Where the Wanga Kingdom reigns supreme

Built to immortalise the Wanga Kingdom, which is the Luhya cultural stronghold, is Nabongo Cultural Centre in Mumias whose artefacts transport visitors back in time to the once powerful empire, writes Jeckonia Otieno

Do you know where the first national flag to be flown in Kenya rests? Well, in case you didn’t know, it is safely housed in Kakamega County.

The flag, which was flown by Joseph Thompson in 1883, is part of the artefacts in the museum at Nabongo Cultural Centre along the Mumias-Busia road in Matungu. The flag has seen better days and is a combination of the Union Jack and a lion against a blue background.

Nabongo Cultural Centre was officially opened on December 13, 2008 by Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The centre, a project of the Nabongo Council of Elders under the chairmanship of the reigning king, Nabongo Peter Shitawa Mumia II, is an exclusive mix of the contemporary and the old.

At a glance, the buildings that welcome a visitor to the compound are modern, but as one delves deeper into the centre, the traditional aspects become notable.

Royal regalia

Apart from the first flag, the museum has many cultural items. Being the most famous king of the Wanga, Nabongo Mumia’s royal garment is encased resplendently beside the flag. Just beside it lie other royal regalia worn by the king during formal kingdom duty. They include a leopard skin and headgear placed strategically beside the royal stool. Beside them are other stools used by elders of the kingdom during official functions.

Still within the museum are old currencies. When trade between the explorers and locals flourished, these currencies were used as a medium of exchange long before the Kenya Shilling was introduced.

Agriculture was an important aspect among the Bantu and the Wanga being one of them, they practised crop farming. They planted sorghum and millet and also engaged in pastoralism. This is evidenced by the hoes and harvesters lying on the shelves of the museum.

Testimony to animal hunting, another of Wanga’s way of life, is displayed in the form of hippopotamus teeth, skulls of gazelles and antelopes; all having been collected by Nabongo Mumia himself. Horns of gazelles are also available, but not just for display or as a show of hunting might, but also as a communication tool used in the ancient days. The Wanga used this horn to summon the community for meetings.

But how were these animals slain? Iron ore chips lying beside the horns were used to kill and slaughter these animals after they had been captured. These, the guide says, were chipped off huge rocks by hitting them together so that they could break into small pieces.

Another proof of ironwork among the Wanga is on the grinding stone that was used to make flour out of millet and other grains.

Fish traps, calabashes, gourds, traditional trays among other artefacts are surviving proof that this community was well versed in matters nutrition.

Traditional homestead

It was common practise for traditional communities to go into war, either offensively or defensively. What more can attest to this if not the full war regalia made of the colobus monkey skin, a spear and shield (ingabo). The full regalia is not complete unless it has a headgear made of the same skin. All these are proudly displayed side by side.

Leisure and entertainment go hand in hand; this was not lost to the Wanga. Traditional smoke pipes and bao (olukho) would go together after a hard day’s work as men chatted away while women prepared meals.

Among the Luhya, male circumcision is not only cultural but an important initiation into adulthood. Though today it is a prerequisite that one knife be used on only one person being circumcised, the circumciser used one knife on many males those days. One such knife is displayed in the museum.

The traditional shaving blade is also exhibited.

With the coming of the Europeans, Nabongo Mumia received a number of gifts among them a tea set made of pure brass and photos of his wives, which produced a magnificent picture — at least by the standards of the time. All these are available for viewing.

When the youth hear of national identity cards, they might not know it originated from the kipande, which was hung around the neck for identification during the colonial period. The museum stocks typical examples used during the colonial period.

The mausoleum that stands outside the museum has tombs of four Wanga kings: Wamukoya, Shiundu, Mumia and Shitawa. The grave of the first leader of the Wanga, Nabongo Wanga lies apart from the other four buried in the compound.

A model of the traditional Wanga homestead lies farther down within the cultural centre. There are also two daises standing in the compound from where a crowd can be addressed.

Added to these is a small, mud walled, grass-thatched lecture hall for small group lectures, especially students. For those who hate the confines of a lecture hall, the grounds are well groomed with walkways that lead to a botanical garden from where a number of traditional shrubs are growing for fruit or medicinal purposes.

To cap it all, there is a restaurant where you can cool off after a long day’s tour. You can also access the Internet and library.

Nabongo Cultural Centre offers an exclusive one-stop view of the Wanga culture dating back to over 1,000 years, including the symbol of royalty, the King himself — the latter only available on appointment.