LIST OF KIPSIGIS CLANS by Chalgata Soi, P.O. Box 129, Litein

LIST OF KIPSIGIS CLANS by Chalgata Soi, P.O. Box 129, Litein

  22:18    Tabutany ak Cheplangat

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 KIPSIGIS CLANS


1. Kibasisek
2.Kipsamaek
3.Kibomuek
4.Kabarangwek
5.Kibindoek
6. Kibang'wanek
7.Kapkolwolek
8. Kiplekenek
9.Kapmoek
10.Kibororek
11. Kipkendek
12.Kapkomosek
13.Kapyosit
14.Kapbecherek
15.Kipkeswaek
16.Mabasik
17.Boswetek
18.Motoborik
19.Kapmososwoek
20. Kapborowek
21.Borowik
22. Kapchepkitwaek
23.Kapkitolek
24.Kipsirgoik
25.Kipyegenek
26.Kapkomulgek
27.Kiptebek
28.Kapchemogondek
29.Kipkogosek
30.Kapsegerik
31.Kapsumelek
32.Kapsengerek
33.Kapbarsumek
34.Kapcheplel
35.Kapsoigoek
36.Narachek
37.Kaplochng'wonet
38.Maunyiyet
39.Kaptolil
40.Kapmaiga
41.Kapsegit
42. Kapgawon
43.Kapkenyogorek
44. Bobuserek
45.Kapcheptalamek
46. Kaparsingil
47.Kapcheboin
48.Kapsutaek
49. Kapsaosanik
50.Kapmochoek
51.Kapkichwenek
52.Kapkisogori
53. Kapororon
54.Kapchebagalat
55.Kasoriri
56.Kipchepkewek
57.Kapchepisom
58. Kapkorukek
59. Kapchemomulek
60.Kapchekimweyek
61.Kapkechwoek
62. Kapbarimbari
63.Kapmalumabwai
64.Kapiyorya
65.Kapkoru
66.Kipcheromek
67.Kapyanganek
68.Kapsirikwo
69.Kapsirwoek
70. Kapchebures
71. Kaptuiyek
72. Kapkerichek
73. Kapkesogek
74.Kamarusek
75.Kapsoenik
76.Kipmeitek
77.Kipchepkogosek
78. Kapcherongek
79 Kapcherongek
80. Chemusarek
81. Kapsitek
82. Kapcheberek
83.Kapmochilek
84. Kibaek
85.Kapcheburek
86. Kapburet
87.Kapsigilaek
88. Kapkesundek
89.Kapkorosion
90. Kapchochek
91. Kibetu
92. Kaptoiyon
93. Kiboldo
94. Kapchemisek
95. Kapchepkesek
96. Kipbokwoek
97. Kapchililek
98. Chebororek
99. Kapnabe/Kapchekweek
100. Kapsoit
101. Kapchelanik
102.Kapcheptek
103. Kapkochutmo
104. Kapkuchei
105. Kipkelesek
106. Kapsengwer
107. Kamijinga
108. Kapchemugenek
109. Kapteret
110. Kaptuigong
111. Chebochek
112. Kapcheptum
113. Kapmusek
114. Kapwaibei
115. Kimolok
116. Kimatagei
117. Talai
118. Kapmelgui
119. Kapchepkongon
120. Kaptamoi
121. Kapsile
122. Kaptotonek
123. Kapmogorek
124.Kapbargesaek
125.Kapmanereriet
126. Kamorosaek
127. Kapchereren
128. Kapkowon
129. Kapkoruket
130. Kapchesakut
131. Kamalumasian
132. Kapbarmereigo
133. Kapmereigo
134. Kapkugoek
135. Kapchemwei
136. Baswetek
137. Kaboboek
138. Kapterewet
139. Kapreswek
140.Kaptarob
141. Kamatelengech
142. Kamaek
143. Kapchemunyek
144. Kapmoroboek
145. Kamunga
146. Cherongeny
147. Kapkarurek
148. Kapmogor
149. Kichwen
150. Chepchekimom
151. Kapchemawach
152. Kapororkek
153. Kapbomoek
154. Kapchepunguek
155. Kaptoyon
156. Kaptimoto
157. Kiptabisek
158. Kapchepalungu
159. Kapchebenet
160. Kaprotichek
161. Kapborokek
162. Kapcherongonyet
163. Kapsosomek
164. Kapchebogolwol
165. Kapkulon
166. Kapchepkersut
167. Kapsombeiywo
168. Kakibun
169. Kapkoronei
170. Kapchebokeny
171. Kapborisogei
172. Chesongony
173. Kapchepkolomek
174. Boek

Courtesy of Chalgata Soi, P.O. Box 129, Litein

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A TYPHICAL DECEMBER HOLIDAY DURING MY BOYHOOD

A TYPHICAL DECEMBER HOLIDAY DURING MY BOYHOOD

  22:55    Tabutany ak Cheplangat

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A TYPHICAL DECEMBER HOLIDAY DURING MY BOYHOOD

December is here with us and we are all looking forward for this month of festivities and merriments!
I have just been reminded with nostalgia of when December, was truly December, wacha hii ya siku hizi. I am talking of Decembers of the last millennium when Female Genital Mutilation had not attained that demeaning name, FGM. At that time it used to be respectfully referred to as “a passage of rite where women of substances were manufactured out of mucous-ed girls (chepkabuk)”
I am talking of December, holidays when we as ‪#‎ngetik‬ would close schools on Fridays and stuff our books on some corner of the classroom and leg it into the nearest home that was said to be ‘feeding the initiates’ and at around 6PM, we would join ‪#‎murenik‬ in ‘beating chepketilet’ and later watch with admiration as the initiates; standing around ‪#‎mabwai‬ were being cheered and challenged (kecheer) with Ololeyo song
During the heat of the moment, a mother, grandmother or aunt of one of the initiates would step in front to challenge her son, grandson or nephew daring him to be cowards and she would disown him. This one below, for instance was from my grandmother Tabutany many years ago;
a) Kongoi Kipsalat, Kongoi nyiganet kongoi Cheboin ne kimas Talianek (Italians) kurenenyin en Bama (Burma) kot koocha ak kobirchi gee kibaswet en waldai,
b) Kongoi makiolok ne kakomutwech toek ko ng’eten ole boch,
c) Mas chebo iman weee taitab werinyun, Kipsalat ne ingonyim ko luu muguleldanyun
d) Mas chebo iman wee werit asi asim aba teresit. Ame sengweran wee mugenyun asi koil moo wee nyiganetab Kap Keya ne ribe kalyet en pitoshechun bo Nemibia
e) Ametyar boyot wee Cheboin inyun iba kwam teget
f) Nyiganitun oo tangus oor ne iboten mwai eut ak gororiet en metit
g) Ame kender bokwoit ne ki itarpoch kiptalil kong iba komasta gee, kogeer kelyek barak en Kap posta Chemakel ak koiben mundukit agoi gaa.
h) Ak itiech suswot oo Kipkoriryenyun iba kwo round kou nusut
i) Ame tee wee sinani, kou ngoktab kap barangwek ne ki ite en Karap Marus iba kotonon igoorta
j) Amee kender abuleyonit ne ka konyo kong’eten olin bo koiwa
By the end of her speech that evening, I vividly remember my uncle ‪#‎Kipyebjoget‬, being overwhelmed by emotions and during the fits, hit ‪#‎chepkosaa‬ with his ‪#‎makwachit‬ ak kochuut rotwetab chook and threw himself on the ground. By then, warrior blood in me was singing in my ears and when the hour arrived, I was more than ready!!! (I suggest that a ‘retouched’ of such cherset be made to exam pupils)
THE SHAKING OFF THE DUST
So, we could watch as the initiates were being ‪#‎cher‬ and follow them to where they were being ‘linked’ (ole kikiroben) yelling and shouting all the way to harden their nerves and make them brave. It was from this house of tumin where the uninitiated were not allowed to enter. This used to be a big mud-walled and grass-thatched house. The biggest in the village!!
That would be around 11P.M when the “mother was smelling.” The uninitiated, having been chased away from kotab tumin, then would go to the visitors’ house and literally shake off dust with the music blaring from ‪#‎rekod‬ that had its speakers positioned on to the opening of a big water clay pot to produce the ‘base.’
Dancing would go until morning or until the power in the battery goes flat.
NEXT DAY, THE NEXT HOME IN THE NEXT VILLAGE
We used to dance until morning and when it dawns; you would get your schoolmate or a friend to take you to his home for a quick nap. And around 12pm, we would head to the next home in the next village also ‘feeding the boys.’ Repetition of the previous days would happen. This would go on for a whole week. I, for instance, would stay away from home for the whole week, clad in my school uniform; the same that I had on when we closed the school.
At times even, after that one week, we would start again ya wasichana for another one week. By the end of the two weeks, it would be time kelab eun ng’etik and dancing, eating and dringing musarek would start again. It was no wonder December holidays for boys were so short.
OH MY GOD, I MISS THEM TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Cheboin

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Isageek the kalenjin most loved food From the Garden to the Dinner Table

Isageek the kalenjin most loved food From the Garden to the Dinner Table

  03:03    Tabutany ak Cheplangat

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Isageek he alenjin Most loved food From the Garden to the Dinner Table

Isageek

Give the Kalenjin people a meal of ugali (corn bread) and Isageek (a traditional vegetable) and you are friends for life. The kalenjins love these vegetables so much that the can feast on it all seven days of the week. 

All vegetables like cabbages, collard greens, spinach and beans, must be eaten with Ugali .

 

 Cooking Ugali
Ugali is like corn bread made of corn meal or millet flour and water. You get the water to the boiling point, then add corn/millet meal in portions while stirring vigorously with a cooking stick called mug’anget. You stir it until it becomes unsticky. You let it cook for a few minutes and then serve it with hot vegetables on the side, a meat selection and sour milk called Mursik . 

A kalenjin would eat this every day without any complains at all. No need for variety meals as long as Isageek is part of the main dish, he or she will be a happy camper. So what is this Isageek and why do these people go ‘crazy’ when this vegetable is served?

What is Isageek?

Isageek is one of the Kalenjin community’s favorite vegetable.TheKalenjins owned a beautiful and fertile land in the most part of Riftvalley province in Kenya. These highlands provide tropical climate that provides the farmers with good fertile soil for planting Isageek . The women normally are responsible for planting Isageek . They do so in their small gardens near their homestead. They can plant them in lines or use the broadcasting method which is the most preferred method. Most of them grow these vegetable for domestic consumption. I have always wished they could invest in large plantations for these could be a great opportunity to generate large revenue for the families. Planting Isageek does not take a large portion of the farm. A size as small as 6 by 5 feet can generate enough handfuls to feed the family of three. Once Isageek is planted, it takes a week to geminate and about two weeks for the farmer to pick weeds, at the same time harvesting fully grown leaves ready to be cooked and served for lunch or dinner. At the same time, the farmer can also space the plants to ensure enough room for growth and loosen the soil for moisture. Picking the leaves makes the plants stronger, making the plant to produce new healthy leaves hence the assurance of a continuous supply of Isageek. It is recommended that the top part of the plant be picked so that it can branch out. Isageek plants takes about four to five months, and then leaves becomes thin, and yellowish. The plants start to flower and produce seeds. In a few days, the plants will dry up and you can harvest the seeds and plant new crops. It is a very simple procedure, cheap, fast and easy to plant and get the seeds for the next planting season. The Kalenjin people are so crazy with Isageek that even those who have immigrated to other countries, have improvised; instead of having a flower garden, they have Isageek garden. In their backyards, a large portion of it is filled with Isageek .

 

Healthy Isageek in the garden

How is it cooked?

First, you have to cook the vegetables by boiling it with water for up to 30 minutes or so. Then drain the water and fry it with olive oil (or any cooking oil of your choice), then add onions and tomatoes. Let it cook for about 30 minutes. On the side, mix Royco Mchuzi Mix (a Kenyan spice) with cold water, and add it to the Isageek that is still cooking on the stove. Then finally, add the heavy whipping cream and let is steam for five minutes. Thereafter, you can serve it with Ugali . It must be served with Ugali other food choices can be an option but Isageek must be eaten with Ugali . Now, the kalenjin people are not big on measurements. They just use the discretion of their eyes and taste buds to determine the appropriate measurements, and 99% of the time, they do so perfectly to the right taste. The amount of ingredients that is added to the Isageek is determined by the number of approximated servings. The women cooking Isageek have become so professional in that, they just look at the amount in the cocking pot and add the right amount of spices. I have a great admiration for these women. Interesting enough, Isageek got a very bitter taste and sometimes people who are addicted to sweet flavors may not enjoy the meal served with Isageek . The older the Isageek plants are the bitter the taste. Though sometimes this bitterness challenges to me, I must confess that though I come from this community, I am not that extremely crazy with Isageek , but will devour it still every chance I come across it.

 Isageek ready to be cooked

What are the health benefits?

Now having become a health fanatic, I had my own hypotheses as to why my people are so much in love with Isageek . I thought may be the bitterness gives them that extreme flavor that overworks their salivary glands. I love the smell of it too. It is unique and hard to describe it in words. I did a little bit of research to find if there are health benefits associated with Isageek. I learned that it has several nutrients that are essential for our bodies. Isageek scientific name is Gynandropsis Gynandra. Isageek is an antioxidant that helps eliminate the toxics in the body. It keeps the immune system strong making it possible to fight infections. Being an antioxidant, it is able to protect and repair cell from damaged free radicals. WebMD and other medical experts belief these damages cause chronic diseases like cancer, arthritis and hardening of arteries. According a Molecular Biologist (Dr. Sang), Isageek is also used as an analgesic and as a stimulant. It can also be used to get rid of ticks in livestock. These uses may explain as to why I used not to hear a lot of these chronic diseases while growing up. This was the main vegetable in the kalenjin diet way back than it is now.

Milk, Isageek, Ugali (made from millet flour)

Cooked Isageek

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