ABANYALA BA KAKAMEGA: Time concept, Compass direction and Months.

A] TIME IN OLUNYALA (K) DIALECT OF LUHYA.
Among Abanyala ba Kakamega, time is referred to as ebise. The twenty-four hours of the day is subdivided into the following time zones.

1. Makherebeende- from 3am to 4am. It marks the start of the day. It is associated with the first cock-crow.
2. Ewuikwe ni yikheba- from 4am to 5am. It is marked with the brightening of the horizon on the East before sunrise. It is associated with the second cockcrow.
3. Mumawiiwi- from 5am to 6am. It is associated with the third cockcrow.
4. Chulichuli- from 6am to 7am. It is associated with the first singing of the morning birds and sunrise. Children born at such time are called Wechuli or Machula.
5. Owusieye- from 7am to around 9am. The time of early visiting, early women and children activities, and morning greetings of "Wusieye!' 
6. Musisanya- between 10am and 11am. Girls born at such hours are called Misenya.
7. Musiteche (musi) from 11 am to 1pm. (Also used for daytime). It is associated with shadows being at the root af trees or the sun being overhead such that you have to cover yourself. Children born during this time are called Musi or Namusi.
8. Muhaangiro- from 1pm to 2pm. It was associated with day time meal. (Okhwihaanga- doing its- the sun- activities alone in the open atmosphere)
9. Musichiambo- from 2pm to 5pm.
10. Engoloobe- from 5pm to 6pm. Boys born during this time are called Ngolobe.
11. Owire- from 6pm to 7pm. It is associated with sunset. Children born between this time are called Wekulo and Nawekulo.
12. Ha'siro- from 7pm to 8pm. This is what is officially called night time. Children born between sunset and sunrise are called Wawire and Nawire. 
13. Mu'siro- from 7pm to 3am. 
    

B] COMPASS DIRECTIONS AMONG ABANYALA (K)
Abanyala ba Kakamega have compass directions based on key geographical features or prominent kingdoms that existed in the neighborhood within the early days. In fact, the concept of direction can be understood through the story of migration.

During migration, some of the referent direction names- especially of North and South- kept on changing since they were replaced by names of other new referent geographical or physical features. Thisv always lead to change in the names for direction. The original names of the main directions are four.

1. East- Ewuikwe. This is the place of the benevolent spirit associated with hope and rising sun. Folklore has it that Ikwe was the imaginary spirit that dwelt at the end of a forest that stretched all the way to the East from Mumbo. This god had all ekhande- the knives of protection. That is why Abanyala talk of Ewuikwe Ekhande to mean the East where there is god of protection and hope. The name never changed because there was always that forest towards the East to the dwelling place of Ikwe. To date, children play singing: "Wumbira hena... Ewukwe ekhande." (Where are you taking me.....to the god in the East where there is protection.)
2. West- Mumbo. Mumbo is believed to have been the direction of the origin of Abanyala. It was the direction of the spirit of unfathomable malevolence and darkness called Mumbo. They, at one point of migration journey, moved from regions in the neighborhood of the spirit of Mumbo (West African regions) towards Ikwe.  From near Mumbo, following Ikwe Forest then turned with the Nile towards the North (Egypt). From Egypt, they then moved South (Sudan) settling in Nyala. In fact, many members of the clan of Abalanda remained Nyala- Sudan. From Nyala they moved around to Sirikwa before they turned towards the West into Uganda in search of the direction towards their original Mumbo (Ebunamumbo). Upon meeting resistance from some communities along the way, they turned towards the East and settled towards Busia in Uganda. After that, they moved further East settling in Kakamega and parts of Bungoma. In all these movements, the name Mumbo never changed because there was always the reference to the direction of origin. To date, any evil spirit is rebuked to go back to where other malevoleht spirits dwells in far Mumbo as they sing telling the devil to go back to its master, "Nababa chia Mumbo."
3. North- Enaasiri or Emasaba. It is believed that when Abanyala, together with other Luhya groups, lived in Egypt, they saw pyramids and other desert features- without trees, which they named as giant anthills. These became referent points as Enaasiri (towards the place of the anthill in Egypty- Misiri). Also, upon settling on the southern part of Mt. Elgon, the Abanyala started marking reference to Mt. Masaba (Elgon) as their new Northern direction marker. They changed the name from Enaasiri to a new one called Ewumasaba. 

   

   Land of Ewunabiswa or Enaasiri (Misri/Egypt)

4. South- Ewunafuwo. Efuwo is a hole made on the lower side of the anthill towards the direction of the sun to trap white ants. Abanyala lived on the lower side in reference to the land with pyramids (enasiiri). They then migrated down towards South (Ebunafuwo) into Sudan and settled in Nyala before crossing into Kenya. Furthermore, upon reaching Kenya, some Abanyala clans such as Abauma moved down and settled in Tanzania. Those who visited relatives in Tanzania came back with stories of the Abauma being neighbours to King Mirambo of Abachwezi. The Abanyala started referring to South as Emurambo. However, due to the phonemic 'r' shift, the /r/ turned to /l/ giving the name Emulambo- the direction of the kingdom of Mirambo. This near South, the direction of Tanzania, became Emulambo as furthest South remained Ewunafuwo. Also, there was also some reference to another settlement in the immediate Southern called the fort of Ebumatioli. It had many houses that resembled houses for cattle called esitioli. Therefore, the neighbouring South was referred to as Ematioli. Therefore, South had superlative nature: nearest South was Ematioli, far reachable South was in Tanzania was Emulambo then furthest South towards the 'big hole that collected water' was called Ewunafuwo. Apart from the above, while migrating from Bunyala Busia to Bunyala Navakholo, the Abanyala named South as Emwolo (towards where rivers flow) and Northern part as Emukulu (towards the hills). Therefore, they have also associated emwalo with South and emukulu with North. That is why they talk of Abanyala ba emwalo (Abanyala who remained in the South) and Abanyala ba emukulu. (Abanyala who moved North). Unfortunately, the use of Emwalo and Emukulu turned out to be confusing due to rivers not having specific directions of flow as they moved towards the East. Some rivers were flowing from East.

Unlike English, where North and South form key cardinal points of reference when naming other points, Abanyala use Ewuikwe and Mumbo to give rise to other directions in the middle

1. Ewuikwe ya Emasaba- North East
2. Ewuikwe ya Ewunafuwo- South East
3. Mumbo ya Emasaba- North West
4. Mumbo ya Ewunafuwo- South West. 
   

C] DAYS OF THE WEEK IN OLUNYALA (K)
A day of twenty-four hours was called olutalo while the twelve hours of day time was called enyanga. A week was called ehonga. The following are the names of days.

1. Monday- Mubarasa. Children born on Monday are called Barasa.
2. Tuesday- Mumirimo kibiri (Mukibiri)
3. Wednesday- Mumirimo kitachu (Mukitachu)
4. Thursday- Mumirimo kine (Mukine)
5. Friday- Mumirimo kichanu (Mukichanu)
6. Saturday- Munyongesa. Children born on Saturday are called Nyongesa.
7. Sunday- Mumusafu or Musabo

D] BEYOND A WEEK IN OLUNYALA (K)

1. Week- Ehoonga
2. Weekend- Mu'hoonga
3. Month- Omwesi. It is measured basing on lunation.
4. Year- omuhika. It is measured basing on months and season.
5. Century- Esikhumi. By the end of hundred years, all the circumcision age sets of Abanyala were complete and a new cycle began with the new century.
6. Millennium- Esikhumira. 
7. Beyond millennium- emindali. Emindali refers to one million. However, any period beyond a millennium is known as the start of emindali. Thus, counted in terms of esikhumira nende emindali.
8. Era- enaku. 

E] SEASONS AMONG ABANYALA (K)

Abanyala ba Kakamega divides the year into seasons called ebikha. Some are long while others are short. The following are various seasons

1. Eliaka- weeding season. Those born during this season were called Naliaka or Wanyonyi.
2. Ekesa- havesting season. Those born during this season were called Nekesa or Wekesa
3. Erocho- season of a lot of rain. Children born during this time were called Narocho/Nafula and Wafula.
4. Enjala- season when there is hunger due to diminished food supply. Children born during this season are called Nanjala or Wanjala.
5. Enjikucha- season of plenty of food for people or animals.
6. Esimocho- season when food supply goes down slightly.
7. Esirumbi- season of short rain. Girls born during this time were called Nasirumbi. It was associated with planting of 'female' crops.
8. Esiminyu- Severe drought season. Children born during this season were called Siminyu.
9. Omulengaala- short dry spells that punctuates long rain seasons.
10. Oluwumbukho- time of a lot of flowering  after a lot of rains.
11. Omuwanjukho- time of tree shedding leaves just before the dry season. 

F] DAYS IN REFERENCE TO TODAY
Abanyala can talk about three days in the past and three days in future with specific names. These are the names.

1. Ekulo-kwali- the day before ekulo.
2. Ekulo- day before yesterday
3. Mungolobe- yesterday
4. Akhanu- today
5. Muchuli- tomorrow
6. Chonekha- day after tomorrow.
7. Chonekha kuchulayo- day that follows chonekha.

G] MONTHS IN OLUNYALA (K)
Month is known as omwesi. The names of months have all been replaced with modern numerals. However, the original names are hereunder.

1. Tulienge (Okwa Lulala) .......... January. Named based on birds' songs.
2. Kunula (Okwa Khabiri) ......... February. Kunula was associated with first breaking of the soil during first ploughing.
3. Muwerasi (Okwa Khatachu)...... March
4. Nangeka (Okwa Khane)........... April
5. Unondaye (Okwa Khachanu)......... May
6. Munanwa (Okwa Sasaba)........ June
7. Namafumbie or Namakhaande. (Okwa Musafu)....... July. Month when people bend in farms to begin havesting.
8. Nekesa (Okwa kichanu na kibiri or okwa Munane)............ August
9. Namilukha (Okwa kichanu na kine or okw Tisa) ........... September
10. Mukoma (Okwa Ekhumi) ........ October
11. Mubiru (Okwa Ekhumi na Mulala)........... November
12. Lusisi or Kafumbo or Nabaaba (Okwa Ekhumi na Kibiri)............. December

H) NAMES OF WINDS IN OLUNYALA K

1. Ekhoma- Eastern wind.
2. Embalakha- Southerly wind
3. Embewo embeechero- Cold wind.
4. Emboyaka- Southeasterly wind
5. Esifusa- Whirlwind.
6. Esimunyu- Westerly wind.
7. Omuyaka- mild wind

I) NUMBERS IN OLUNYALA (K) 
0. Endung'u.....................................zero
1. Ndala...........................................One
2. Chibiri..........................................Two
3. Chitachu........................................Three
4. Chine............................................Four
5. Chichanu........................................Five
6. Chisasaba.....................................Six
7. Chichanu nachibiri (Musafu)............Seven
8. Chichanu nachitachu (munane).....................Eight
9. Chichanu nachine. (Tisa)..........................Nine
10.Ekhumi.......................................Ten
11. Ekhumi nandala.........................Eleven
20. Amakhumi kabiri.........................Twenty
30. Amakhumi katachu......................Thirty
40. Amakhumi kane..........................Fourty
50.  Esikanda.......Fifty
60. Esikanda nekhumi...................Sixty
70. Esikanda na amakhumi kabiri........Seventy
80. Esikanda na amakhumi katachu......Eighty
90. Esikanda na amakhumi kane..........ninety
100. Esikhumi.........................one hundred
200. Abikhumi bibiri...............Two hundred
500. Ebikhumi esikanda...........Five hundred
600. Ebukhumi bisasaba........Six hundred
700. Ebikhumi esikanda nabibiri.....seven hundred
800. Ebikhumi esikanda nabitachu....Eight hundred
900. Ebikhumi esikanda nabine.......Nine hundred
1,000. Esikhumira ...................................Thousand
2,000. Ebikhumira bibiri...................Two thousand
3,000' Ebikhumira bitachu............ Three thousand.
4,000 Ebikhumira bine..............Four thousand
5,000. Ebikhumira esikanda......... Five thousand
6,000. Ebikhumira bisasaba...........Six thousand
7,000. Ebikhumira esikanda na bibiri....Seven thousand.
10,000. Ebikhumira ekhumi.........Ten thousand
1000,000. Emindali............One million.
50,000,000. Emindali esikanda.