Since the distant past, ropes were very useful in every day
living. Men used it trap wild game, in
fishing, basketry and making warfare tools. Women and girls used ropes to
fasten bundles of firewood and so on.
Roping is also symbolic to many Bukusu clans, showing their trades or migration patterns. For instance;
- Omuliuli- Nekoye, Nabwami, Nalucho; who at one time crossed the Nile River using ropes that fashioned into a bridge.
- Omukobolo- Bemukwena, bamatisi, wekoye, likhui, khwanaba ching’eni, khwanaba ne lulumbe; who lived by fishing, using ropes to makes nets for their tradecrafts.
- Omutura- Owawashika, owamareba, osimbo; barwa be munyanja babechela khuluusi likulu liarenga; they lived around the lake regions (probably Ya Walule), could fish and bring rain upon lands.
- Omukhone- Bamwalie, basilambongo, babambukha Njoya khumufunje bakwa engelekha khuluusi; Bakhone of Bamwalie cluster crossed the Nzoia river via rope bridge (A modern example of Kumufunje swinging bridge is the 82m-long crossing in Elufwindiri village in Maraka, Webuye-East).
Which other clan do you know that arrived in the present location
by crossing major rivers?
Khuruka is the art of making rope, in whichever size, shape or
form. Every boy or girl coming of age had to learn rope-making for their
utility in daily living.
But they are many other terms relating to roping;
- Boa (pronounced as "bho-ah")– which is the normal tying of rope.
- Boaka/boakaka/boaboa – when a rope has to be tied hurriedly
- Boelela/Boelesia – Tying of a rope in a circle or repeated pattern, like around a bundle
*Boelela – is also a term referring to a child, whose siblings
have died due to stillbirths.
- Boyakania - tying a rope in a crude way, anyhow. Like when a goat gets itself tangled up with rope and can’t move about.
- Borora/bororamo- tying a rope in crisscrossing pattern (such as lashing)
- Naba – tying a rope in a formidable way to secure a bundle.
*Naba can also refer to knitting like a piece of garment
- Chwisia/chwing'a/kasa- tightening the rope to secure the bundle
- Fundikha - making of a knot (lifundikho)
- Yabukhasia- splitting a rope into two or more parts.
- Kangulula/kanyulula – the process of untying the rope
*Bukangulule – can also mean feeling relief after disease, problem
or a stressful experience.
- Tabandiaba/kabangabia – when you ease the rope, by relaxing it
- Fwara/fwaramo/fwarisia- is when a rope is hooked (nga sitorobo mwichoki)
- Fuula/fwalula – refers to unhooking a rope to release it.
*Fwara/fuula – also means exposing or covering sichula (dressing
and undressing).
Which other word do you know relating to using the rope?
