwoulo when the woman was still alive. Two, upon payment of dowry, the maternal uncles to a woman were given one of the animals paid as dowry. After some time, they also appreciated the husband by giving back a male goat or heifer called omwoulo. 

However, some abakhwasi or uncles to the dead who did not give omwoulo may opt to bring such an animal upon the death of their omwiwa or sister as a way of giving last honour to her. This animal is usually accepted by the clan.

Great gratitude for the additional notes goes to Retired Mwalimu/Councilor Hon. Francis Nyikuri Mulika Erima (1926-date)