Did you know: The name Kipsigis means giving birth

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The Kipsigis are one of the nilotic groups of Kenya. They are part of the nine sub-ethnic groups of the Kalenjin. They occupy the southern part of the Rift Valley and neighbour the Gusii, Maasai, Luo, and Kikuyu. The name Kipsigis is derived from the term 'sigiisyeet' which means giving birth. The first batch of British agents in western Kenya referred to the Kipsigis people as 'Lumbwa' and sometimes as 'Kwavi' which is the name of Laikipia Maasai.

The Lumbwa are believed to have been a hunter-gatherer people who lived near present-day Londiani. Kipsigis were initially a single group among the Nandi known as 'Chemwal' until 1800.