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Luo mourning - I seek to understand.
Rank: Elder Joined: 3/2/2009 Posts: 26,330 Location: Masada
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PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Utalia sana! Portfolio: Sold
You know you've made it when you get a parking space for your yatcht.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 1/3/2014 Posts: 1,063
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McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Consistency is better than intensity
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 1/3/2014 Posts: 1,063
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Impunity wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Utalia sana! Should we just follow a culture blindly without looking at the consequences? Consistency is better than intensity
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Rank: Elder Joined: 6/17/2008 Posts: 23,365 Location: Nairobi
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PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? ..."Wewe ni mtu mdogo sana....na mwenye amekuandika pia ni mtu mdogo sana!".
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Rank: Elder Joined: 3/2/2009 Posts: 26,330 Location: Masada
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McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? Good question. I wonder why someone would travel all the way from the slopes of Mt. Kenya to go feast in a funeral for a whole week, and also have the audacity to squat and sh*t in the bereaved pit latrine! And going by his explanation of feasting period, this was not a "humble" guy...this is a guy who had made it. Portfolio: Sold
You know you've made it when you get a parking space for your yatcht.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 1/3/2014 Posts: 1,063
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Impunity wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? Good question. I wonder why someone would travel all the way from the slopes of Mt. Kenya to go feast in a funeral for a whole week, and also have the audacity to squat and sh*t in the bereaved pit latrine! And going by his explanation of feasting period, this was not a "humble" guy...this is a guy who had made it. You can talk all the sh*t that you want but I don't give a f***.As to the reason for my travel-Its called love.My friend was a student who was paying his siblings school fees through the HELB loan that he was receiving Consistency is better than intensity
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 1/3/2014 Posts: 1,063
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McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? I don't have a problem with the feasting but when you go and eat a poor man's goat,bring two . Don't be a liability to the family Consistency is better than intensity
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Rank: Elder Joined: 3/2/2009 Posts: 26,330 Location: Masada
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PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? I don't have a problem with the feasting but when you go and eat a poor man's goat,bring two . Don't be a liability to the family The question was very clear:Did you also eat the poor man's goat for a whole week? Portfolio: Sold
You know you've made it when you get a parking space for your yatcht.
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Rank: Elder Joined: 3/2/2009 Posts: 26,330 Location: Masada
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PeterReborn wrote:Impunity wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? Good question. I wonder why someone would travel all the way from the slopes of Mt. Kenya to go feast in a funeral for a whole week, and also have the audacity to squat and sh*t in the bereaved pit latrine! And going by his explanation of feasting period, this was not a "humble" guy...this is a guy who had made it. You can talk all the sh*t that you want but I don't give a f***.As to the reason for my travel-Its called love.My friend was a student who was paying his siblings school fees through the HELB loan that he was receiving You are just a dunderhead! How can a poor student from a poor background sustain feasting goats and chickens for a week in his funeral? You are so thick you cant even understand your own writing. Portfolio: Sold
You know you've made it when you get a parking space for your yatcht.
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Rank: Elder Joined: 10/9/2008 Posts: 5,389
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www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29951679 C&P Samuel Ochieng waits outside a mortuary in the western Kenyan city of Kisumu every Thursday and Friday looking for bereaved families. The 36-year-old is a professional mourner and his voice and his motorcycle are his only source of income. For years hired mourners have been paid to go round the city at breakneck speed on motorbikes, swerving from one side of the road to the other, piercing the air with loud whistles and blaring horns from early in the morning. "They pay us to make noise and use our bikes to go round the city. They will buy whistles and alcohol. We will then do the job," says Mr Ochieng. "The lowest amount of money we get paid is $6 (£3.80) and on a good day we can make $12." Grieving families believe the louder the noise and the bigger the procession, the greater the honour for the deceased. And they are willing to spend huge amounts of money for a lap of honour around the city - traditionally on the last two days of the working week. This is because in the Luo community burials normally happen on a Saturday, so a body will stay in the house for viewing for a day or two before. A crowded funeral procession is a symbol of the popularity and fame of the family. The paid mourners are briefed about the life of the deceased and for hours, they will scream and chant their name. "We have to show people that the person who has just died was important, [then] the family feels good," explains Mr Ochieng.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 1/3/2014 Posts: 1,063
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Impunity wrote:PeterReborn wrote:Impunity wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? We were there for a week and every day was feasting day.I dont know the numbers but almost the whole village was there. Were you also feasting for the whole week? Good question. I wonder why someone would travel all the way from the slopes of Mt. Kenya to go feast in a funeral for a whole week, and also have the audacity to squat and sh*t in the bereaved pit latrine! And going by his explanation of feasting period, this was not a "humble" guy...this is a guy who had made it. You can talk all the sh*t that you want but I don't give a f***.As to the reason for my travel-Its called love.My friend was a student who was paying his siblings school fees through the HELB loan that he was receiving You are just a dunderhead! How can a poor student from a poor background sustain feasting goats and chickens for a week in his funeral? You are so thick you cant even understand your own writing. you are the dunderhead!!Your ignorance is overwhelming. Does it mean that any family that has a few animals they are rearing is a rich family. I now understand why you hate the mountaineers so much.This is because every homestead for a mountaineer has a few domestic animals and in your wisdom that is a rich family. Consistency is better than intensity
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 1/3/2014 Posts: 1,063
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jaggernaut wrote:www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29951679
C&P
Samuel Ochieng waits outside a mortuary in the western
Kenyan city of Kisumu every Thursday and Friday looking for
bereaved families.
The 36-year-old is a professional mourner and his voice and
his motorcycle are his only source of income.
For years hired mourners have been paid to go round the city
at breakneck speed on motorbikes, swerving from one side of
the road to the other, piercing the air with loud whistles and
blaring horns from early in the morning.
"They pay us to make noise and use our bikes to go round the
city. They will buy whistles and alcohol. We will then do the
job," says Mr Ochieng.
"The lowest amount of money we get paid is $6 (£3.80) and
on a good day we can make $12."
Grieving families believe the louder the noise and the bigger
the procession, the greater the honour for the deceased.
And they are willing to spend huge amounts of money for a
lap of honour around the city - traditionally on the last two
days of the working week.
This is because in the Luo community burials normally happen
on a Saturday, so a body will stay in the house for viewing for
a day or two before.
A crowded funeral procession is a symbol of the popularity
and fame of the family.
The paid mourners are briefed about the life of the deceased
and for hours, they will scream and chant their name.
"We have to show people that the person who has just died
was important, [then] the family feels good," explains Mr
Ochieng. Why should a body be exposed for two days for the mourners to view the body? Does it mean that the family will confuse the body and Bury someone else? My late friend's body was exposed to the scorching sun and started smelling. Why can't the people go to the morgue and view the body from there. I now understand the crying part.We were asked whether we want to cry or to sing. Why is the burial ceremony conducted in dholuo only? Does it mean the mourners do not understand kiswahili or what is the essence? Consistency is better than intensity
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 5/13/2010 Posts: 869 Location: Nairobi
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McReggae wrote:PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Okay.....they ate all of them? Numbers? When I was in campus, one of our colleagues also went through something similar. We visited about 3 months later and everything was gone. We had to cook what we went with. Even before she graduated she had to get a job & pay for her kid bro's school fees despite her father having been a civil servant. Thankfully all that is behind her now. ....above all, to stand.
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Rank: Elder Joined: 6/17/2008 Posts: 23,365 Location: Nairobi
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Viewing of body - gives closure to the viewer. Fund raiser- funerals are a society thing, society feels the need to get involved. Many times after the celebration of the deceased life the balance is given to the family....unless something is very wrong with the organizers Funerals depend on how we are socialized. Amongst the Kikuyus for example- the very sick used to be left in the forest to die alone or be eaten by animals. Fast forward there is no importance to death. for others - death was a link between this and after life - so a good send off is important. we even send the dead with salams to relas who went before us.........all part of a dirge. If a community handles its dead in a particular manner, they will naturally understand when they see others handling their dead in a similar manner, lakini in a discussion of culture, the main trouble is always the presumption of superiority of values.....live and let live. ..."Wewe ni mtu mdogo sana....na mwenye amekuandika pia ni mtu mdogo sana!".
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Rank: Elder Joined: 6/21/2008 Posts: 2,490
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Rank: Member Joined: 11/1/2012 Posts: 290
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So was this post meant to understand how Luos mourn or to show how much better other communities do it? I'm lost.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 5/13/2010 Posts: 869 Location: Nairobi
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I think how it is done now is the problem. I doubt it was like this in the old days. African cultures are mostly protective of the bereaved. According to yesterday's DN, the Kisumu County Govt has banned the professional mourners/funeral processions within the town. ....above all, to stand.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 5/13/2010 Posts: 869 Location: Nairobi
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Vallerrie wrote:So was this post meant to understand how Luos mourn or to show how much better other communities do it? I'm lost. As the title says, I seek to understand the Luo way of mourning. ....above all, to stand.
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Rank: Elder Joined: 7/10/2008 Posts: 9,131 Location: Kanjo
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Quote:JJ Kamotho passed on and the funeral was in Murang'a, the home base of Uhuru Kenyatta. Raila Odinga and everybody went there, but nobody was heckled Quote:(Retired) General Mulinge passed on and we went to Machakos, the political hotbed of Kalonzo Musyoka. All of us were there but we were never heckled Quote:What happened when my own colleague and very good friend Otieno Kajwang passed on? We went to his house, we raised money. We condoled with the family. We could not go to Homa Bay to bury him Quote:What happened to the son of the former Prime Minister? When people drive, fly long hours to condole and grieve with him, do you stone them? Luo Nyanza most intolerant regioni.am.back!!!!
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Rank: Member Joined: 1/15/2015 Posts: 681 Location: Kenya
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PeterReborn wrote:I don't known much about the luo culture but something has been bothering me since I lost a very close friend of mine and went to his burial in Rongo.
I understand that people must celebrate your life when you are gone but why should you leave the family more miserable?
My friend came from a humble background was the bread winner in the family and he was taking care of his parents and siblings.
When the mourners came to condole the family,they ate all the 'assets' the family had-goats,cows,maize in the name of celebrating his life.The parents couldn't afford to pay the school fees and we had to have a fundraiser as friends to see them through school.
A culture should be done away with if it doesn't add value to society.
Culture must be respected. But some cultures I find hard to understand. Cuzo was married there and after death of huzzy they did same thing. A fundraiser had to follow later to settle school fee.
60% Learning, 30% synthesizing, 10% Debating
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