A comrade from the lakeside died and we had to take the body for burial somewhere in Siaya as is the custorm. So after a 2 weeks disco matanga tings to collect cash for the burial expenses, it was time to head west but not before the final ritual a day to. Someone brought a chicken na akainyonga live live hapo mbele yetu. Next ikarushwa kwa moto bila kuwa de-feathered na kurostiwa mpaka ‘ikaiva’ tukaisosi bila hata kutoa matumbo na hizo takataka zingine. I only had a small piece nikakaa kando.
The following day a thursday, we went to the mortuary to collect the body followed by a requiem mass that lasted about an hour. Then tukashuka mtaani where we were to chill til jioni ndo safari ianze. We were ready to set on the long journey.
So dere akaleta mbathi tukaload kuni and everyone boarded ready kuondoka. Mbathi ikakataa kustart tena. Dere na boy wake wakajaribu kucheki cheki wakashindwa. Tukaita Oti, ule mechanic tulikuwa tunatambua hio mtaa yote naye pia akashindwa. Hapo ilibidi wazee waingilie kati. One of them said lazima maiti ipewe kile roho yake inapenda ndo iwache umama so cham ikaletwa. While Oti was still checking the engine wazee wawili wakapanda juu kwa carrier wakafungua coffin na kulewesha maiti, kidogo gari ikastart.
The journey went on smoothly save for a few dramas here and there. Tukafika kwa hio boma following day kitu saa tatu and after kudondoa kuni and enduring the nduru frenzy tukaamua kuzuru mtaa. Katika hizo pilka pilka tukameet mashore kadhaa. Among them was Atieno, a yellow yellow whom I dint believe was a nyaluo until I heard her speak nkaskia ile accent ya kijaka ndo nikawa convinced. Otherwise alikuwa perfect, atleast according to me. Hapa kiherehere yangu ndo ilinipatia an upperhand.
Later on sisi kama wageni wa boma tukapelekwa kwa keja ya sos fulani wa huko tukapatiwa ma rooms za kulala kwa servants quarter. Yenyewe hio mtaa keja ya maana ilikuwa tu hio moja hizo zingine zote zilikuwa za matope, mob zikiwa za round na roof ya nyasi iko na ‘kaerial’ kasharp kambao pale juu katikati @Deorro ama @introvert wanaweza tueleza ni ya nini.
This was one of the darkest night away from the city lights. All the same with the help of a pressure lamp we got some light until kitambi (mantle) yake ikadondoka. Ikabidi tutumie flashlights. It was much fun kuchimba kaburi, kunywa danje na kuroga madem wahio mtaa. Later, after a little persuation nikachota Atieno wangu na kumpeleka kwa room nikabinja. Game yake ilikuwa ni 5 star sio siri.
Following day tukazika poa and after much feasting and more drama thanks to the lakeside ninjas tukajipea shughuli. As is the custom, ilikuwa lazima kuwe na a grand disco that evening after burial. Hapo tuliona mambo. We had brought our own sound system from Nairobi and it was bound to attract the who is who in that location and it sure did. Boma ikafurika kisasawa. Sasa kuna a village champe who happened to be ndume ya Atieno na nikama aliambiwa story zangu.
So after kuchoka kudance nikahanda Atieno tuende anipatie tena before safari kesho yake. She insisted turuke fence nikashindwa kwanini. Anyways I followed her if only to get the poosy one more time. What I dint know was that she knew what she was doing. Nilikuwa nmengojewa kwa gate na rende ya ule champe nipewe dawa and she was aware of the plan. Ile base tulipewa ya kulala ilikuwa ka distance kiasi so I was still not out of the hook.
On our way tukapiga chuom hatukutaka kuchukua chance. Kidogo fala fulani na dem yake wakapiga nduru hio side ingine. Kumbe walikuwa wamehandwa na gang ya ule champe wakidhani ni mimi. Hapo nliponea na nikaenda kukuta vitu bila wasiwasi, this time better than the day before. Kesho yake tukafunga safari kurudi Nairobi and somewhere along the way ilibidi turushe kuku live through the window ya the moving bus ati kutoa zile swara zingetufuata.
Waah that was a hell of a trip with too much of a ‘foreign culture’ to learn. Yenyewe hawa wajaka wana mambo yawa.