WOMEN AND THEIR UNDIVIDED SERVICE TO FAMILY

The month of June had only a dozen days left.The sky had mostly been clear both during the day and at night.On this particular day,bands of clouds spread across the night sky in layers,and from time to time,they blotted it out altogether.The deep silence of the night was interrupted by sharp successive chirps of birds still laying still on their nests, some on trees, and others on the ground. From small sharp voices, to long deep howls rendered the air in successive turns. The sun had started to send long streaks of light over the shoulder of a flickering cloud in the East, slowly turning away darkness,and bringing a warm blanket of light over the face of the earth.

Enkanasa village was still, devoid of movement.The wind that was whirring through the trees,had now turned into a cool moist breeze that swayed in limbo,through the air.

Cows stood agape in their shed, their bodies covered in soft flattened hair,that held droplets of the moist air.The numerous small mud huts looked like small brown hills.They had turned from a Cake brown colour,to a semi-black look,from absorbing the dewy air.Only “simba”, the largest dog in the homestead made rounds.He wagged his tail in successive circles,alternating between the cow shed-where he lay through the night,and the entrance to the small huts commonly known as manyattas,eagerly awaiting for his patrons to get up.Simba was the main guard in the village,he would prowl the village into the night,and sleep next to cows so he would draw warmth from the cows.

The chirpings of birds were broken by loud crows of cocks that were locked in a small house next to one of the  the huts.As the day broke,and more light shone through,there was competition amongst the cockerels,which would increase in pitch and tone as more light hit the village, turning from a deep orange sunrise, to a brighter Break of day.

Napolos who had slept unusually deep into day-break, turned unconsciously,and  a ray of light that peeped through a crack in the grass thatched roof hit her face,igniting her senses!An aeroplane that had for ages hovered over the village at daybreak had this day passed without her notice.She had had a long previous day a routine that was inevitable for all women in the village.A normal day would involve herding goats in the bush, picking  firewood,making dinner,which would mostly consist of maize flour mixed with water,salt,and the dough known as ugali,is taken with milk. After serving the whole family,She would do her dishes before going to bed late, after the whole family. The following day would be an extension of the same routine.Recollecting her memory,she knew that time for sleep was over.She sat up,sprung her right foot down from the small bed,over the edge of the cow skin that she used as a mattress.The small sticks that are intertwined under the skin passed cracking sounds,and she halted so as not to wake the kids and her  husband who were sleeping on a larger bed just across the round fire place that is carefully placed in the middle of the hut,surrounded by three stones,and crossed on the top by a metal bar that holds the cooking pot.

Looking over through the mild light,she saw that the exit of the hut(which was secured by a cow hide that served as a door and enforced by a huge round stump)had become bright enough for her to start the day.

Napolos sprung off her bed,making a cackling sound as she staggered through the darkness in the small hut,swaying her hands over a small rack placed right in front of the fireplace.She picked up her milking gourd,and a rope,as she pulled the stump towards her chest,and slowly put it on the side of the entrance.The skin that was for long used as a door to cordon off intruders was safe as it would make a scratchingly rumbling noise on tapping,let alone if touched or moved.She safely dragged it outside and set it along the short wall to the left of the hut.She did this carefully not to wake the children who still snored in succession,as they turned in turns,due to the approaching morning cold,and streaks of light that now threatened to interfere with their sweet sleep.She sprung her foot over a small stick that acted as a door-frame,and landed it on a small muddy furrow on the outside.The morning dew had seeped through dust, changing the air outside to a fresh smell of wet sand that swept through the homestead.That smell alone gave hope to all and sundry.It meant more grass for the cows,more milk,more water,and those were the life and death needs of the people.

Her eyes felt a sharp surge as she braved the morning light, and she stopped, closed her eyes first, before opening them again and proceeded towards a small bush by the edge of the homestead.The bush had been left uncleared intentionally so the village would have a place to relieve themselves.Pit latrines have for a long while been a reserve of the rich,and those who were learned.After all,there was nothing wrong with using the bush,just like their ancestors did.After responding to a call of nature, she headed into the cow shed, where she stood looking over all the cows, and counting them traditionally by looking for each of the colours of different cows, and checking for lineage from one cow family to the next.

In half an hour,her face had released most of the curves of doubt,and she wore a satisfied look.Bending over and placing her gourd and rope on the ground,she headed straight into her hut,got a small cup with water which she used to wash her hands.She then opened the calf pen which is a small compartment made within the hut using twigs,to separate the family from the goat kids and calves.The smoke and heat from the firewood fire had kept the calves warm,and they were still lying down in deep sleep.It was totally dark in the pen,and the young calves were oblivious of the events in the surrounding and outside. ‘Ou ou ou….ou ou ou! Napolos called out as she peeked into the small pen, almost bending to her knees. She could hardly see anything, until a small brown calf sprung onto her feet, and shook her head before running towards the exit. Napolos led her into the cow pen, and opened the entrance whereby a small shrub is used as a gate. Many cows saw the calf stretch its small body through the semi-tight entrance,and mowing rendered the air as they all awaited their calves.The calf added speed and ran straight to the mother,who had stretched her neck,and grummed assertingly,as the calf sped past its towering mouth, to suckle in haste. She started suckling fast, with big foam of milk hitting the ground,She had learnt from days on end that satisfaction was largely dependent on her speed!It was a competition for milk.

  Napolos held her rope, ran towards it, and tied her neck then pulled her towards the long posts that fence the cattle shed, tying her there.’Nyika’,the mother to the calf moved closer,and started licking its calf from the neck up towards the hump,in quick succession.The calf would lift its nose up,and would moan at the feeling of the maternal licks,as Napolos’ guard produced a streaming sound,and milk kept rising and rising in it.After a little while,She  raised her head,untied the calf,and let it free to continue suckling.

As she walked towards the hut to free the next calf,she saw Leyian her youngest  son who had woken up,and held on to walls as a guide towards the exit.He almost walked out with his eyes closed.He was standing right on the left side of the hut,struggling between opening his eyes and closing them.He had a small beaded string round his waist,which would show when he was getting thin,or ifhe addedweight.His usually protruding stomach had sunk in showing clear ribs,a sign that he had woken up hungry.His body had a whitish coat from the hide he had slept on.Napolos bent over,took him by the right hand,then kissed him on the cheek,before licking her thumb and using it to wipe his eyes,She took him behind the hut for a short call.She knew it would take a while,so she left him there,and rushed over to continue with her chores.As he stood there he passed urine, while scratching his eyes and with every attempt to open them,he would brave the light,until he opened them fully.He finished and passed a satisfactorily loud fart,as he turned to walk towards the front of the hut. Napolos released the next calf,milked it,and came back for the next until all the six cows had been milked. She picked her three small gourds, and rope,walked into her hut,where her other two sons Leina and Moseka were seating each on the side of their father’s feet.

Leina had woken up, got down from the bed,and scratched into the ashes in the fire where he found small streaks of fire from the previous night,poured dry leaves on them and started blowing into them.Small cracks of sparks rose into the dry leaves,and caused smoke.After continued blowing,a fire popped up,reflecting his father’s huge,whitish-brown feet horizontally towering over the frame of his small bed,reflecting the fire rays occasionally,as Leinas teeth reflected the golden flame, each time he ran back and forth to put in more firewood.The heat got unbearable on the old man's feet, and he coughed authoritatively as he sat up,pulling his frame to the middle of the bed,and moved his hands in circles,as he pulled the blanket over his body.

The boys stood up, and bowed in front of the bed to greet the old man. Kalwan gently placed his hand on the boys’ heads and half-murmured a traditional greeting ‘Oyie entasupa?’(“Boys how are you?”), “Ipa oleng mpapa” (“Fine thanks Father”) the boys answered as per custom,and they resumed their positions in the hut.Kalwan kept moving his hands haphazardly on the bed,and reached out to his huge blanket and a long well curved stick,which supported him to walk. His sword was hanging on the side of the bed from a stick protruding from the wall.He reached out to it and pulled it down,tying the belt over his waist.

He bundled himself up and held on to the pillar in the middle of the hut then gigantically sprinted past the boys,before bending over through the entrance.On stepping out,He stood upright, towering over the cows,most of which had stood up and were slowly chewing cud as they waited for the start of day.His first task was always to check on the cows health by looking at the eyes,if there is any cow with hairs standing straight,and if they are walking well.He would check for ticks,look at the ears,and check their physique for any injuries.He would then look at their stomachs to ascertain if they are getting enough pasture,and water.After seemingly getting satisfied, He looked at the sun,and pulled a small three legged stump which he used to sit on against the cow shed.He reached out under his robe that hung under his armpits,and got his snuff pack out,leaving the chain that was holding it to swing from his neck.Pouring out a small portion on to his left hand,he pinched it with the right hand.He then placed the snuff under both his nostrils,and inhaled deeply.He then looked down,as if feeling the effect.It must have awoken all his ancestral ties in the head,as he looked up  very slowly.Two bubbles of tears popped up from his eyes.He repeatedly sniffed deeply,and held his lips agape as he exhaled the deep breath.

He looked at his shadow,that was now way beyond his seat,the more the shadow cast itself long,the more fast things had to be done as time was as important to the people,as it was to the livestock.He cleared his throat,and called out, “Oyie?”  in a loud hoarse voice to alert the boys who were yet to leave the hut.The boys knew that if he called twice,they would receive a beating of a lifetime.Leina and Moseka shot out of the hut like two successive bullets,and stood right before their father.He instructed them to open the cattle shed so the cows would move out and start grazing slowly within the compound,as they finished their food.He knew they had to eat well in the morning,as like any other herdsman in the village,that would be the only meal for the whole day.Leina pulled the shrub that traditionally stands as a cultural security at the entrance to the cow shed in a hush and put it by the side of the shed.He called out to Naisimoi,a small girl who was their step-sister.She came holding a small stick that is known as “Ormanet”.It is culturally blessed by elders,and used to guard the livestock during the day against both human and non-human dangers.During the exercise,She is not allowed to speak to anyone,and she holds it upright on her right hand,then walks round the cow shed,circling all the cows and the herdsmen/boys, before going back into their hut,putting it under the cow hide that the mother sleeps on,and leaving it there.As she came out of the hut,she saw Leina run into the last corner where a few calves and cows were lying,picked up a small stick and started hitting the cows softly.Moseka sped up and started chasing the calves on the opposite ditrection,to separate them from the cows.The calves were always taken back into their pens until the cows went far into their grazing  land,to avoid them from suckling during the day and to ensure there’s milk for the family in the evening.The separation took a few minutes before all the calves were slowly driven into their pens.The cows were free to move and the sound of bells rendered the air.Memiri,a huge brown bull was leading the heard,shaking his long horns from left to right,chewing momentarily as he stepped on the ground with pomp.It was fairly green,the grass felt like a soft sponge to the boys feet.They moved slowly behind the herd,letting each cow run to a green spot to fill their mouths as they strode slowly spreading into an open blanket of cows,each at its own small spot.The grass and teeth met at fast speeds,producing a scratching sound,and the air was filled with the smell of fresh green grass.

Napolos bent up from the hut entrance,and shouted at the top of her voice “Oyie ootu” (Boys run home).It was time for the boys to get into the house for a fill of food,that would last them the whole day.They left the cows grazing slowly,and ran into the hut.Their mother had prepared “Ugali”,a Kenyan delicacy made from mixing maize flour at high quantities with water,to form a dough that cooks until ready.They each were given a gourd of milk,and huge pieces of Ugali.The milk hadnot been boiled but had cooled off from sitting in the gourd.

Leina and Moseka hurriedly picked huge chunks of Ugali,and sipped on the milk as they looked outside,to see how far cows were moving.After they were done,they both went into the sides of their beds,Leina got a small club with a round head,a stick used to control cows,and his small sword that was well held in its sheath.He quickly tied the belt round his waist and ran outside the hut,onto a group of cows on the left of the herd.Kalwan,their father had sprung up from his three legged seat and was slowly driving cows from the right side of the herd to a close up.Moseka joined up behind the herd,and holding his small spear,he made wide strides behind the herd,slowly increasing the speed of the cows.They both had worn sandals made from used tyres,that had straps running over the top of their feet,and fitted well between the thumb and index finger.

The old man ensured the cows had joined back into an almost straight array,and were all facing the path towards Olorng’aboli river which they always crossed and moved into the flat morijo plains.Leina was slowly walking when their father went into a halt, intertwined his legs and called his name.He started talking to him while pointing towards the river using his walking stick. He gave directions on how he would wish the cows to be driven the whole day. “Start from the river,let the cows drink before crossing.Take a left after the river,and let them move towards that long tree towering over the small plain amid those acacia trees. “

“Then let the cows face west until you find a small patch of land that is clear,the cows will run to lick the white salty soil.Let them lick in turns,then go in front of them so they again face home.By the time your shadows are right below your feet,let them start moving back towards home.You will get here in good time.”He then wished them a good day,and walked back towards the homestead.It was his turn to go and grab something to eat,before heading to other villages to meet other old men over “Muratina”,a traditional brew made from honey, sausage tree, and water. Old men from villages would converge in one small homestead belonging to a man called Lepore.Here,there was too large visage,memory sketches,and half-remembered events.They would share childhood stories,and how they lived their worrior hood,until evening,when they would go back home before cows arrived,so that they have a chance to count the cows and ensure all have arrived home in good condition.They had an opportunity to brag about their riches,most talking about their big bulls,the good colour of their breeds,and challenging those that had no cows to work hard and get cows.

Kalwan was given his fill of milk and Ugali,before Napolos carried Leyian,and moved out of the hut to allow the husband to feed in peace.He ate slowly for a while,then drank all the remaining milk from his gourd.He believed that milk was the most energetic food he could eat and survive for the rest of the day.He wiped his mouth,and pushed the bowl that had “Ugali’ remains away,towards the fireplace.He then sprung up to his feet,bending his way towards the exit.On standing upright at the doorstep,he realized his wife was seating at the wall of the hut,and she was singing an old time traditional song as she put some beads together to make a bracelet.Leyian was playing besides her,throwing stones into the air and back,while putting aside stones that went opposite the rest.It was a game where kids held stones as their cows,and named the stones that moved away as stray cows.

Clearing his throat,He told her to come and close the house,lest dogs would enter and lick her utencils.She affirmed,as they overtook each other,Kalwan walking towards Lepore home,and Napolos ran into the hut.She picked the hide and closed the entrance by putting the usual stump across.She went back behind the hut and sat there weaving her beads together.Her friends from other villages would visit at times to discuss family issues affecting them as women,recall their childhood days for those that knew each other,and to  reflect on progress in each household.

The women would get into their huts late in the afternoon, and start preparing for dinner, and await the coming of cows, as well as prepare  hot tea for the boys that go herding, which they take before going out to get goat kids and calves into their pens, as they await dinner. The children from all over the village would meet to sing, jump, chase each other around the cow shed, and from one hut to the other. Evening meals and even sleeping would be done in any hut with friends,and old people would tell children stories and tales,deep into the night.Napolos would sleep alongside girls,and boys would go to find another hut to sleep in.In the neighbouring Empura village,Nasieku an old toothless grandmother was the favorite for all the village boys.She would come home drunk of traditional brews,and would make fun of all the boys,who would then laugh heartily at her jokes.Later at night,she would sit them round a fire and tell them tales from ancient times.The stories and tales each had lessons for the children to learn,from those that were to condemn jealousy,provoke hardwork,honesty,brevity,and many other virtues.Kalwan and his mates would drink down the day,and would come home before sunset to check the cows and confirm they are in good health and that all have arrived.In case some are left at the bush,the boys and men look for them until all are brought home.

The routine held on, with few changes if any,each day bringing a new hope.