MAKING A LOCAL CONNECTION

by Teckla Tibila Lepapa (Kenya)

Making a local connection Kenya

Making a local connection. Surrounded by the most beautiful mountains, lies a small village called Chepararia located in West Pokot County, Rift valley province of Kenya. The village is hidden from civilization and the people walk miles to reach most social amenities. My love for traveling made me take a tour there. A place considered to be nowhere. we went as a youth group consisting of eight members. It took us more than fifteen hours by car from Nairobi to reach the village. We had to change the car drivers twice and then hired a third one who knew the terrain much better. The hills are marked with black spots and rough roads. Accidents are reported thrice or twice a week and locals are advised by the county government, to refrain from traveling at night. Travelling was also difficult due to the fear and rising reports of raiding activities between the neighboring communities of Turkana and Pokot. We arrived late and found the youths from there waiting for us. Our supper that day consisted of "ugali and terminates" a diet that I had never tasted before but it was really nice and tasty. Later that night we slept in small mud houses, built using just sticks grass and mud. The small manyatta was very warm and comfortable. They also burned cow dung to keep off mosquitos. The second day we prepared and after breakfast we were driven by the only car in the village owned by the Priest to go and meet the locals in other villages. The roads are really rough and I found myself closing my eyes when we went down or up the many hills in fear of the car overturning. Inside the village, we were exposed to a livelihood very different from what happens back home. In the village, everybody rises up really early. Work is divided according to gender and age. The men wake up and assemble in the village square where they chat and exchange ideas and negotiate pride prices. The women go to the market to trade and look for meals, the young boys are tasked with the duty of grazing the cattle's and the young girls are tasked with raising the other younger siblings. Some of the people are still deeply rooted in the traditions and still believe in polygamy though others still are being incorporated into Christianity and taught its effects. The most beautiful and outstanding traditional practice is initiation. It is still one of the uniting ceremonies being practiced by the locals. It is graced with a lot of people who donate bulls and food for the event. The village leaders are the ones that officiate the ceremony, which involves dancing and chanting when welcoming the new initiates. The second day we visited the Tartar falls located in Kapenguria. The falls are magical and really beautiful from up there I could see to the east the neighboring country of Uganda. The beautiful landscape of the rift valley with the flowing rivers to the west. The falls also serves as a historical site for it is believed the Kapenguria six hide there during the fight for independence. I thought I would meet a hostile community due to the reported raids but I was marveled by the one big family I met. When the youths from there heard that we had visited, they came to greet us in hundreds. Not minding they had to travel long kilometers, others had walked for more than fifteen kilometers to reach us because we requested them for an exchange program. I learned a lot from them, despite the challenges they encounter in their daily lives, they are still strong and positive about the future. The area has been hit a couple of times by landslides which has resulted in displacing and death of many. Drought is also a major threat to them as every time it hits hundreds of people lose their lives and livestock. As I left Chepararia I carried it in my heart, the place is a small heaven, with warm and welcoming people, the deep tradition rooted to learn from, the many indigenous foods, the fruits that are drought resistant and immense love.