A clan in Kakamega is rupholding a tradition that could be considered weird by many. All prominent persons from the clan must be buried in a sitting position.
Because the Angusu-Musitsialo clan of Wanga sub-tribe of the Abaluhya still insist on observing the tradition, this was the send-off the family of the late Peter Gisienya adopted.
The 80-year-old was chair of elders in Ikolomani. Residents of Mutaho village flocked the home to witness this prominent elder’s burial.
According to the deceased’s elder brother, Museve Athnus, the culture of burying people in a sitting position began long before they moved from Mumias to Ikolomani area.
“Peter is my brother, a friend, we schooled together. We were circumcised at the same time. Our culture demands that prominent people must be buried while seated with the coffin having an opening at the top. If he was a king, he would be wrapped in animal skin as would the stool he would sit on. This signifies power,” Museve explained.
When we arrived at the home, the body had already been placed in the special coffin in a sitting position and it was indeed a sight to behold.
Elder Lawrence Shitabati, 70, told us they also have to conduct rituals which include performing an Isukuti dance, singing and bullfighting on top of the grave.
He said if this not done, the deceased would start appearing in dreams insisting on being buried in a sitting position to enable him be well received in the spirit world.
“We are burying my uncle in a sitting position because he was married with seven children and we came from a royal family where they used to conduct such customs. If we fail to follow these customs, curses and other calamities such as disease will befall us,” Shitabati said.
However, Pastor Margaret Amutala of Mutaho Friends Church Quakers in Ikolomani differed with the elders’ views saying the church does not allow burials to be conducted in that manner.
“The late is a strong member of our church since he was baptised at Shikulu Friends Church in 1940 and as a church we want to bury him in a Christian way,” Amutala said.
She continued: “We had conflict with the family over this matter but eventually arrived at a consensus. We will conduct the church service and after we have left they can carry on with their traditions”.
According to the elders, the genesis of this custom started many years ago after one elderly man went to herd his cattle and did not return home.
The family went to look for him but found him dead while still in a sitting position on the traditional stool he used to sit on while looking after his animals. They took his body home and buried it in the normal laying down position.
A few days after the burial, people started dying mysteriously until the clan sensed there was something wrong. Elders appeased the gods and offered prayers. Certain clan elders then started seeing the dead old man in dreams and he commanded them to re-bury him in a sitting position the way they found him or they were all at risk of dying.
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The clan obeyed and from then on, this has been the norm in burying prominent people.
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