Chimbakha nambakhaani
– Good tales bring social ties.
In my father’s land, you don’t just get up in a gathering,
and words find their way into your mouth. Leading a public is an art that
requires prowess, experience and confidence, for people need to chew and choke
on your words.
And so it is in many other African communities. A public
speaker is a court poet who involves words full of ancient wisdom in proverbs
and riddles, jokes, and metaphors that appeal to commoners. The Ashanti of
Ghana call this court poet Kwandwumfo, griot in Mandinka, the Rwandese call him/her
an umusizi while the Zulu of Mzansi calls him Imbongi. In Bukusu land, such a
person has no specific name, depending on the type of gathering that one
speaks. For instance, in Khuswala Kumuse (a rare and an elaborate ritual in
honor of a respected Bukusu elder), he is called Oswala Kumuse- the Public
Comforter.
Bukusu oratory is part of our culture and for one to be an
orator, they need to have an excellent grasp of the way of the people. One can
rise in a gathering to condemn, inspire, cheer or mediate among other roles. He
gives a sweet-tongued conversation that goes into the souls of his kinsmen.
Such an orator has diverse tools at hand; from dishing out proverbs, singing,
dancing, speaking in riddles among other instruments of Bukusu ethnopoetics.
Such a performer speaks directly to the hearts and can evoke a standing ovation
by one wave of his tongue. Elomo esecha yombakha sibala. He is a bearer of fire
and an opinion shaper. With his mastery of words, his oratory influences the
attitudes, thoughts, and actions of the audience.
I can associate a few, but not accomplished oratory performers
in Bukusuland, including among others Mukhisa wa Kituyi, Mwambu wa Mabonga,
Kubende wa Kubende and Didmus wa Barasa. In a public gathering, do not dare
speak ill of them before they are invited, they will shave you clean off your
dignity. Sadly, most often voters have fallen for the wits of such performers
who are candidates in elections. To the ignorance of the masses, they think an
oratory performer will make a great politician, but often that is no guarantee.
But they are talented oral artists aren’t they? People will
listen them all day long with no exhaustion. As the ancient saying goes; Wemunwa akhunula masalao. That is, he is
who is sweet-tongued will rob your girlfriend and all the benefits that comes
with her.
