#Vigil
In my village, just like in many African villages, when one changes geography, there's usually what we call "arita" night vigil. It's a period where the people keep the dead company the whole night before they are "swallowed by the earth" the following day.
Several activities accompany this nocturnal ceremony and tradition, deeply embedded in most cultures. The preparations are made in advance. One thing that you won't find missing is a bonfire where "jodongo"(Old men), clad in their "kabut"(a blanket of a jacket), warm themselves.
They spend time reminiscing about the good deeds of the late. One would be heard saying "An Nick ne miya ga pesa machwako nyoyo, diere moko ne wadhi sero kode Seme Konywera kocha, gima ne waneno bor korie"(Nick used to give me money that can boil 'githeri', at one time we went on a seduction spree in Seme Kolunje, what we saw is long when straightened 😂 😂 😂)
Granted, most of the stories are usually exaggerated! This is ostensibly meant to while away time and keep the memories of the departed alive. In the background there's usually hired music system comprising of "auja","adhuol wach" (loud speakers) here you'll find the youth,usually armed with machetes(most often than not they do nothing them),well tucked in their jackets, dancing and making merry, oblivious of the prevailing mood.
Most homes hire bouncers, or even police officers to maintain order. These youths are just funny! Girls (for lack of a better word), wait, I mean village belles, class seven drop outs or those who at least saw the walls of form four(it doesn't matter what they scored anyway), clad in their faded jeans, tight tops, outlining their feminine curves(if there are any!), would be paraded for a dancing contest. Laughable I tell you! You'd spit your liver with laughter. But such are the events that make the night move faster!
Elsewhere, at the grave site, some village celebrities would be found deeply engaged in grave digging. In fact there are people who specialize in this 'profession', they have ranks ranging from The Chief grave superintendent to The Junior soil Ejaculator(yani jagol lowo). A jerrican of the local throat irrigator is usually well placed by the fence for this crew. Not to mention that they are usually allocated a goat for them to 'discipline' after this energy sapping exercise.
Outside the compound,gate crushers or a gang that has come to revenge on what transpired when they had a funeral in their village and boys from this end attacked them with machetes,they are usually found in groups of ten or so talking in hushed tones,strategizing on how to launch their attack. Most of the times it ends in mock fights that they talk about for a long time until another death occurs 😂 😂
At the far end of the fence, "mond gweng"(village women) would be busy readying delicacies for the next day. Here is the headquarters of grapevine. They know everything about the diseased including what his favourite panty colour was! (aol nyakwar Adwera 😂) and the number of sausages she's ever swallowed. They never disappoint these tittle tattlers. Swishing their skirts here and there, cutting onions, mixing the broth and occasionally commenting "subni iye otwere"(this soup is thick). I hasten to mention that here too is where most of the food goes missing, probably through osmosis 😂 😂 😂.
Meanwhile the only constant thing is music, in that fun a lot of things happen. One by one,people would sneak to catch some sleep or dose a bit before they are woken up to go and "pango kombe",(arrange the seats) for the visitors who normally start streaming by six in the morning.By this time breakfast is usually ready.
I can't forget to mention "Jo Narobi"(people from Nairobi) also known as "Buore" or "Nyorobi". In my village these people are damn funny. They cannot even take the normal water "pi mapile",not forgetting that just the other day they were double villagers. So they just have stress balancing the mineral water, or is it mineral water bottle? on their right hand with the "touch phone" on their left hand,clad in tight trousers threatening to serve their buttocks to all who care to look,or eat 😂 😂 😂. Need I mention that most of them would be sleeping inside their vehicles well packed where their houses are supposed to be? Talk of their "tweng",you may be forgiven for not imagining that Nyorobi is in America.
The pastor would be busy preaching to a few women in the tent. Yes, old woman! "Jooba wacho niya, los kindi kode ka ndalo pod nitie"(Jehova days make your ways with Him when you still have the time)
Dashing here and there would be "Wagogni"(our sisters who are already married), preparing to receive their husbands or "oche" the following day."Or",plural "Oche",are highly respected in my community. It is believed that they play a crucial role of "golo ogwang' e dala( Maalim Tonney Bleah will translate this) 😂 😂 😂,it therefore follows without questions that owing to their role they must be well worn(irwako gi maber) Need I add that they normally participate heavily in these funerals, monetary wise!
The occasional drunkard shouting "ongee" cannot miss in any "arita".I must admit that these are the people who interest me a lot. They give no damn and spit truth like bile. "Ongee, donge Odhis nyocha muodo njuk sirkal, awachoo! Kihero titweya, jela simba yawuou. (Boohoo, Odhis used to chew government groundnuts, I have said, if you like you can jail me, jail is men's lion 😂 😂 😂
Well, I only remember these things when I am linguistically tipsy!
Signed
©FK
Intelligence Analyst
In my village, just like in many African villages, when one changes geography, there's usually what we call "arita" night vigil. It's a period where the people keep the dead company the whole night before they are "swallowed by the earth" the following day.
Several activities accompany this nocturnal ceremony and tradition, deeply embedded in most cultures. The preparations are made in advance. One thing that you won't find missing is a bonfire where "jodongo"(Old men), clad in their "kabut"(a blanket of a jacket), warm themselves.
They spend time reminiscing about the good deeds of the late. One would be heard saying "An Nick ne miya ga pesa machwako nyoyo, diere moko ne wadhi sero kode Seme Konywera kocha, gima ne waneno bor korie"(Nick used to give me money that can boil 'githeri', at one time we went on a seduction spree in Seme Kolunje, what we saw is long when straightened 😂 😂 😂)
Granted, most of the stories are usually exaggerated! This is ostensibly meant to while away time and keep the memories of the departed alive. In the background there's usually hired music system comprising of "auja","adhuol wach" (loud speakers) here you'll find the youth,usually armed with machetes(most often than not they do nothing them),well tucked in their jackets, dancing and making merry, oblivious of the prevailing mood.
Most homes hire bouncers, or even police officers to maintain order. These youths are just funny! Girls (for lack of a better word), wait, I mean village belles, class seven drop outs or those who at least saw the walls of form four(it doesn't matter what they scored anyway), clad in their faded jeans, tight tops, outlining their feminine curves(if there are any!), would be paraded for a dancing contest. Laughable I tell you! You'd spit your liver with laughter. But such are the events that make the night move faster!
Elsewhere, at the grave site, some village celebrities would be found deeply engaged in grave digging. In fact there are people who specialize in this 'profession', they have ranks ranging from The Chief grave superintendent to The Junior soil Ejaculator(yani jagol lowo). A jerrican of the local throat irrigator is usually well placed by the fence for this crew. Not to mention that they are usually allocated a goat for them to 'discipline' after this energy sapping exercise.
Outside the compound,gate crushers or a gang that has come to revenge on what transpired when they had a funeral in their village and boys from this end attacked them with machetes,they are usually found in groups of ten or so talking in hushed tones,strategizing on how to launch their attack. Most of the times it ends in mock fights that they talk about for a long time until another death occurs 😂 😂
At the far end of the fence, "mond gweng"(village women) would be busy readying delicacies for the next day. Here is the headquarters of grapevine. They know everything about the diseased including what his favourite panty colour was! (aol nyakwar Adwera 😂) and the number of sausages she's ever swallowed. They never disappoint these tittle tattlers. Swishing their skirts here and there, cutting onions, mixing the broth and occasionally commenting "subni iye otwere"(this soup is thick). I hasten to mention that here too is where most of the food goes missing, probably through osmosis 😂 😂 😂.
Meanwhile the only constant thing is music, in that fun a lot of things happen. One by one,people would sneak to catch some sleep or dose a bit before they are woken up to go and "pango kombe",(arrange the seats) for the visitors who normally start streaming by six in the morning.By this time breakfast is usually ready.
I can't forget to mention "Jo Narobi"(people from Nairobi) also known as "Buore" or "Nyorobi". In my village these people are damn funny. They cannot even take the normal water "pi mapile",not forgetting that just the other day they were double villagers. So they just have stress balancing the mineral water, or is it mineral water bottle? on their right hand with the "touch phone" on their left hand,clad in tight trousers threatening to serve their buttocks to all who care to look,or eat 😂 😂 😂. Need I mention that most of them would be sleeping inside their vehicles well packed where their houses are supposed to be? Talk of their "tweng",you may be forgiven for not imagining that Nyorobi is in America.
The pastor would be busy preaching to a few women in the tent. Yes, old woman! "Jooba wacho niya, los kindi kode ka ndalo pod nitie"(Jehova days make your ways with Him when you still have the time)
Dashing here and there would be "Wagogni"(our sisters who are already married), preparing to receive their husbands or "oche" the following day."Or",plural "Oche",are highly respected in my community. It is believed that they play a crucial role of "golo ogwang' e dala( Maalim Tonney Bleah will translate this) 😂 😂 😂,it therefore follows without questions that owing to their role they must be well worn(irwako gi maber) Need I add that they normally participate heavily in these funerals, monetary wise!
The occasional drunkard shouting "ongee" cannot miss in any "arita".I must admit that these are the people who interest me a lot. They give no damn and spit truth like bile. "Ongee, donge Odhis nyocha muodo njuk sirkal, awachoo! Kihero titweya, jela simba yawuou. (Boohoo, Odhis used to chew government groundnuts, I have said, if you like you can jail me, jail is men's lion 😂 😂 😂
Well, I only remember these things when I am linguistically tipsy!
Signed
©FK
Intelligence Analyst
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